A

Al-Aqsa Intifadah

A violent uprising by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Al-Aqsa Intifadah began on September 29, 2000, with a visit by one-time Israeli Defense Minister (and now Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon to the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a holy site for both Muslims and Jews.

Al-Qa'ida

An Islamic terrorist organization led by Usama bin Laden. Al-Qa'ida means "the base" in Arabic and acts as an umbrella organization for a number of terrorist groups around the world. Al-Qa'ida is held to be responsible for a number of attacks against Americans, including the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

anarchism

An ideology adopted by various revolutionary groups operating in Europe and North America from the latter half of the nineteenth century until the first two decades of the twentieth century. It promoted the overthrow of tyranny. Anarchists primarily targeted heads of state and senior government officials for assassination.

anthrax

Anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is typically acquired in nature after contact with infected animals or animal products. There are two main types of anthrax exposure: cutaneous anthrax (infection on the skin) and inhalation anthrax, the latter being more lethal. Neither form of the disease is contagious.

Aum Shinrikyo

A quasi-Buddhist cult in Japan. Aum Shinrikyo planned to carry out several large-scale attacks with biological weapons in Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Its motivations are religious and ideological.

Australia Group

An informal arrangement established in 1985 to limit the spread of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) through the control of exports of chemical precursors, equipment, agents, and organisms. As of May 2001, there were 32 members in the Australia Group: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Republic of Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.

B

Bacillus anthracis (see anthrax)

ballistic missile

A missile that travels to its target unpowered and unguided after being launched at a velocity such that it will follow a flight trajectory to a desired point. Part of the flight of longer-range ballistic missiles may occur outside the atmosphere and involve the "reentry" of the missile.

biological weapon (BW)

A device that projects, disperses, or disseminates living microorganisms, biological agents, or toxins.

bioterrorism

A shortened form of the term biological terrorism.

blood agents

This class of agents generally blocks the processing of oxygen in cells or blood and can quickly lead to death.

botulinum toxin

Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous chemical known to man. Produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, it is a particularly dangerous biological weapon due to its high potency, lethality, and ease of transportation.

C

CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The lead federal agency responsible for protecting the health and safety of American citizens at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships. The CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.

chemical weapon (CW)

Gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical substances with toxic properties that are delivered using munitions and dispersal devices to cause death or severe harm to humans, animals, and plants. CW include blister, nerve, choking, and blood agents.

choking agents

Choking agents are chemical agents that act as lung irritants and can be fatal when inhaled in sufficient quantities. They can also irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. An example of a choking agent is chlorine, which has been used in warfare, but is also commonly used for industrial purposes.

Christian Identity (CI)

A racist, anti-semitic religion that teaches that white non-Jews are God's chosen race and that Jews are the offspring of Satan. It has inspired numerous extremist groups within the United States and influenced their violent acts and propaganda.

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)

The agency tasked with coordinating the United State's intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating, and disseminating intelligence that affects national security. Created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Truman, the CIA is an independent agency responsible to the president through the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI).

chlorine

Chlorine is a yellow-green gas with a strong odor of bleach. While these characteristics make it fairly easy to detect and run from, its abundance and affordability make it an attractive agent for terrorists.

conventional weapons

Weapons and military equipment, including aircraft, tanks, and artillery, that use non-nuclear explosives or kinetic energy to damage targets.

CTR (Cooperative Threat Reduction) Program

A U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) program established in 1992 by the U.S. Congress, sponsored primarily by Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar. The program remains the largest and most diverse U.S. program addressing former Soviet weapons of mass destruction threats. The program has focused primarily on (1) destroying vehicles for delivering nuclear weapons, their launchers (such as silos and submarines), and their related facilities; (2) securing former Soviet nuclear weapons and their components; and (3) destroying Russian chemical weapons. The term is sometimes used generically to refer to all U.S. nonproliferation programs in the former Soviet Union, including those implemented by the U.S. Departments of Energy, Commerce, and State.

CWC (Chemical Weapons Convention)

Formally known as the "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction," this treaty requires each state party to destroy all the chemical weapons (CW) and CW production facilities it possesses or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, as well any CW it abandoned on the territory of another state. The CWC was opened for signature on January 13, 1993, and entered into force on April 29, 1997. As of August 2001, there were 143 parties to the CWC; in addition, 23 states have signed but not ratified the CWC.

cyanogen chloride

Cyanogen chloride is a colorless gas with a highly irritating odor. It is a poison produced by certain bacteria, fungi, and algae, and may be found in food and plants. It is a powerful and rapid-acting poison.

cyanide

At room temperature, hydrogen cyanide is a colorless liquid that evaporates quickly to form a gas, with an odor of bitter almonds. Predominately absorbed through inhalation, it can also be taken up through the skin. Hydrogen cyanide is difficult to use in warfare because it is highly volatile and non-persistent.

D

decolonization

The process of granting independence to a territory that previously has been governed as a colony.

dual-use item

An item that has both civilian and military applications. For example, many of the precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of chemical weapons have legitimate civilian industrial uses, such as the production of pesticides or ink for ballpoint pens.

E

e-coli bacteria

E. coli bacteria is one of hundreds of strains of the bacterium called Escherichia coli. Although most strains are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals, this strain produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness.

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

The EPA is a federal body whose mission is "to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment-air, water, and land-upon which life depends." The EPA provides leadership in the nation's environmental science research, education, and assessment efforts and can provide assistance in the event of a CBW terrorism incident.

F

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice. The mission of the FBI is to uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal criminal law; to protect the United States from foreign intelligence and terrorist activities; to provide leadership and law enforcement assistance to federal, state, local, and international agencies; and to perform these responsibilities in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the public and is faithful to the Constitution of the United States.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

The federal agency in charge of helping people before and after a disaster. It is an executive branch agency that can be called upon to help when the president declares a disaster. The governor of the state must request assistance from the president before FEMA can respond. Disasters are "declared" after hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, or other similar events strike a community.

first responders

Emergency personnel who are the first to arrive at the scene of an incident, including firefighters, police, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). In most cases, they will be the local authorities in the affected area.

H

hazmat teams

Specialist dealing with hazardous materials.

L

leftist

Policies that tend towards the pursuit of more rapid, drastic, or radical change than desired by the majority of members or the leaders of an organization or nation. The term "leftist" has become closely associated with the ideologies of Marxism and socialism.

M

Marxism

A doctrine originally based on the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. This ideology is a complex concept that deals most directly with economic modes of production but has been extended to almost every political and social domain. Marxism describes existing institutions of private ownership and capitalism as exploiting the working classes and predicts the decline of capitalism and the emergence of communal ownership and some form of worker control. Marxism formed the basis for Communism in the 20th century.

N

nationalist-separatist

People who act to achieve sovereignty for part of an existing state by creating a separate state for the group they identify as their nation. Nationalist-separatists believe that groups of people possess characteristics, such as a common language and culture, that distinguish them from other groups and make them a distinct nation. They assert that each nation deserves to control its own destiny and territory, sometimes, arguing for the use of armed conflict to achieve this aim.

National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) is a section within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Response Division, Operations Branch, and has the responsibility for managing and coordinating the Federal medical response to major emergencies and Federally declared disasters including natural disasters, technological disasters, major transportation accidents, acts of terrorism including Weapons of Mass Destruction events.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

The NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It conducts and supports research that strives to understand, treat, and ultimately prevent the myriad infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.

National Institute of Health (NIH)

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is the steward of medical and behavioral research for the nation. It is an agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

neo-Fascists

A term used to refer to post-World War II adherents to fascist ideology. The fascist ideology is characterized by authoritarian rule and extreme nationalism. Fascists usually hold a belief that the nation has declined from a mythic past as a result of impurities introduced by an enemy (often referring to another racial group) that must be defeated. Fascism came to prominence in various European countries between the two world wars and its manifestation in Germany and Italy was largely responsible for the Second World War. Neo-fascists who subscribe to the particular doctrine of National Socialism are known as Neo-Nazis. (see Neo-Nazis)

neo-Nazis

Label given to various right-wing groups that, since 1945, have espoused the ideology of National Socialism (Nazism) as practiced by Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich in Germany from 1933 to 1945. This ideology is based on an extreme form of nationalism, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy and tends to advocate totalitarianism and violence.

Northern Ireland "troubles"

Refers to the period of violent sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland between Irish Catholic Republicans and the Protestant Loyalists and the British military. The "Troubles" began with the Civil Rights marches in the late 1960s and lasted until the political resolution set out in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. During that time, more than 3,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed.

nerve agents

Nerve agents are the most deadly class of chemical weapon agents. They belong to a category of chemicals known as toxic organophosphates. Nerve agents work by blocking the operation of acetylcholinestarase, an enzyme that regulates nerve function. Without acetylcholinestarase, muscles contract uncontrollably until they become exhausted and stop working. Most seriously, this exhaustion can shut down the muscles that control breathing, quickly leaving affected persons unable to breath.

O

Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP)

The OEP assists local public health agencies, health care organizations and public safety officials to be able to respond swiftly and effectively to significant public health threats, especially bioterrorism.

Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP)

The OPHP focuses on minimizing the threat to health from terrorist acts, accidents, as well as chemical, biological and radiological threats.

organophosphate insecticides

Insecticides that contain phosphorus compounds. These substances are structurally similar to nerve agents used as chemical weapons such as sarin, and affect the body's nervous system.

P

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)

Founded in 1964 as a Palestinian nationalist umbrella organization dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

pathogen

A disease-causing organism.

persistent

In the context of chemical agents, the ability to remain in liquid form without evaporating for some length of time at normal temperatures and pressures.

phosgene

Phosgene is a colorless gas with an odor of newly mown hay. Phosgene has a density that allows it to stay in the air and low-lying places for fairly long periods of time. It is easy to produce but is highly unstable in storage.

plague bacterium

Plague is the infamous "Black Death" caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Aerosol-dispersed plague particles can cause an outbreak of pneumonic plague, a rare, highly lethal, and contagious form of plague.

potassium cyanide

A metallic salt that, under certain circumstances, releases cyanide. Cyanide is a term used to describe a variety of compounds containing the -CN molecule that are extremely toxic to mammals. Cyanide works by shutting down metabolic processes, and exposure to small amounts can quickly lead to death.

President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection (PCCIP)

It was created by President Bill Clinton to advise and assist the President of the United States by recommending a national strategy for protecting and assuring critical infrastructures from physical and cyber threats.

Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA)

The PIRA is a paramilitary group demanding the political unification of Ireland.

R

ricin

A poisonous protein extracted from the castor bean. Ricin is a powerful toxin that can be lethal in extremely small quantities and in the past has been developed by countries for use as a biological weapon.

"rogue" states

Countries regarded as hostile to the United States and its allies and suspected of developing or deploying WMD. Though the U.S. State Department discourages use of this term, it is still used by some U.S. officials in reference to North Korea, Libya, Syria, Iran, and Iraq. States of concern has replaced the term "rogue" states.

right-wing terrorism

Right-wing terrorism, or "neo-Fascist" terrorism, seeks to do away with liberal democratic governments and create fascist states in their place. They frequently attack immigrants and are both racist and xenophobic, often specifically anti-Semitic.

S

sarin

Sarin is a highly potent, colorless and odorless liquid. A small droplet can kill a human. Sarin is a volatile compound that disperses quickly and is therefore not persistent. It can produce a vapor that is slightly heavier than air and thus hovers close to the ground.

salmonella typhimurium

A bacterium that causes diarrhea and related gastrointestinal symptoms. The organism is a relatively common cause of food-borne illness and is rarely fatal.

smallpox

Smallpox, caused by the Variola major virus, has historically been feared as one of the most serious of all diseases: It has a 30% mortality rate, there is no effective treatment, it is highly communicable, and it is physically disfiguring. Since this disease was eradicated in 1980, no one in the United States outside of the military has been vaccinated against it for more than 25 years.

subnational group

A distinct group of people acting independently of the nation as a whole and operating without state supervision. The term often refers to groups acting against the government of the state, such as guerillas or terrorists.

sulfur mustard

In its impure form, sulfur mustard is a yellow-brown oily liquid (not a gas, as commonly described) smelling of garlic or mustard. Purer forms are colorless and odorless. The liquid is persistent and the vapors are heavier than air. The odor does not provide adequate warning of detection.

supportive treatment

Medical treatment that concentrates on alleviating the symptoms of a disease rather than its cause.

survivalist

People who anticipate and prepare for the end of the world or some other calamitous event arising as a result of a religious or secular catastrophe. They are often associated with millenarian or Christian Identity philosophies. Survivalists tend to live in remote areas isolated from others and are noted for possessing large stockpiles of food and weapons.

T

tabun

Tabun is a man-made chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent.

toxin

Rather than being living organisms, toxins are chemicals produced by living organisms such as bacteria, plants, and animals. Some toxins are the most deadly chemicals known to man; however, they are never contagious.

triage

A process for sorting injured people into groups based on their need for or likely benefit from immediate medical treatment.

U

United Nations General Assembly

The full body of the United Nations that includes all member states. It is responsible for much of the work of the United Nations, controlling finance, passing resolutions and electing non-permanent members of the Security Council. (see United Nations Security Council)

United Nations Security Council

Under the United Nations Charter, the Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. The Council consists of fifteen members, five of which are permanent-China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States. The other ten members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. The five permanent members have veto power.

V

volatile

In the context of chemical agents, readily vaporizable at normal temperatures and pressures.