1984 Rajneeshee cult spreads the microbe S. Typhimurium into the food supply of some restaurants in Dalles, Oregon. 1993 Cyanide bomb detonated in the World Trade Center. 1995 Sarin released in Tokyo subway. Anthrax threats in Washington, D.C., Indiana and California. Unfortunately, these are just a few examples of how chemical and biological warfare can be used to inflict terror and harm.
Acts of terrorism can occur and have occurred in our country.
After the 1995 Tokyo subway incident and the tragic Oklahoma City bombing, President Clinton and Congress intensified efforts to identify, address and eventually strengthen readiness to terrorist attacks. In 1998, the President issued a directive establishing a national policy framework on the federal response to terrorist attacks. Maryland soon joined in, creating its own focus group to examine the readiness of some of Maryland's agencies and organizations in the event of an attack. We expanded our efforts on this in August and are working on two programs. Laboratory scientists will be trained in detection and identification methods, and laboratory equipment to support these procedures will be purchased.