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Weapons of Mass destruction. Charles Feer WMD Instructor Center for Domestic Preparedness Instructor of Criminal Justice Bakersfield College. Weapons of Mass Destruction. Have been around since the 1700s United Nations classifies three types of WMD 1) Chemical 2 ) Biological
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Weapons of Mass destruction Charles Feer WMD Instructor Center for Domestic Preparedness Instructor of Criminal Justice Bakersfield College
Weapons of Mass Destruction • Have been around since the 1700s • United Nations classifies three types of WMD • 1) Chemical • 2) Biological • 3) Nuclear
Chemical Weapons • Use various chemical substances, dispersed in liquid, vapor and gas or aerosol form. • Cause sickness, paralysis, unconsciousness or death as a result of physical contact or inhalation.
Biological Weapons • Biological Warfare, also known as Germ Warfare, is the use of any organism (bacteria, virus or other disease-causing organism) or toxin found in nature, as a weapon of war. • It is meant to incapacitate or kill an adversary. • The level of damage depends primarily on the biological agent’s transmissibility, lethality and susceptibility to countermeasures.
Nuclear Weapons • Derive energy from the nuclear reactions of fission and/or fusion to produce large explosions and hazardous radioactive materials. • Nuclear weapons can be delivered by artillery, plane, ship, ballistic missile, etc. and can be either tactical or strategic weapons. • Radiation and radioactive debris affect large populations in surrounding areas, depending on weather conditions.
Radiological Weapons • Also called “dirty bombs” (a type of nuclear weapon) and radiological dispersion devices designed to spread radioactive contamination consisting of a nuclear or conventional explosive and causing radiation sickness, cancer, death and contamination to the target.
Terrorist WMD Aspirations • Extremist organizations continue to seek to acquire Weapons of Mass Destruction. • “Terrorist are seeking to get access to facilities and technologies of chemical and bacteriological weapons, radioactive, toxic agents and biological formulas.” • According to Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.
Terrorist WMD Aspirations • Osama Bin Laden has made no secret of his intention to use a weapon of mass destruction. • He has proclaimed it a “religious duty” for Muslim states to acquire nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to attack the West. • Insurgents have increased their expertise in making homemade bombs in Afghanistan, thereby adding to the prospect of a “dirty bomb”.
Terrorist WMD Aspirations • If smugglers can smuggle drugs and people into America… • Terrorist groups will smuggle trained terrorists and transport WMDs into the U.S. • “Terrorist groups including al-Qaeda are pursuing the materials to build a nuclear weapon and we know that they have the intent to use one.” • According to Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Adviser.
Terrorist WMD Aspirations • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed the U.N. Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland and called for immediate global action, to prevent nuclear bomb-making fissile material from falling into the hands of terrorists. • 1993 an al-Qaeda defector (who became a FBI source) revealed that bin Laden tried to buy uranium in Sudan. • 2007 video, bin Laden repeated his promise to use WMD to destroy capitalism and help create an Islamic caliphate.
Nuclear Energy • There are 430 nuclear power reactors in operation in 32 countries. • Radioactive materials are also used extensively in medicine, agriculture, research, manufacturing, non-destructive testing and minerals exploration. • On average, 20 million consignments of all sizes containing radioactive materials are routinely transported worldwide annually on public roads, railways and ships.