DHS Testimony on Anthrax Threat

Current Biological Threat The risk of a large-scale biological attack on the Nation is significant. We know that our terrorist enemies have sought to use biological agents as instruments of their warfare, and we believe that capability is within their reach.

I know many here today recall the anthrax attacks of 2001. As you know, Mr. Chairman, certain buildings occupied by Members of the Legislative Branch were temporarily closed while they were decontaminated. The magnitude of that terrorist attack is miniscule compared to the larger, anthrax release envisioned by our enemies. It is nonetheless exemplary of the potential health and economic damage to which we are vulnerable. Unfortunately, the threat has not diminished since then - in fact, it has been building since well before the attacks of 9/11.

We know that, in the late 1990s, al-Qaeda began developing a biological weapons program and constructed a low-tech facility in Qandahar, Afghanistan for anthrax production. Fortunately, U.S. military forces disrupted this activity and additional American and coalition operations in the region have damaged al-Qaeda leadership and operational capabilities - but not their intent to use biological weapons. You will recall that in 2002, al-Qaeda stated that they had the right to kill 4 million Americans - 2 million of them children - and cripple thousands. An advisor to bin Laden later issued a fatwa on the permissibility of using weapons of mass destruction and increased the 4 million casualty figure to 10 million.

We have determined that al-Qaeda seeks to develop and use a biological weapon to cause mass casualties in an attack on the homeland. Our analysis indicates that anthrax is a likely choice; and a successful single-city attack on an unprepared population could kill hundreds of thousands of citizens. A coordinated attack on multiple targets would come much closer in magnitude to our enemy's goal. Because of this, we see the threat of an aerosolized anthrax attack as our number one bioterrorism concern, and it is that threat which we vigorously plan, invest and intend to defeat. Our efforts are not optional or discretionary. The ramifications of such an attack include tremendous loss of life, economic costs, damage to critical infrastructure, and unprecedented environmental contamination.

A biological attack would impact every sector of our society - not just the medical and public health communities. A biological attack respects no geographic or geopolitical boundary and will have an impact well beyond our nation's emergency departments and public health infrastructure. Absenteeism across multiple sectors due to illness, fear of contagion, or public health measures could threaten the function of critical infrastructure, the movement of goods and services, and the operation of our institutions. No Federal department or agency will be exempt from the consequences of such an attack. Further, critical life-saving activities will depend on actions taken in the first few moments of the event. State and local governments will be called on to take several critical actions - alerting the public of the crisis without inciting panic; maintaining public confidence while making critical decisions; and bolstering local communities to rebound quickly.

As we work together to counter this threat, we must keep in mind that acts of biological terrorism don't go "bang." It could be hours or even days before we realize the full extent of an incident. Because of the lack of an explosion or immediate visual damage, many do not perceive the threat of bioterrorism to be as significant as that of a nuclear or conventional strike, even though such an attack could kill as many people as a nuclear detonation and have its own long-term environmental effects. This has caused a lack of public urgency in devoting significant resources to countering this threat - a luxury we simply cannot afford.

Mr. Chairman, many people ask me "what keeps you up at night?" It is the possibility of a large-scale biological attack on our homeland.

So are you still having wet dreams about Wayne Madsen’s claim about the Provo, Utah Army reservist?

It appears that the FBI’s theory is that it was more than a happy coincidence for Ayman Zawahiri that an active supporter of the Taliban and supporter of jihad was a US biodefense insider. Microbiologist Al-Timimi worked in the same building as famed Russian bioweapons scientist Ken Alibek and former USAMRIID Deputy Commander and Acting Commander Charles Bailey. Dr. Bailey would publish a lot of research with the “Ames strain” of anthrax. Al-Timimi was a current associate and former student of Bin Laden’s spiritual advisor, dissident Saudi Sheik al-Hawali. Ali would speak along with the blind sheik’s son at charity conferences — the blind sheik’s son served on Al Qaeda’s WMD committee. Al-Timimi’s mentor Bilal Philips was known for recruiting members of the military to jihad. The first week after 9/11, FBI agents questioned Al-Timimi. He was a microbiology graduate student in a program jointly run by George Mason University and the American Type Culture Collection (”ATCC”). Ali, according to his lawyer, had been questioned by an FBI agent and Secret Service agent in 1994 after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He had a high security clearance for work for the Navy in the late 1990s. The defense webpage reported that in 1996, for two months had worked for the White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card (who had been Secretary of Transportation in 1992-1993). As time off from his university studies permitted, Ali was an active speaker with the charity Islamic Assembly of North America.

In a filing unsealed this Spring, Dr. Ali Al-Timimi’s lawyer explained that his client “was considered an anthrax weapons suspect.” Al-Timimi was a microbiologist who had worked in the building housing the “Center for Biodefense” funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (”DARPA”). He came to have an office 15 feet from the leading anthrax scientist and the former deputy commander of USAMRIID. Dr. Al-Timimi’s counsel summarizes:

“we know Dr. Al-Timimi:
* was interviewed in 1994 by the FBI and Secret Service regarding his ties to the perpetrators of the first World Trade Center bombing;
* was referenced in the August 6, 2001 Presidential Daily Briefing (”Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US”) as one of seventy individuals regarding whom the FBI is conducting full field investigations on a national basis;
* was described to his brother by the FBI within days of the 9-11 attacks as an immediate suspect in the Al Qaeda conspiracy;
* was contacted by the FBI only nine days after 9-11 and asked about the attacks and its perpetrators;
* was considered an anthrax weapons suspect;
[redacted]
* was described during his trial by FBI agent John Wyman as having “extensive ties” with the “broader al-Qaeda network”;
* was described in the indictment and superseding indictment as being associated with terrorists seeking harm to the United States;
* was a participant in dozens of international overseas calls to individuals known to have been under suspicion of Al-Qaeda ties like Al-Hawali; and
* was associated with the long investigation of the Virginia Jihad Group.
***
The conversation with [Bin Laden’s sheik] Al-Hawali on September 19, 2001 was central to the indictment and raised at trial. Al-Timimi called Dr. Hawali after the dinner with Kwon on September 16, 2001 and just two hours before he met with Kwon and Hassan for the last time on September 19, 2001.
[911 imam] Anwar Al-Aulaqi goes directly to Dr. Al-Timimi’s state of mind and his role in the alleged conspiracy. The 9-11 Report indicates that Special Agent Ammerman interviewed Al-Aulaqi just before or shortly after his October 2002 visit to Dr. Al-Timimi’s home to discuss the attacks and his efforts to reach out to the U.S. government.

[IANA head] Bassem Khafagi was questioned about Dr. Al-Timimi before 9-11 in Jordan, purportedly at the behest of American intelligence. [redacted ] He was specifically asked about Dr. Al-Timimi’s connection to Bin Laden prior to Dr. Al-Timimi’s arrest. He was later interviewed by the FBI about Dr. Al-Timimi. Clearly, such early investigations go directly to the allegations of Dr. Al-Timimi’s connections to terrorists and Bin Laden — [redacted]”

The letter by Al-Timimi’s counsel attached as an exhibit is equally meaty. An example of an additional detail is that in March 2002, Dr. Al-Timimi spoke with Dr. Al-Hawali (Bin Laden’s sheik who was the subject of OBL’s “Declaration of War”) about assisting Moussaoui in his defense.

The filing and the letter exhibit each copy defense co-counsel, the daughter of the lead prosecutor in Amerithrax. That prosecutor has pled the Fifth Amendment concerning all the leaks hyping a “POI” of the other Amerithrax squad, Dr. Steve Hatfill.

In an e-mail obtained by FOX News, scientists at Fort Detrick openly discussed how the anthrax powder they were asked to analyze after the attacks was nearly identical to that made by one of their colleagues.
“Then he said he had to look at a lot of samples that the FBI had prepared ... to duplicate the letter material.” “Then the bombshell. He said that the best duplication of the material was the stuff made by [name redacted]. He said that it was almost exactly the same — his knees got shaky and he sputtered, ‘But I told the General we didn’t make spore powder!’”

FOX News reports:

“The FBI has narrowed its focus to ‘about four’ suspects in the 6 1/2-year investigation of the deadly anthrax attacks of 2001, and at least three of those suspects are linked to the Army’s bioweapons research facility at Fort Detrick in Maryland, FOX News has learned.

Among the pool of suspects are three scientists — a former deputy commander, a leading anthrax scientist and a microbiologist — linked to the research facility, known as USAMRIID.”

It is my observation that there was a three pronged attack with anthrax. Each attack used a different source so that if one did not work, the remnants could not be traced back.

I feel they got a map of America and decided that there were three parts, the two coasts and the vast middle. The middle is traversed by the Mississippi River. Plans were to infect the river and carry the disease down the length of the country. The prevailing winds should carry a release from the coast of California across to infect the West Coast, and a mailing from the East Coast to points that would be left after the planes attacked, would seal the doom of the USA.

HA!

Anthrax does not work like that, but they didn't know that.

But there were three incidents. A release in Big Sur, a crop duster over the river and a few letters on the East Coast.

Only one worked.

Actually there were 5 teams trained for the plane attack, one did not get on the plane as the pilot was stuck in traffic. He attends my church. The perps fled the gate area when it was announced that their plane would not take off as scheduled.

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