Washington - A US panel on weapons of mass destruction got
first-hand experience of the threat of terrorism when they tried to
visit Pakistan in September as part of their preparation for a report
released this week.
As they were making a connecting flight in Dubai on their way to
Islamabad on September 20, US officials called them to stop the
journey.
'The State Department said, 'We've got good news and bad news for
you. The good news is you're not in your hotel. The bad news is your
hotel is gone',' recalled former congressman Timothy Roemer, a member
of the congressional-chartered Commission on the Prevention of
Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation and Terrorism, on
Wednesday.
The panel was making its first public remarks after the report was
released Tuesday. The chances that terrorists will use a nuclear or
biological weapon to carry out an attack has grown increasingly
likely and could happen by 2013, the report found.
Al-Qaeda has become better organized and biological weapons
materials are more accessible than ever, said former senator Bob
Graham, commission chairman. The findings led the panel to conclude
that a major attack will more likely be a biological weapon.
'Our adversaries have not been waiting,' said Graham. 'Al-Qaeda,
the most likely terrorist group to gain access to weapons of mass
destruction, has reorganized itself in the last eight years into a
more nimble and global organization.'
Former senator Jim Talent, vice-chairman, said the panel
determined that a biological weapon is more likely than a nuclear
attack, since the material is easier to come by, easier to weaponize
and easier to mass-produce in secret laboratories for repeated
attacks.
The government needs to be 'more aggressive' in demanding 'a
culture of accountability and a partnership with the life science
community, reforming how we regulate the high containment labs where
they work on these kinds of pathogens,' Talent said.
Answering a question from reporters, Talent confirmed that the
panel had identified Pakistan as 'the most dangerous place in terms
of the nexus between proliferation and terrorism.'
The concerns centered not only on the stability of the government
and its status as a nuclear power, but also on the question of
whether there are 'adequate protocols between Pakistan and India' in
the event of a crisis to make sure things 'don't escalate.'
Since last week's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, tension has grown
in the region as US and Indian officials have pointed the finger at
Pakistani terrorists. India is also a nuclear power.
On September 20, terrorists bombed the Marriott Hotel in
Islamabad, killing more than 50 people.
'That was a near miss for this commission and for its members but
certainly a signal that Pakistan, when you're looking at the
confluence of terrorism and proliferation, all roads lead to
Pakistan,' Romer said.
Roemer said the commission had discussed redefining US aid to
Pakistan for more balance between military and economic recipients,
'so there are development projects, educational projects, schools
that compete with the madrassas,' Roemer said.
In its report, the panel said the United States must move quickly
to work with other countries to increase security and strengthen
international organizations to prevent an attack from taking place.
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