FBI agent: Awareness, preparedness are keys

The FBI opened 116 cases involving biological weapons in the U.S. last year.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Most Americans are now aware of the threat posed by terrorists armed with the bacteria anthrax. But what about smallpox? Or the plague?
"There are things out there worse than anthrax," said Al McGinty, the FBI special agent who is the weapons of mass destruction coordinator for the bureau's Cleveland office.
McGinty noted that during the Middle Ages, the plague killed one-third of Europe's population.
"There are things if a terrorist were to get their hands on, they could cause a real problem," he said.
McGinty discussed the threat of terrorists with biological weapons during a speech Wednesday night at a dinner meeting of the Ohio-Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers. The meeting was at Lucianno's Restaurant here.
"What we're trying to do is make people aware that they're targets," McGinty said.
Biological weapons threat: McGinty said the FBI thinks that many modern terrorists are armed with biological weapons like smallpox or anthrax instead of chemical or nuclear weapons. He said that although biological and nuclear weapons can cause massive destruction, biological weapons are easier to produce and obtain.
"I don't care how much beer you drink on a Saturday night. You probably can't make a thermonuclear device in your garage," McGinty said. He added that biological weapons can be produced in laboratories, medical research facilities, programs sponsored by foreign governments, or private homes.
McGinty also noted that the FBI opened 116 cases involving biological weapons in the United States in 2000. That's more than half of the 204 cases involving weapons of mass destruction opened by the FBI last year.
Revenge motive: Most of the modern terrorists investigated by the FBI are driven by revenge, McGinty said. He said that those terrorists refuse to negotiate, give no warning of their attacks, and are trying to cause injuries or death to private citizens.
"A lot of these groups have switched their target from government to private industry or private citizens," McGinty said. "They have started to figure out that they can get more results by attacking the industry instead of attacking the courthouse."
Seven types: McGinty also said that most of today's terrorists can fit into one of seven classifications: lone offenders like Timothy McVeigh; splinter groups like the Ku Klux Klan; nonaligned terrorists like Osama bin Laden; doomsday cults like the Heaven's Gate group; rebels like the Chechens in Russia; terrorist countries; or disgruntled employees.
"Even though the big bad guy is Osama bin Laden, we can't forget about these other terrorist groups," McGinty said.
McGinty added that he thinks private companies should create plans to protect their employees in the event of a terrorist attack. Those plans should identify shelter for employees, he said.
"If you're prepared and you're ready, most likely they'll go onto someone else," McGinty said. "The goal in all of this is to save lives."
hill@vindy.com