No bombs were found, but investigators did find literature on bomb-making and terrorism that had been downloaded to his computer, according to the indictment. Pentagon officials on Thursday rejected a call by a House subcommittee to suspend the vaccination program on grounds that some military members do not trust the Pentagon's medical information. Gen. Randy West told a Pentagon news conference. He is a special adviser to Defense Secretary William Cohen on biological warfare. Sue Bailey, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said the Defense Department intends to continue toward its goal of immunizing all military members.
Anthrax is a naturally occurring bacteria that, when inhaled, can cause death within a few days.
The Pentagon believes Iraq and other nations hostile to the United States have produced anthrax weapons. In a report released Thursday, the House Government Reform national security subcommittee said the anthrax vaccine does provide a degree of protection to those who receive it. The Pentagon says it is searching for an improved vaccine but may not get one for years. So far more than 400,000 troops have been given approximately 1.5 million shots, Bailey said. The illnesses of the 20 others were unrelated to the vaccine, she said.