Erik Reuter wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 14, 2003 at 01:24:04PM -0600, Dan Minette wrote:
>
> > I think I was the one who originally brought up cargo containers with
> > regard to attacks before 9-11.  They are a very significant risk for a
> > nuclear attack.  But, since a biological or chemical agent needs to be
> > properly dispersed to rack havoc, then a cargo container that contains
> > anthrax will not be an effective means of killing a lot of people.
> > Chemical agents would also suffer from the same dispersement problem.
>
> I was thinking along the lines of terrorists in the country who managed
> to pick up the materials from an incoming cargo container. But I don't
> know enough details about whether that would be possible. Do you?

That's what I've feared: the chem/bio/nuke materials are smuggled into
the US (easy enough to do) and disseminated to assorted terror cells.
What then:

I've heard mention of the possibility of smuggling in drones/UAV's to do
airborne delivery of chemical/biological agents.  There was also the whole
"cropduster" concern a while back - stealing one of those might not be so
difficult.  And of course, the US mail system seems to be quite effective as
an anthrax delivery vehicle:  Imagine not a dozen letters but thousands,
mailed from all over the US, simultaneously.

But really, a primary point of terrorism is "terror".  Chem/bio attacks in our
subway systems would not kill many thousands of people, but that doesn't
make them not a threat.  Multiple smaller attacks like that could kill hundreds,
spread terror, and cause billions in economic damage.

-bryon

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