-Caveat Lector- http://www.cnn.com/2001/HEALTH/conditions/11/21/anthrax.weapons.ban.ap/
Scientists: Anthrax 'almost certainly' from U.S. defense lab November 21, 2001 Posted: 11:25 PM EST (0425 GMT) GENEVA, Switzerland (AP) -- The Federation of American Scientists on Wednesday told a 144-nation conference on banning germ warfare that the U.S. anthrax attacks were "almost certainly" derived from a U.S. government laboratory. "I'm a New Yorker," said Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, chairwoman of the federation's working group on biological weapons. "My city has been attacked, first by foreign terrorists, then by an American using a weaponized biological agent." Rosenberg was representing one of a number of arms-control groups that urged the conference to tighten restrictions on germ warfare in the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention. The anthrax used in letters sent to addresses in New York City, Washington and Florida "was derived, almost certainly, from a U.S. defense laboratory," said Rosenberg. She said the anthrax attacks "demonstrated the incredible potency" of using disease as a weapon. "But (it) was only a small taste of what is possible." Five people have died as a result of the toxin. A number of other groups cautioned against what they saw as a go-it-alone approach favored by the administration of U.S. President Bush. "The terrorist attacks of September 11 have taught us one thing," said Jean Pascal Zanders of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. "More than ever a state, however powerful, cannot ensure its security by itself." The International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility, based in Germany, said a strong treaty with worldwide inspection powers would be the best deterrent. U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton reiterated at the meeting Monday that the Bush administration backed out of attempts to create such an inspection system last summer on grounds that it wouldn't work and would expose U.S. defense and commercial secrets. The U.S. pullout scuttled attempts to adopt a 210-page enforcement protocol because it meant the consensus necessary for adoption was missing. The International Committee of the Red Cross told the meeting that it was "disturbed that nearly a decade of negotiation to develop" the protocol had failed to bear fruit. "We urge states parties to resume efforts," said Francois Bugnon, director for international law of the ICRC. James K. Wyerman, executive director of the Washington-based disarmament group 20/20 Vision, told the meeting that U.S. surveys showed Americans want their government to do more to counter the threat of bioterrorism. "Much of the U.S. public wants prompt action and a strong verification procedure even if our own delegation apparently does not," said Wyerman, who claimed to be speaking for more than 150,000 individuals in physician, environmental, faith and civic groups. Last summer, the United States shocked other treaty countries by pulling out of six years of negotiations to create a verification system to strengthen the treaty. The treaty drafters omitted an enforcement mechanism when they negotiated the accord during the Cold War, in part because no one seriously thought anyone would try to use such weapons. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month. http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1 <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
