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Terrorist organizations have shown a strong interest in the use of BWs because these are inexpensive to produce, difficult to monitor, and can produce illness and death in large numbers of people. Inhaling 40,000 spores of anthrax (enough to fit on the head of a pin) would result in a death rate of 95 percent. BWs can be produced with minimal startup equipment and supplies and can easily be introduced into a closed area from an aerosolized can, or placed into the food system with little or no warning. These agents, called the “poor man’s nuclear bomb,” are appealing to countries with limited resources. About 15 to 25 countries are currently suspected of possessing BWs. |
