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Terrorism and research
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| 20 November 2003 |
Amid mounting concerns that some areas of scientific research might be exploited by terrorists planning biological attacks, the British government is likely to consider moves to regulate certain types of research, particularly in the field of immunology. JID asked a top UK biowarfare specialist to assess the latest developments and the potential risks.
The current debate has been fuelled by the publication earlier this month of the eighth report by the UK parliament's select committee on science and technology. In particular, the committee focused on the important issue of the security of scientific research and made proposals that would see tighter control of the vetting of scientists and restricting access to certain kinds of research data.
One major concern expressed in the report conclusions is that some UK universities have been slow to participate in the existing voluntary vetting scheme that is designed to prevent potential terrorists - and scientists from 'rogue states' - from gaining access to technological know-how that could be used to produce biological or chemical weapons. The report warns: "It is important that the UK does not become a scientific training ground for terrorists."
To what extent is this warning justified? In the recent past there have certainly been some instances in which foreign scientists trained in the UK have been accused of using the skills learned in UK university labs to develop banned weapons in their home countries. Examples include the Iraqi microbiologist Dr Rihab Taha (nicknamed 'Dr Germ'), who studied at the University of East Anglia, and General Amer Saadi, another Iraqi who took a post-graduate course in chemistry at Oxford University (see JID 22 November 2002).
However, both of these scientists - and plenty of others - studied in the UK at a time when relations between London and Baghdad were cordial. At that time there was no particular reason to put a ban on Iraqi biologists and chemists studying in UK universities or research institutes.
One problem that the current campaign against terrorism has yet to resolve is the potential threat posed by scientists. Once acquired, expertise in disciplines such as biowarfare cannot be unlearned and - as the example of Iraq proves - yesterday's ally may become tomorrow's enemy.
In view of the current climate of near hysteria over some of the more unlikely terrorist scenarios, it is virtually certain that state control of scientific research in the UK will be drastically increased in the near future.
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