Current and Emerging Threat of CBRN-E Terrorism Dr. Rohan Gunaratna Professor of Security Studies S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Nanyang Technological University
The Global Threat Anthrax is the most favored terrorist weapon Two dozen groups are interested to develop CBRN weapons Al Qaeda, Tawhid Wal Jihad, Jemaah Islamiyah and a few other groups invested in the development CBRN weapons Saudi Cleric issued a fatwa justifying the use of CBRN weapons in 2003
Al Qaeda Intent Al Qaeda developed a WMD Committee led by Mamdouth Salim alias Abu Hajir al Iraqi by 1993 Bin Laden requested his personal pilot Essam al Ridi al Masri to learn crop dusting Procurement attempts in Sudan (Uranium canister), Germany (red mercury), and FSU were unsuccessful
Al Qaeda s Specialist Projects Al Qaeda developed separate chemical and biological warfare programs. Midhat Mursial al Sayid Uma alias Abu Khebab al Masri headed the chemical and toxins program in Derunda complex Mustafa Setmarian Nasar alias Abu Musab al Suri alias Umar Abd al Hakim and Abu Musab Al Zarkawi expanded and operationalized these projects Westward Al Qaeda established links with Pakistani scientists, both nuclear weapons specialists and biochemists.
Al Qaeda s Interest in Anthrax Al Qaeda s interest to manufacture Anthrax triggered by the US Defence Secretary Cohen appearing on US television with a five pound bag of sugar stating the dangers of Anthrax. Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri, Deputy leader of Al Qaeda and the most influential strategist of the global jihad movement s remarks.
Al Qaeda s Anthrax Program Al Qaeda recruited Dr Abdur Rauf, a British qualified scientist at Pakistan s CISIR to establish the foundation for its Anthrax Program Dr Rauf visited Level 3 advanced security lab in the UK and was about to gain access to the most dangerous pathogens
First Letter to Dr Ayman Al Zawahiri from Dr Abur Rauf
Second Letter to Dr Ayman Al Zawahiri from Dr Abur Rauf
Al Qaeda Requested JI Assistance Al Qaeda leadership requested Issamudin Ridduan alias Hambali, an Indonesian cleric, to recruit a scientist Hambali hired Yazid Sufaat, a member of JI and KMM, who participated in Project Natal. Sufaat, a Malaysian retired Army Captain and a US trained biochemist in January 2001 was selected to lead the program Sufaat, also the owner of Medical Green Laboratories and Infocus Tech, also provided his condominium for the 9-11 planning meeting and provided sanctuary and support to three 9-11 hijackers
Al Qaeda Anthrax Program disrupted in October 2001 With US-led coalition intervention in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda was forced to abandon its anthrax lab in Kandahar in Oct. 2001 Al Qaeda planned to relocate the Anthrax program to Bogor, Indonesia Denial of sanctuary in Afghanistan and the arrest of Suffat by Malaysian Special Branch ended Al Qaeda s anthrax program
Recoveries from Anthrax lab in Kandahar Equipment Over 100 journal papers Al Qaeda Biological Weapons Manual
JI-Chem-Bio Manual Recovered from the safe house of Taufiq Rifqi Manual demonstrates intent, no capability Manual is compiled from formulae available on the internet As safety measures and precautions are not taken, if the manual is used, it is likely to kill the manufacturer Our assessment of the manual has not been publicized
Current and Future Trends Over 90% of the terrorist attacks are using the gun and the bomb Terrorist groups have demonstrated both the intention and the capability to develop unconventional weapons Terrorist groups are only away from recruiting a COMPETENT bio-chemist from developing a bio weapon