You, Weapons of Mass Destruction and the FBI
Sadly, today more than ever we need to be concerned about terrorism throughout the world. Sadly, because we could have done a better job unifying the peoples of the world in a more equitable, respectful and balanced way – more about this later. Since we did not; here we are each day worrying about manmade acts of horrific violence. We need to be prepared. In the US the most likely perpetrators are “home grown” radical individuals acting alone. With inspiration and instruction through the internet self-radicalized individuals need not travel outside of their own homes – save to going to their local hardware store for their destructive materials.
Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) are the types, or “vectors” of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Defined in US law (18 USC § 2332a) as:
Any explosive device as defined in section 921 of this title (i.e. explosive device);
Any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors;
Any weapon involving a biological agent, toxin or vector as defined in section 178 of this title (i.e. anthrax – which by the way is not necessarily a white powder)
Any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life.
These are weapons that have a relatively large-scale impact on people, property, or infrastructure. This is why it is so important to remember: if you see something say something.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a WMD Directorate (WMDD), established on July 26, 2006. WMDD coordinates the FBI’s WMD program through a multifaceted approach that addresses all areas of the WMD incident spectrum from prevention through response. It provides leadership, guidance, and expertise to the U.S. government on WMD issues and influencing the development of interagency policy, plans, and strategy. At the same time, WMDD is responsible for coordinating WMD operational efforts through the FBI’s field-based WMD coordinators and counter proliferation coordinators. To best address the many requirements of the mission, the FBI approaches the WMD issue in terms of four major functional categories: preparedness, countermeasures, investigations/operations, and intelligence. I think we could use their help with a fifth category: prevention.
FBI field offices are located in major cities throughout the United States and in San Juan, Puerto Rico, In addition, resident agencies are maintained in smaller cities and towns across the country. The FBI encourages the public to report any suspected violations if the US Federal law. You can do so by calling your local FBI office, or by submitting a tip via the FBI Tips and Public Leads. www.FBI.gov or by calling WMDD at 202 324 3777. As always in any perceived emergency your first call should be to 911, and brave caring emergency responders will come rushing to the rescue ready to work hand in hand with the FBI.
Hand in Hand is the operative descriptor – all of us, including you, are part of the big equation. We all breathe the same air and drink the same water, we share the same sun and live on the same planet, and we all need each other. Most people in this world would never think of hurting others, especially caring defenseless people. But a few people would seek to hurt others, we need to ask how and why, and what we can do to change this. I believe that answer is within each individual, that we all have a responsibility to each other, and that if we make the effort to be a little more connected with each other that those people who are disconnected, sad, and angry or otherwise challenged will stand out. When we see a person who fits this description we need to make an extra effort to be kind and welcoming and if not accessible to our efforts, we must seek to notify someone who can provide some form of appropriate support and intervention. It is the ultimate responsibility of our collective governments to provide this support and intervention - to truly work to solve the problem, not just to respond to the devastation.Remember: Just like this post, it starts with You!
Thanks to everyone cares and who make the effort to make a difference, Felix
