August 2002

Below is a listing of bioterrorism-related events this month, part of an ongoing bioterrorism chronology that begins with Sep 11, 2001. To see events from other months, go to the Bioterrorism Watch index page.

Aug 30

Tucson area to host large-scale bioterrorism preparedness drill
US Surgeon General Richard Carmona and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announce that Tucson, Ariz., will host the country's first large-scale drill to test preparedness for a major bioterrorist attack. The 3-day exercise will begin Nov 20. Tucson and other undisclosed areas in Southern Arizona and Maricopa County will provide the stage for a mass attack with a simulated bioterrorism agent known to cause extensive human illness and death. The agent will imitate a contagious disease or a noncontagious illness, or both, says Les Caid, battalion chief for disaster preparedness at the Tucson Fire Department. Once medical personnel discover the "attack," they will have to distribute 94,000 pounds of simulated drugs and medical equipment. The CDC, the Department of Justice, and regional healthcare providers will supervise the exercise.

FBI mum on American Media search as lawmaker criticizes agency
The FBI won't say if it has discovered any fresh evidence in its new search of the American Media Inc. headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., wonders if the FBI returned to AMI only because it ran out of other options. "It's baffling why the FBI has not been inside the AMI building for the past year," he tells the Associated Press. "I don't understand why the federal government's law enforcement agencies have been so lax in investigating the AMI incident." Lawmakers say the government should either decontaminate the building or take it over as a laboratory to study anthrax. AMI is renting offices nearby, and employees say they do not want to return to the company's headquarters. "In the beginning, everyone felt very patriotic and wanted to go back," says David Pecker, American Media's CEO. "But nobody really feels it can be remedied properly."

Aug 29

Coast Guard units to be trained to respond to biological, chemical attacks
A new Coast Guard training program will equip thousands of personnel to respond to biological or chemical attacks. The Coast Guard will use Web-based courses to give employees some general training, says Carol Rivers, principal research scientist for Battelle Corp., which is providing on-site contract support at the Coast Guard Office of Defense Operations in Washington. More specialized units will receive training at centers such as the US Chemical School at the Army's Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, officials say. Personnel such as port security units and those who provide Defense Department support will receive extensive training.

Researchers describe how anthrax defeats macrophages
California researchers report they have discovered how inhaled anthrax eludes the immune system and spreads throughout the body. The discovery raises the possibility of developing a way to disable one of the toxins anthrax uses to evade the body's defenses. "If we are correct, inhibition of the toxin's activity should give our bodies enough time to detect an infection and fight it," says the study's lead author, Dr. Michael Karin of the University of California-San Diego, in a press release. When bacteria are inhaled, cells called macrophages typically engulf and destroy them and send a warning to other parts of the immune system. But anthrax spores keep macrophages from warning other cells and then travel with the macrophages to the lymph nodes and the bloodstream. Then anthrax kills macrophages. Karin and his colleagues have discovered how the anthrax bacterium thwarts the way macrophages usually function.

China urges Japan to take responsibility for World War II germ warfare
China is pressuring Japan to "take a responsible attitude" regarding its use of biological weapons on Chinese civilians during World War II. The Chinese statements follow a Tokyo court ruling that acknowledged use of the weapons. "The facts are undeniable," newspapers quote Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan as saying of the ruling in a lawsuit by Chinese citizens who claim they were injured or lost family members because of Japan's germ warfare program. "The Japanese side should take a responsible attitude towards its history and towards reality, and correctly acknowledge and deal with history," Kong is quoted as saying. While Japan admits to having had a germ warfare unit in China during the war, it has refused to release details. Kong's reported remarks offer no details concerning China's expectations of Japan.

Study suggests that smallpox immunity may last longer than previously thought
A small study from the University of North Carolina offers evidence that the immunity provided by smallpox vaccine may last longer than has been believed. Dr. Jeffrey A. Frelinger and Dr. Lawal Garba exposed blood samples from 14 individuals to vaccinia virus (a relative of the smallpox virus). Four of the participants had received smallpox vaccinations within the past 5 years, five had been vaccinated between 6 and 35 years ago, and four were vaccinated more than 35 years earlier. One had never been vaccinated. The researchers report that CD8+ T-lymphocytes from all 13 vaccinated people showed a robust immune response. Dr. Frelinger acknowledges that the study involved cells in a laboratory dish and that it remains to be seen what would happen in a real smallpox outbreak.

France moves closer to US on policy toward Iraq
France softens its resistance to US military intervention in Iraq by saying that Baghdad is a threat to peace and demanding that Iraq allow the return of UN arms inspectors. According to French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, Iraqi defiance of international rules and its threats to the security of its neighbors are "unacceptable." "We Europeans know too well the price of weakness in the face of dictators if we close our eyes and accept to play a game of passivity," de Villepin says. "We should therefore maintain with the greatest firmness our demand for a return of UN inspectors without conditions." The change in France's position leaves Germany as the only major US ally resistant to an American invasion of Iraq. (NY Times)

British dossier on Iraq says Baghdad's main goal is nuclear bomb
An unpublished British "dossier" on Saddam Hussein's secret weapons is intended to offer insight into Iraq's development of unconventional weapons since the United Nations inspections stopped in December 1998, according to the online edition of the London newspaper The Times. According to British Government sources, Iraqi defectors provided details for the Whitehall dossier, which indicates that, while Iraq's secret plans to weaponize biological agents have drawn much attention, the main concern is still Saddam's ambition to build a nuclear bomb. The dossier suggests that in the absence of international inspections, the world is dangerously ignorant of Saddam's activities over the past 3? years. Sources say that Saddam has employed "several hundred" scientists and engineers to develop nuclear, chemical, and biological systems. The newspaper says the British government plans to release the Whitehall dossier after a decision is made to attack Iraq.

Texas lawmaker calls for terrorism preparedness training in public schools
Texas State Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, says he thinks terrorism preparedness should be taught in Texas public schools. "Some may say this is extreme," Lucio tells the Associated Press. "I would remind them to watch the tapes of Sept. 11; there was a school just minutes away from the World Trade Center. Thank God none of the students were seriously injured." Lucio has written to Education Commissioner Felipe Alanis requesting that an educational or training program be offered in elementary, middle, and high schools. He sent copies of his proposal to President Bush and US Secretary of Education Rod Paige, requesting that training begin in Reserve Officers Training Corps programs or in conjunction with Fire Safety Prevention week.

Aug 28

Pentagon announces program to detect biological attacks in two cities
The Defense Department says it is launching a program to provide for early detection and identification of biological weapons and related diseases in urban areas. The program will involve testing of various early-warning technologies in Washington, DC, and Albuquerque, N.M., say officials at the Pentagon and in the two cities. In Albuquerque, the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency will deploy air-monitoring equipment starting this fall. The year-long test will determine the effectiveness of biological monitoring equipment in an urban environment, says Angel Martinez of Albuquerques Environmental Health Department. A similar network of air monitors will be installed at undisclosed locations in the Washington area, according to a Pentagon spokeswoman. The Defense Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense will manage this program, to begin this fall or winter. In both cities, officials will monitor symptom reports from hospitals and doctors offices and monitor pharmaceutical sales in an effort to detect unusual disease outbreaks.

Many cities unprepared for biological and chemical emergencies
Many communities are working to increase security and improve their emergency response plans, but they are not well- prepared to handle a biological or chemical attack, according to a New York Times report. For example, Wilmington, Del., has improved protection of its water supply and has bought some new equipment for police and firefighters, but the city needs federal money before it can do much more, said Mayor James Baker. Weve been waiting for Congress to authorize the creation of a Department of Homeland Security, Baker says. Weve been spending our own dollars and we need federal dollars. The city has only 250 single-use biohazard protective suits for 500 emergency responders. In some other cities, emergency personnel have no protective gear for biological and chemical hazards.

County bioterrorism drill in Kansas reveals gaps in preparedness
Johnson County, Kansas, emergency workers say a mock bioterrorism drill tested the countys preparedness by pushing its emergency response system to the limit. The drill involving about 60 hospital, police, city, county, and Army National Guard officials began with vague information about a possible terrorist attack, followed by an outbreak of pneumonic plague. Next, Johnson County and surrounding counties were declared a disaster area, and Kansas City International Airport was closed. Medication arrived slowly. This drill was designed to stress the system to its breaking point, says Assistant County Manager Hannes Zacharias. Zacharias says the drill showed that the county needs better computer technology, fewer people in the command center, volunteers to distribute medication from national stockpiles, and most important, better communication.

Aug 27

Further investigation starts in anthrax-contaminated Boca Raton building
The FBI returns to an anthrax-contaminated building owned by tabloid publisher American Media Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla., saying its original investigations were incomplete. As the investigation continues, agents will use newly developed techniques to search for anthrax spores and other evidence throughout the building. Previous searches inside the building concentrated on a mailroom and workstations used by infected employees. "We hope this investigation will bring to justice the person or persons responsible for this horrific act," says Hector Pesquera, the FBI's special agent in charge of the Miami division. Investigators have moved mobile units into the building's parking lot and plan to begin the 2-week operation inside the building Wednesday (Aug. 28). Pesquera says workers will collect "thousands and thousands" of new samples in search of the source of the spores and how they were disbursed in the building.

Thompson says he awaits White House decision on smallpox vaccination
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says he is awaiting a final decision from the White House following his recommendation on who should receive smallpox vaccinations. HHS bioterrorism advisors must now sort through issues such as: liability if someone dies or becomes seriously ill, problems associated with immunocompromised people such as HIV patients, reporting of reactions, and how and where to administer the vaccine. Bioterrorism advisor Dr. D.A. Henderson tells the Secretarys Council on Public Health Preparedness that he never encountered nearly as many issues and problems in his years with the global smallpox eradication campaign. Henderson also says many cities are "vastly underprepared" to run a large smallpox vaccination campaign, should it become necessary because of an attack. Were lagging behind, theres no question on that, he says.

CDC has improved its bioterrorism preparedness in past year, officials say
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say they are much better prepared to deal with a terrorist attack now than they were a year ago. Since Sep 11, the agency has made improvements in disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, personnel training, and cooperation with state and local public health agencies. The agency also has expanded its emergency stockpile of medications and vaccines and improved its emergency operations center, says CDC Director Julie L. Gerberding, MD. Were on high alert for any bioterrorist attack, says Dr. James M. Hughes, director of the CDCs National Center for Infectious Diseases. Officials say they have been using the outbreak of West Nile virus to practice responding to unfamiliar diseases. "Our preparedness is very high, but we're not satisfied, and we have more work to do," says Gerberding.

No anthrax found in three New Jersey postal facilities
Last weeks testing at three New Jersey postal facilities revealed no anthrax contamination, officials say. The testing was prompted by the discovery of spores in a Princeton mailbox Aug 8. Postal officials and New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Clifton R. Lacy express confidence that anthrax spores did not spread beyond the mailbox and say postal workers and the public are in no danger. This just reinforces the fact there is no public health issue from the Princeton mailbox at this time, says Dr. Lacy. According to Postal Service spokeswoman Diane Todd, five central New Jersey centers have now been tested, and none produced signs of anthrax contamination.

US official pessimistic about efforts to strengthen bioweapons treaty
US Undersecretary of State John Bolton tells Tokyo reporters he is pessimistic about the chance of success for US proposals on international controls on biological weapons. Even in the face of rising risks over a rogue state using biowarfare, he expresses doubt that a November meeting to review the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) will achieve much. In a perfect world, I would like to see [US] proposals endorsed and acted upon. Whether that is possible in the current political context of the BWC I rather doubt, Bolton tells Reuters. Efforts to add enforcement mechanisms to the BWC stalled last year when Washington opposed the plans on grounds that they were ineffective. The United States has complained that some countries that have signed the BWC are developing bioweapons.

Japanese court admits World War II germ warfare but nixes compensation
A Tokyo court acknowledges that Japan had a germ warfare program before and during World War II, yet rules that international law prevents 180 Chinese citizens claiming to be victims of the program from seeking compensation from the Japanese government. The acknowledgement is the first Japanese admission of the use of biological weapons during the war. The case uncovered information that the government and US occupation forces kept secret after the war. Though some Japanese veterans testified that they mass-produced cholera, dysentery, anthrax, and typhoid germs in Harbin in the early 1940s, Japan has refused to confirm those accounts. The new revelations about the program have come from recently declassified documents that the United States confiscated from Japan after the war.

CIA analyst says more countries are trying to develop bioweapons
CIA analyst Kimberly Stergulz says the threat of bioterrorism is on the increase as more countries try to develop biological weapons. Biological warfare is an attractive option& because its relatively inexpensive to develop, says Stergulz, an analyst at the CIAs Weapons, Intelligence, Nonproliferation and Arms Control Center. A biological weapons program could cost about $10 million, while a chemical weapon program would cost $100 million and a nuclear program $2 billion, she says at the first meeting of the Secretary of Health and Human Services Council on Public Health Preparedness. Stergulz says new technologies such as genetic engineering are making biological weapons more complex. She names North Korea, Libya, and Syria as examples of countries actively developing their biotechnical infrastructure.

Aug 26

Pentagon embarks on "educational effort" regarding Iraq's weapons stores
A detailed assessment of Iraq's nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons programs is being circulated by the Pentagon, which has also briefed key allies and lawmakers privately as the White House decides whether to strike the country. The military also is working on a report that shows links among the al Qaeda terrorist organization and Iraq, its security forces, and government-run businesses. Administration officials call the weapons briefing "educational" and say it covers all threats from weapons of mass destruction, not just Iraq's. J. D. Crouch II, assistant secretary of defense for international security policy, spearheaded the briefing. He is among those known inside the Pentagon as "hard-liners," who favor military action to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Aug 25

Hatfill offers blood sample, rails against FBI
Dr. Steven J. Hatfill, the biowarfare expert under FBI scrutiny in the anthrax investigation, says in his second public statement in a month that he has offered to undergo a blood test he says will prove his innocence. Some experts say the results of such a test, if the FBI were to accept his offer, would not necessarily be helpful because the FBI has not collected baseline data of this sort from scientists who do work with the strain of anthrax involved in last fall's mailings. Dr. Hatfill also said he was filing a formal complaint against Attorney General John Ashcroft for focusing on him as a "person of interest" in the investigation and leaking information on him to the press. No one has been named by the Justice Department as an official suspect.

Aug 23

New Council on Public Health Preparedness convenes
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson names 21 individuals to join the Secretary's Council on Public Health Preparedness, a group that will guide the department on appropriate actions to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, including acts of bioterroism. D.A. Henderson, MD, MPH, Thompson's principal science advisor for public health preparedness, will chair the Council. The panel convenes for the first time Aug. 26-27. "This diverse group of very experienced professionals will be an invaluable resource in the ongoing effort to strengthen our nation's bioterrorism preparedness and response," Thompson says. The committee's first meeting agenda will include bioterrorism preparedness and response programs, states' preparedness programs, lessons learned from last fall's anthrax mail attacks, research and development efforts, new products related to bioterrorism, and public health emergency response planning. [Editor's note: Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, Director of CIDRAP, the publisher of Bioterrorism Watch and this Web site, is among the members of the new council.]

University of Maryland receives NIAID grant for vaccine research
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awards a $22 million, 5-year research grant to the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development. Researchers will work on new vaccines for a wide variety of diseases including anthrax, smallpox, meningitis, and malaria, studying the vaccines' effectiveness and the varying patient responses to them.

Aug 22

Test of anthrax cleanup procedure at Brentwood facility successful
The US Postal Service announces successful testing of part of the Brentwood postal facility to make sure the chlorine dioxide gas used to decontaminate the building could be contained for the required time and under the required conditions. "This proves that the procedure we designed for decontaminating the building works," says Thomas Day, the agency's vice president for engineering. The 17 million cubic foot facility has been sealed since the discovery of contaminated mail last fall. After the July 29 test, 194 liquid samples and 10 air samples from the treated area were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All tested negative, demonstrating that no anthrax spores survived the gas, postal officials say. "These test results should ensure the community that the fumigation process will be a success," says Theodore Gordon, senior deputy director of public health for the District of Columbia. Preparations are under way to fumigate the entire building, but no date has been set.

Ruling on Japan's WW II use of biological weapons in China expected soon
A Tokyo District Court prepares to rule on 180 Chinese victims of Japan's World War II germ warfare program. The plaintiffs, all Chinese citizens, are demanding 10 million yen ($84,000) each in redress from the Japanese government. Lawyer Koken Tsuchiya tells a media conference he hopes the court acknowledges that wartime atrocities took place, even if it denies the victims compensation. The plaintiffs say at least 2,100 Chinese died in outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, anthrax, and typhoid that were allegedly mass-produced by the Imperial Army. The case revealed details about Japan's biological warfare program that Tokyo and US occupation forces kept secret after the war. Historians now estimate that the unit may have killed as many as 250,000 people in their experiments during the 1930s and 40s, when Japanese troops occupied most of China.

Aug 21

Germany stockpiles smallpox vaccine
The German army orders 1 million doses of smallpox vaccine to be stored as a precaution to protect soldiers in case of a bioterrorism attack, the German Defense Ministry says. In a prepared statement, the ministry says there are no current plans to immunize the country's armed forces but only to have enough vaccine on hand to protect the entire army if needed. The vaccine order has been planned since 2000 and has nothing to do with a possible attack on Iraq, according to the statement. "The likelihood of an outbreak of a smallpox epidemic through using the virus as a biological weapon is considered very small," the statement says. The German government has already stockpiled 6 million doses of the vaccine for possible civilian use.

Anthrax-killing enzyme reported
Research from The Rockefeller University in New York on a bacteria-killing enzyme that can detect and destroy anthrax is released in the current issue of Nature. Isolated from a virus that attacks bacteria, the enzyme should also work against antibiotic-resistant strains of the anthrax bacteria. "Essentially, it cracks them open and releases all the cell contents, so the bacterial cell explodes," says Raymond Schuch, co-author of the study. The researchers suggest it would be difficult to create strains that resist the enzyme because it acts on a vital part of the bacterial wall that cannot easily be modified.

Still more New Jersey postal facilities undergo anthrax testing
Three more New Jersey postal facilities begin testing for anthrax shortly after officials said they had no plans to conduct tests at the sites. Included are Hamilton, West Windsor, and South River, with officials hoping to learn if anthrax discovered in a Princeton mailbox was spread through the mail stream. Similar testing took place over the weekend in Eatontown and Edison. "We are doing the (latest) testing because those facilities are part of the network the Princeton mail might have gone through, not because we got any preliminary results back from Eatontown or Edison," Diane Todd, a postal service spokeswoman, tells The Times of Trenton. Todd emphasizes that no postal employees are showing symptoms of anthrax exposure and that the new tests are only precautionary.

Israel to vaccinate 15,000 more against smallpox
The Israeli Cabinet decides to expand their smallpox vaccination program to more than 15,000 security and rescue officials, building on an in-progress program to vaccinate about 1,500 public health workers. The decision is part of Israel's overall preparation for a possible US attack on Iraq,which it is thought could spur an Iraqi attack on Israel. Raanan Gissin, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, stresses that such an Iraqi strike is "a very, very unlikely scenario," however. Among those to receive the vaccine are firefighters and ultra-Orthodox rescue workers. The latter workers often arrive first at the scene of an attack or accident and collect body parts for burial, in line with Jewish law.

Aug 20

A chemical to kill potential bioterrorism agents
Kansas State University researchers report their work on a magnesium oxide nanoparticle that kills deadly bacteria such as Escherichia coli and anthrax in today's issue of Langmuir, the American Chemical Society's journal of surface and colloid chemistry. "We had already reported that the nanoparticles were biocidal, but this is the first publication that shows what happens to bacteria when it is touched by the nanoparticle," says Kenneth Klabunde, professor of chemistry and developer of the chemical. Klabunde and his team used three types of microscopes to determine how the nanoparticles destroy bacteria. When touched by the nanoparticles, bacteria die in about 5 minutes. The researchers say the nanoparticles can be distributed to attack bacteria by placing them in air filtration units or spraying them like a powder. The scientists are seeking Environmental Protection Agency certification for the nanoparticles.

New software program aims at emergency preparedness
Minneapolis-based Meteorlogix, a commercial weather services provider, announces development of a new software program, MxInsight" for Homeland Defense, designed to help cities respond appropriately in the event of an emergency such as a bioterrorism attack, airborne chemical plume, or industrial toxin release. The program matches hazardous areas against the distribution of local residents, housing, or other data to determine the population at risk. City agencies can then determine precisely where to set up roadblocks, when to mobilize the closest public safety resources, and what types of medical resources are necessary to manage the incident, according to a company press release. "We've modified our advanced weather detection capabilities and developed a weather system that detects threats of a different nature so that city officials are able to guard against the unexpected and help ensure the safety of the public," says Robert Gordon, chief executive officer of Meteorlogix.

Princeton mailbox anthrax may widen, not narrow, search for suspects
The recent discovery of anthrax in a mailbox in Princeton, N.J., has some experts believing that investigators must widen the search for suspects in last fall's anthrax mailings. Their reasoning is that Princeton and surrounding towns are filled with the expertise to commit such a crime. Numerous academic labs, pharmaceutical companies, and firms that make fine industrial powders reside in this part of southern New Jersey,.each employing people with the knowledge and equipment to produce the refined anthrax powder sent to Senate and media offices, reports the Hartford Courant. "You could make a case that the person might have chosen to send the anthrax from Princeton because he wanted to pick a place that would only make the investigation more complicated," Richard Ebright, a professor at Waksman Institute of Microbiology at Rutgers University, is quoted as saying.

Purported biological weapons warehouse in Iraq really holds baby food and sugar
Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammed Mehdi Saleh shows reporters a warehouse northwest of Baghdad filled with baby milk and sugar, disclaiming a Washington Times report that satellite photos showed the building was being used to produce biological weapons. He says that the baby milk and sugar were purchased under the UN's oil-for-food program. "They (Americans) are checking every movement in Iraq, but a satellite cannot tell real information," Saleh tells reporters, according to a Reuters story. "This is rubbish information, actually rubbish information to convert baby milk and baby food and sugar to weapons of mass destruction." He claims the food from the warehouse is used to supply stores and to distribute food rations.

Chemical/biological weapons testing in northern Iraq
Islamic extremists tested chemical or biological weapons at a small facility in northern Iraq, but US officials decide it was a small threat that does not justify taking military action. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the American officials say the group, known as Ansar al-Islam, remains a serious concern, partly because of signs that they are connected to the al Qaida terrorist network. American intelligence agencies suspect that the facility, located in a part of northern Iraq not controlled by President Saddam Hussein's government, was a laboratory for chemical/biological weapons activity that included testing on barnyard animals. Some observers believe Ansar al-Islam is secretly supported by Saddam. Asked about the situation at a Pentagon news conference, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld refuses to say more than, "I have said for some time that there are al-Qaida in Iraq, and there are."

Chemical, biological, nuclear weapons work, not terrorism per se, biggest threat from Iraq
The US government names Iraq a sponsor of terrorism, yet Saddam Hussein's government exports relatively little compared with some of its neighbors, US officials say. The biggest threat from Iraq to American interests is from Saddam's chemical and biological weapons and his pursuit of nuclear weapons, US defense and intelligence officials claim. Also of concern is that he could supply these weapons to terrorist groups, but no evidence exsits that he has done this or intends to.

Aug 19

US anxious to get long-awaited sample of Russian anthrax
A strain of anthrax secured in an old Soviet bioweapons lab in rural Serpukhov, is particularly worrisome due to its potential as a tool of terror. Washington officials are anxious to bring a sample of the strain to the United States because it reportedly is vaccine-resistant, reports USA Today. US officials are concerned that the strain may render ineffective the inoculations given to troops and medical workers who would be on the front line in a biological attack. They want to test it and develop defenses if necessary. The US government has spent years seeking a sample, but Russian officials have not fulfilled contracts in which they agreed to provide a sample and details of the strain in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in US grants to study its vaccine resistance.

Anthrax spores found recently in New Jersey mailbox claimed to be leftovers
New Jersey health commissioner, Dr. Clifton R. Lacy, says he thinks the anthrax spores found recently in a mailbox in Princeton have been there for several months and maybe since last fall's anthrax mailings. Speaking at a Trenton news conference, he cautions that he and other state health experts do not know for certain when or how the spores got into the box, reports the New York Times. But he doubts speculation that the spores reached the box recently, because nobody has reported any anthrax illnesses or anthrax-contaminated letters for months. "I think this is probably a remnant from last fall," he is quoted as saying. He also announces that 76 more samples collected recently from 38 mailboxes in New Jersey all tested negative for anthrax.

Latest Iraq offer on weapons discussions not part of UN Security Council agenda
The United Nations Security Council does not plan to discuss Iraq's latest offer to resume discussions on weapons inspections at its upcoming meeting. Although some Council members might bring it up anyway, parts of Iraq's offer letter from Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri reiterated its previous position that UN arms experts would have to detail what they are looking for before they can continue searches for weapons of mass destruction. James Cunningham, an American diplomat to the United Nations, tells reporters he has just received the full text of the letter. "My initial reading of it didn't lead me to think it was very promising but we are looking at it and will have a considered view later," he says.

Aug 18

Demand for smallpox vaccine availability
A group of parents and lawmakers demand that the nation's health officials make the smallpox vaccine available to those who want it for their children, reports USA Today. Their concern stems from fears that a bioterrorist attack might set loose the smallpox virus. Until now, parental interest in the vaccine has not impacted vaccine policy-making decisions. Bill Hall, spokesman for Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, says that until policy is announced, the department will not comment. Demand for the smallpox vaccine has had an effect on researchers: John Treano of the University of Rochester says that in a study of the vaccine last fall his team received a small but significant number of calls from parents of children too young to meet the age requirement for the study making desperate pleas to include them anyway.

Two New Jersey mail centers undergo further, precautionary anthrax testing
The US Postal Service tests two New Jersey mail-processing centers for anthrax while federal authorities consider whether spores found in a Princeton mailbox had been there since last fall's anthrax mailings. Samples of dust are collected from equipment in areas where mail is received and sorted at the Monmouth Processing and Distributing Center in Eatontown and the Kilmer General Mail Facility in Edison. Results of the tests won't be available for several days, says Postal Service spokeswoman Diane Todd. "The important thing is the tests are totally precautionary," she is quoted as saying in the New York Times. "The Postal Service is doing it for the safety and well-being of the employees." Areas of suspected contamination would be sealed off, she adds. Positive results could lead to further testing.

Forensic linguistics expert offers thoughts on anthrax perpetrator
An FBI forensic linguistics expert thinks that last fall's anthrax attacks were carried out by a senior scientist from within America's biological defense community. Professor Don Foster, who has contributed to several high-profile convictions such as that of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, says the evidence points to someone with high-ranking military and intelligence connections. Speaking about the investigation for the first time, he states to BBC News that he has identified two suspects who had both worked for the CIA, the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, and other classified military operations. Foster further says the killer is likely to be highly patriotic and hoped to demonstrate that the US was badly prepared for an act of biological terrorism. Foster bases his conclusions on analysis of four letters recovered by investigators.

Aug 16

Hundreds of New Jersey mailboxes tested for anthrax
Federal authorities test nearly 700 mailboxes as potential sources of four anthrax-contaminated letters mailed last fall, says FBI spokesman Bill Evanina. New Jersey mailboxes were tested based on postal coding indicating when items enter the mail system, according to federal authorities. The postal service was able to narrow which boxes sent mail during the time four anthrax letters were processed by the Trenton regional plant last fall. Evanina does not know when testing results will be available.

Lack of proof that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction affects US support for military action
White House efforts to build support for attacking Iraq is complicated by the fact that US intelligence cannot say conclusively that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction, reports USA Today. Though the CIA advises administration officials to assume that Iraq has some weapons of mass destruction, the agency is unable to give President Bush a "smoking gun," according to US intelligence and administration officials. Administration officials add that this sense of uncertainty is affecting Bush's preparations to attempt to sell his Iraq policy. Saddam's record of aggression, support of terrorism, Iraq's hostility toward the United States, and its interest in developing chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons form the justification for ousting Saddam, US officials say. But without clear proof of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, they worry whether the fear of a future Iraqi threat will be enough to gain wide support for a military strike.

Aug 15

Iraq's position on weapons inspection softening?
Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan says Iraq is ready to discuss the return of United Nations weapons inspectors if talks can be conducted without any conditions. He tells Abu Dhabi Television, "Iraq is ready to discuss the return of the UN weapons inspectors provided that any dialogue with the United Nations takes place with no preconditions." "At the same time, Iraq is ready for the worst," he adds, suggesting concerns about US threats of possible military action to get rid of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Ramadan's comments seem to indicate a change from his previously strong opposition to the return of inspectors.

Gursky takes high-level ANSER position
Dr. Elin Gursky accepts the position of Senior Fellow for Biodefense and Public Health Programs at the ANSER Institute for Homeland Security. Her career in public health includes several positions at the county, regional, and state levels of governments and in the private healthcare sector. She has also led the Public Health Protection and Prevention Program, served as commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Health, and was Vice President for Public Health for a 10-hospital healthcare system. Gursky recently accepted an appointment to a 2-year term as a member of the International Human Rights Committee of the American Public Health Association. She is currently completing a 1-year fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies and will assume her new duties in mid-September.

Additional FBI agents added to Hatfill investigation
More than a dozen FBI agents drop other cases to work on the growing investigation of whether biological weapons expert Steven Hatfill played a role in last fall's anthrax mailings, say law enforcement sources. Hatfill is under frequent surveillance, according to his spokesman. The Washington Post reports that in Princeton, N.J., agents are going door to door with his photograph in the neighborhood where traces of anthrax were discovered on a mailbox. Agents have yet to find any physical evidence linking him to the crime, and some information that initially raised suspicion about Hatfill looks more innocuous on careful inspection. This includes a novel he co-wrote about a bioterrorist attack on Congress and reports that he frequented a remote cabin where he recommended that visitors take Cipro, the antibiotic used to treat anthrax.

Aug 14

Israel may inoculate emergency and health workers against smallpox
Concerns that Israel could be drawn into a possible US-Iraq war prompt the country's Health Ministry to recommend inoculating emergency and health workers against smallpox. Israel Radio says up to 150,000 people could be inoculated. Amos Yaron, director general of the Defense Ministry tells Israel Radio that although Israel has no concrete information that Iraq would attack with smallpox or another biological weapon, "We need to have the immunizations ready, and those who first have to treat the population have to be immunized." The recommendation now goes to the Cabinet for a final decision. Arieh Eldad, head of a team advising the Health Ministry on epidemiological control, tells Israel Army Radio that he resigned after the ministry rejected his team's recommendation that the entire population be inoculated against smallpox, a minority opinion, according to the Health Ministry.

Unfinished bioterrorism novel by Hatfill raises FBI suspicions
The FBI scrutinizes an unfinished novel written by biological weapons researcher Steven J. Hatfill. The book tells of a terror scheme to spread deadly bacteria in Washington, but not using anthrax and not using the mail. Hatfill's novel, "Emergence," has raised suspicions at the FBI and has been characterized by a US law enforcement official as an "interesting coincidence at this point." The idea for the novel originated several years ago at a dinner party where a group of journalists and former military men got to talking about bioterrorism, says Pat Clawson, a friend of Hatfill's who attended the party. "We started kicking it around, that it would be a cool novel to writelet's have a bioterrorism attack on Washington and Congress," says Clawson, who is serving as Hatfill's spokesman.

Aug 13

FBI still won't clear Hatfill in anthrax invesigation
A federal law enforcement official says the FBI is not ready to clear Dr. Steven J. Hatfill in last fall's anthrax mailings, although investigators have no physical evidence linking him to the crime, according to the Associated Press. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, makes the statement a day after Hatfill publicly declares he is innocent of any wrongdoing. Law enforcement officials continue to describe Hatfill as a "person of interest," not a criminal suspect. Investigators have searched Hatfill's Frederick, Md., apartment twice, including testing for anthrax residue. They have also searched his car, a storage unit in Florida, and his girlfriend's home. To date, they have found nothing linking Hatfill to the anthrax-contaminated letters.

Aug 12

Iraqi official says no weapons inspections
The mission of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq is "finished," according to the Iraqi information minister Mohammed Saeed Sahhaf, reports the Washington Post. This is the strongest official suggestion to date that President Saddam Hussein has no plans to allow the inspectors back in his country. The remarks fit with recent comments by Iraqi diplomats, who have said the government has little to gain by readmitting the inspectors because the Bush administration has vowed to overthrow Hussein anyway. Interviewed on the Qatar-based al-Jazeerah television station, Sahhaf says that "inspections have finished in Iraq" and that there is no need for the inspectors to return. He charges that the United States is manipulating the issue to create a pretext for a military strike against Hussein's rule. The chief UN spokesman, Fred Eckhard says the UN's last communications with Iraq in a letter last week from Secretary General Kofi Annan remains unanswered.

Genetically engineered bioweapons reportedly sought from US scientists
A nonprofit biological weapons watchdog group claims that US Special Forces have issued a request for US scientists to submit proposals to create genetically engineered offensive biological weapons. According to a press release from the Sunshine Project, this is the fourth US government proposal for anti-material biological weapons the group has uncovered this year. They say that the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, which the US is legally obliged to obey, prohibits all biological weapons. The release further states that the US Special Forces solicitation came in January 2002 as part of "Scientists Helping America." It asked researchers to show their patriotism by turning their talents to weapons, including bioweapons, specifically, genetically engineered bugs that eat materials, and stealthy modified organisms called taggants that can be used to invisibly "paint" a target to be destroyed later with other weapons.

Aug 11

Hatfill denies involvement in anthrax attacks
Germ weapons expert Dr. Steven J. Hatfill denies that he was involved in last fall's anthrax mail attacks that killed five people. He also claims federal authorities are engaging in a smear campaign to make him the "fall guy" for the crime. "I have had nothing to do in any way, shape or form with the mailing of these anthrax letters," Hatfill is quoted in the New York Times article as saying. "It is extremely wrong for anyone to contend or suggest that I have. I am a loyal American and I love my country." Though he has expertise in biological warfare defense, he says his specialty in viruses never crossed into research into anthrax. Hatfill is one of several people federal law enforcement officials are focusing on due to their backgrounds in biochemistry.

Aug 10

Japan wrestles with smallpox vaccination issues
Japan's Defense Agency plans to vaccinate Ground Self-Defense Force troops against smallpox in an effort to protect them from possible bioterrorism attacks. The agency will start vaccinating GSDF members belonging to the chemical warfare division who have the highest possibility of being exposed to the virus in the event of an attack. The agency has obtained smallpox vaccines for 50,000 people and is currently considering how best to use them. Also under consideration is the possibility of securing sufficient vaccines and antibiotics for other potential diseases of bioterrorism, such as anthrax and botulism, sources say.

Saddam assures Brit he'll implement UN resolutions
Iraq's president, Saddam Hussein, promises a British parliamentarian that he will give weapons inspectors access to his country, according to the Mail on Sunday. George Galloway, a member of parliament from Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party, who also writes a column for the weekly's Scottish edition, met Saddam at a secret underground bunker near Baghdad. Saddam said he would implement all UN resolutions on Iraq and admit weapons inspectors without hindrance, the paper says, although it did not quote the pledge directly. Commenting on the reported offer, a British Foreign Office spokesman tells Reuters: "This changes nothing. Saddam Hussein knows clearly what he has to do and that is comply with UN Security Council resolutions. The ball is in his court." Saddam's meeting with the maverick Galloway, who has made several visits to Iraq in the past, comes at a time when Blair faces increasing unease at home over his backing for a tough line on Iraq.

Aug 9

Evacuation plan set up for Washington, DC
The federal government develops a plan for making evacuation decisions for federal employees in Washington in the event of terrorist attacks on the capital. The procedure details who can decide to evacuate federal employees from agencies and how the government will communicate the decision to employees and city and state agencies affected by a mass exodus of Washington's civil servants. "Basically the only emergency plan that was available that this area had [on Sep 11] was the snow emergency plan," says Scott Hatch, Office of Personnel Management's director of communications. The new protocol addresses federal evacuations in Washington but could be used to make evacuation decisions for civil servants elsewhere. Under the new process, the head of OPM makes evacuation decisions after consulting with the heads of the General Services Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Officials then notify the White House, Office of Homeland Security, Secret Service, and other agencies.

Frist wants individual choice on smallpox vaccination
Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., says Americans should be allowed to make an informed choice to receive the smallpox vaccine. He further states in the New York Times that individual choice should become central in a new national policy to protect the public from a terrorist attack using smallpox. Frist, a heart surgeon, says that who receives the vaccine and when affects the health of individuals and also carries national security implications. Allowing individuals to choose whether to get a smallpox vaccination can help reduce the threat of bioterrorism. The more people who choose to be vaccinated, the fewer are susceptible to the disease and the more effective our efforts to contain an attack. "I believe the threat of a smallpox attack outweighs the risk of providing smallpox vaccinations to a well-informed public," he says. "Along with a phased-in vaccination of military personnel and first responders, every American should be given this option.

Aug 8

Hussein says 'forces of evil' will perish if they attack Iraq
Saddam Hussein, seeking to divert the world's attention from world demands that he live up to the agreements that ended the Gulf War, warns "the forces of evil" not to attack Iraq. Hussein says that any attackers will "die in disgraceful failure."

Armey says unprovoked attack on Iraq could backfire
House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Tex., warns that an unprovoked attack on Iraq would violate international law and undermine world support for President Bush's goal of ousting Saddam Hussein. "If we try to act against Saddam Hussein, as obnoxious as he is, without proper provocation, we will not have the support of other nation states who might do so," Armey tells reporters in Des Moines. Meanwhile, UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan says Iraq has not moved "an inch" toward meeting UN demands for the return of weapons inspectors. "I don't see any change in attitude," he says.

Newspaper says Hatfill made false claims on resume
Steven J. Hatfill, who is under FBI scrutiny in the anthrax investigation, made false claims on his resume, says a report in the Baltimore Sun. Contrary to his resume, he never earned a doctoral degree and never served in the Army Special Forces, the report says. The apparent lies did not prevent the National Institutes of Health from hiring him in 1995 or the US Army's biodefense laboratory from hiring him in 1997. Hatfill also received "secret" security clearance from the Defense Department in 1999. Because no one discovered the problems, Hatfill gained access to the worl'd deadliest pathogens while working at the Army lab from 1997 to 1999.

Aug 7

Bush, Cheney promise to consult with Congress and allies before any move on Iraq
President Bush promises to consult with Congress before any decision to attack Iraq. In a speech in Madison, Wis., he says, "I promise you that I will be patient and deliberate, that we will continue to consult with Congress, and of course, we'll consult with our friends and allies," he says. But he stops short of promising to ask for a vote authorizing an attack. Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking in San Francisco, says the administration will seek an international consensus on the matter. However, Cheney also says that the return of weapons inspectors might not be enough to eliminate the threat of Iraqi unconventional weapons, because Iraq has worked so hard to conceal them.

US cannot use Saudi Arabian bases to attack Iraq, official says
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Saud, says his nation has made it clear to Washington that the US military will not be permitted to use Saudi Arabian soil for an attack on Iraq. In an interview with the Associated Press, Saud says, "We believe it [an attack] is not needed, especially now that Iraq is moving to implement United Nations resolutions."

Israeli volunteers receiving smallpox vaccine
The Washington Times reports that Israeli health officials have begun preparing to vaccinate the Israeli population against smallpox. Hundreds of volunteers, mostly from the health sector, have been vaccinated to provide an adequate supply of antibodies for treating adverse reactions to the vaccine. Smallpox vaccinations in Israel were halted in 1979. Israel fears that an American attack on Iraq would prompt Saddam Hussein to fire biological weapons at Israel.

Bush signs waiver to release funds to safeguard old Soviet weapons
President Bush signs a temporary waiver to release millions of dollars for programs designed to reduce the threat posed by Russian nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons left over from the Cold War. The program, called Cooperative Threat Reduction, provides money for projects to prevent the theft of tens of thousands of tons of weapons and eventually to destroy them. The legislation that established the program requires that the president certify each year that Russia is complying with arms-control treaties. The Bush administration decided recently that it could not make the certification, but Bush asked Congress to let him waive the certification. The waiver expires Oct 1.

D. A. Henderson says British smallpox vaccine is effective
New Scientist magazine reports that Dr. D. A. Henderson, the US government's senior bioterrorism adviser, has vouched for the efficacy of Britain's smallpox vaccine, which recently was criticized as inferior to the US vaccine. Britain's vaccine uses the Lister strain of vaccinia virus, while the US vaccine inventory uses the New York Board of Health strain. "The Lister strain, so far as we could tell, was fully as protective as the New York Board of Health strain," Henderson is quoted as saying. Steve Prior, a scientist at the Potomac Institute in the US, told a British newspaper last week that the Lister vaccine may not protect against the smallpox strain most likely to be used by terrorists.

Aug 6

Annan says Iraq must accept UN terms for return of weapons inspectors
In a letter, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan tells Iraq that it must accept the Security Council's terms for the return of weapons inspectors. The letter is a response to Iraq's invitation last week to chief inspector Hans Blix to visit Baghdad for technical talks. The letter rejects Iraq's proposal to deal with outstanding issues about its alleged weapons of mass destruction. "I have no problem with discussions at the technical level," Annan says before sending the letter. "But my concern is the agenda and how it proceeds."

Aug 5

UN says no more talks with Iraq unless Hussein accepts UN inspection rules
The United Nations Security Council and Secretary General Kofi Annan agree that UN weapons inspectors will not go to Iraq to reopen negotiations on inspection of alleged weapons sites unless Saddam Hussein's government agrees to abide by UN rules on how inspections must be conducted. Annan describes any differences of opinion within the Security Council as "shades of emphasis."

Congressional leaders reject Iraqi invitation to visit alleged weapons sites
The speaker of Iraq's parliament invites the US Congress to send a mission to Iraq to visit any alleged weapons sites members want to see. Speaker Saadoun Hammadi, in a letter to Congress, invites the body to send any number of members, accompanied by technical experts. But congressional leaders of both parties quickly reject the invitation, saying they will not give Iraq an excuse for not allowing UN inspectors to return.

Anthrax-vaccine maker claims financial hardship because of government indecision
Bioport Corp., the nation's sole producer of anthrax vaccine, says it is in financial trouble because it doesn't know how much vaccine the federal government will buy and therefore cannot sell vaccine to other customers at higher prices. Bioport President Robert Kramer says foreign governments and private parties want to buy vaccine for more than $100 a dose, but the company can't sell to them until it fulfills its contract with the federal government. A Bush administration official estimated the size of that contract at about 3.4 million doses. The Pentagon has not been able to say exactly how much more vaccine the government needs because several civilian agencies have not made commitments to buy specific amounts. Bioport executives say the Department of Defense is paying about $20 a dose for the vaccine, more than three times the original price negotiated 3 years ago. The Pentagon is vaccinating soliders in high-risk areas, and the government is stockpiling from 40% to 50% of the vaccine for use by civilian first-responders in the event of exposure to anthrax.

Israel to make more smallpox vaccine because of perceived Iraqi threat
Israel's Health Ministry says it is producing a new batch of smallpox vaccine because of fears that a US attack on Iraq would prompt Iraq to respond with a biological attack on Israel. A ministry spokesman says Israel has enough doses of the vaccine for its population of more than 6 million, but it is producing a surplus to provide for 300,000 foreign workers, tourists, and possibly Palestinians. But leaders have not decided to launch mass vaccinations, the spokesman says.

Hounds' reaction suggests link between Hatfill and anthrax attacks
A Newsweek report says evidence from the use of bloodhounds suggests a link between bioterrorism expert Steven J. Hatfill and last fall's anthrax attacks. The FBI presented hounds with "scent packs" lifted from anthrax-laced letters mailed to Sens. Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy, the report says. Agents then brought the dogs to various places frequented by a dozen people who were considered possible suspects. The dogs had no reaction at most of the sites, but they became agitated when they were brought to Hatfill's apartment building in Frederick, Md.; to the Washington, DC, apartment of Hatfill's girl friend; and to a Louisiana restaurant where Hatfill had eaten the day before.

Aug 4

Brooklyn, N.Y., hospital has smallpox scare
A man with symptoms that look like smallpox walks into an emergency room at a small hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., triggering temporary closure of the 200-bed hospital. The hospital notifies the city health department, and two city health officials come to the hospital to interview and examine the man, who has a fever and rash. The hospital asks all visitors to leave and diverts ambulances for an hour and a half. By evening, the two city officials determine that the man, a 21-year-old Nigerian, does not have smallpox.? He is discharged and told to seek follow-up care from a dermatologost. John T. Odermatt, commissioner of the city's Office of Emergency Management, says the incident shows that the city is prepared for a bioterrorism attack.

Hatfill suspended from job because of anthrax investigation
Steven J. Hatfill, a bioterrorism expert whom the FBI has been eyeing as a "person of interest" in its anthrax investigation, has been suspended from his job at Louisiana State Unversity, according to a report in the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger. Hatfill is associate director of LSU's Academy for Counter-Terrorist Education. Citing the anthrax investigation, the school placed Hatfill on paid leave Aug 2, according to the report.

UN weapons inspector rejects Iraqi offer for talks
Hans Blix, chief arms inspector for the United Nations, says he will not accept an invitation to meet with Iraqi officials to discuss weapons inspections until Baghdad agrees to allow full inspections to resume. Blix's statement, to the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat, is in response to an Iraqi invitation to come to Baghdad for "technical talks." But UN officials say that Blix's statement is not a definitive rejection of the Iraqi invitation. Meanwhile, Iraq's state-controlled press urges UN members to accept Baghdad's offer and portrays the US rejection of the proposal as colonialism.

Biden says US has no choice but to eliminate Iraqi weapons
Sen. Joseph R. Biden, R-Del., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says the US has no choice but to eliminate Saddan Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, which will probably necessitate an attack on Iraq. Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Biden says, "I believe there probably will be a war with Iraq. The only question is, Is it alone, is it with others, and how long and how costly will it be?"

Daschle says war on Iraq will require congressional authorization
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle says he supports a resolution that would require separate congressional authorization for a war with Iraq. "This is an issue that I believe ought to deserve the debate in Congress," Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, says on an ABC-TV news show. He says President Bush will not be able to launch a full-scale attack without "bipartisan and bicameral" support from Congress. A resolution requiring congressional authorization has been introduced by Sens. Diane Feinstein of Calfornia and Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont.

Aug 2

Senator calls American attack on Iraq inevitable
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., says an American military move to oust Saddam Hussein is inevitable. Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate Intlligence Committee, tells the Associated Press that he believes a strike is warranted because Iraq is developing weapons of mass destrucdtion at multiple sites. "Every month, every week, Saddan Hussein will have more weapons of mass destruction to use against us," he says. "Why put it off?"

Aug 1

Anthrax investigators search Steven Hatfill's apartment again
For the second time, FBI and Postal Service agents investigating the 2001 anthrax mailings search the Frederick, Md., apartment of Steven J. Hatfill, a biodefense researcher who formerly worked for the Army. At Hatfill's invitation, agents previously searched his apartment in June, without a warrant, and removed computer components and some other items. This time officials obtained a search warrant. One source says that investigators' interest in Hatfill has increased in recent weeks, but refuses to say why. Hatfill recently took a job at Louisiana State University's National Center for Biomedical Research and Training. Authorities have repeatedly said that Hatfill is not a suspect in the anthrax probe.

Stabilizing post-Hussein Iraq would likely be a long, expensive project
Experts on Iraq tell the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the Bush administration should be prepared for a long and expensive effort to install and protect a pro-American government if it decides to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. On the second day of committee hearings on the issue, five of six experts agree that the project will require a huge amount of aid and a long-term commitment of troops. Scott Feil, a retired Army colonel who studies postwar reconstruction programs, says the US would need to deploy 75,000 troops for at least a year, at a cost of at least $16 billion. Only Caspar Weinberger, defense secretary under President Ronald Reagan, contends that the US need not play a major role in rebuilding Iraq.

Iraq invites UN weapons inspector to Baghdad for talks
In a surprise move, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri invites the chief United Nations weapons inspector to Baghdad for talks. The letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is the first clear indication in nearly 4 years that Iraq will allow weapons inspectors to return. In the letter, Sabri invites chief inspector Hans Blix and experts from the UN weapons inspection agency to visit Baghdad for technical talks "at the earliest agreed upon time." Sabri says his government wants the talks between Blix and Iraqi experts to review the remaining questions about Iraq's weapons program and decide measures to resolve them "when the inspection regime returns to Iraq." UN and US officials offer no immediate comment on the letter.

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