Biological Warfare Essay Research Paper Most of

Biological Warfare Essay, Research Paper

Most of the literature on the possible terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction has focused on nuclear terrorism. Scholars and the ordinary civilian are well aware of certain aspects of nuclear threat. On the contrary, comparatively little information can be acknowledged in the public regarding the possible use of chemical agents or warfare. This has resulted in numerous publications by professional scholars on the subject of chemical terrorism and why terrorist might resort to such weaponry. How much do we really have to know about this form of terrorism. How realistic is “chemical terrorism.” The first part of the paper will provide an answer to the severity and realness of chemical terrorism, using a factual analysis and commentaries, on a situation, which occurred in the Tokyo subway system. Furthermore, it will briefly progress into the rippling effect that this crisis had on the rest of the world. The second part of the paper will explain what factors or characteristics of chemical terrorism might incline terrorist, such as Aum Shinri Kyo, to their use or threat of use. In other words, why do some terrorist resort to chemical warfare. Moreover, what are some of the major concerns that the world faces in reaction to the proliferation of chemical terrorism.

Japan has long enjoyed the enviable reputation of being one of the safest nations in the world. According to the Japanese Times, the country has one of world’s lowest rates for murder and other violent crimes. The Japanese National Police Agency and local Police forces are often praised as a model of efficient law enforcement. Furthermore, Tokyo enjoys one of the cleanest, safest and most proficient subway networks in the world. All that would change on March 20, 1995. A nightmare unfolded as the city of Tokyo experienced one of the worst terrorist attacks of the century. This is what many considered to be the first true case of the use of chemical agents by terrorists in a major attack on civilians.

Many of the passengers found it strange that a man who got on at the last stop was wearing sunglasses, but soon dismissed him, remembering how safe the subways and their homeland have always been. Well, they were mistaken. By the time anyone became suspicious, many people on the train were coughing. Those near enough to see the package and the clear liquid seeping from it began feeling dizzy and many were bleeding from the nose and mouth.

This was not the only train car to receive such a dangerous package. This and four similar incidents took place at about the same time on three major lines of the Tokyo subway system (Marunouchi, Chiyoda, and Hibiya) on March 20, 1995. The five packages were disguised to look like lunch boxes or soda containers and it was reported that the chemical agent used was an impure or dilute solution of sarin, a nerve agent developed by Nazi Germany during the ’30’s. The result was twelve people dead and over five thousand injured. The station where all the cars were gathering, Kasumigaseki, was located in the heart of Tokyo’s government area, which is quite close to many ministries, and the National Police Agency Headquarters (NPA). Thus, some commentators came to conclude that the attack was targeted at NPA officers. Furthermore, some commentators evidently anticipated that the Tokyo attack was a “prelude” to the issuing of demands by the criminals (the criminal being unknown at the time, but was later proclaimed to be Aum Shinri Kyo). Kyle Olson told ABC Nightline: ” My sense is that this group is either operating with motivations we cannot understand, or possibly hasn’t reached the point where they have made their big play.” Commentators were also surprised at the fact that the casualties were not great, given the toxicity of sarin and the nature of the target. Others suggested that the agent was simply impure. Perhaps it was deliberately diluted for either the self-protection of the attackers or to keep the number of fatalities low.

Almost one month later, on April 19th, more than 400 subway riders in Yokohama were sent to local hospitals suffering from irritated eyes, respiration problems, and dizziness. In July, four more incidents occurred, renewing fear throughout Japan. This was the beginning of a frightening future for the modern world. “Organized and indiscriminate murder” on a large scale was clearly possible and chemical weapons were likely to be a terrorist’s vehicle for mass destruction. The threat of terrorist use of chemical weapons was now causing social unrest and hysteria. The attack in Japan, Israeli terrorism expert Yonah Alexander reports, “had global and local implications. It was a quantum and surprising leap to terrorism by mass destruction.”

The bombing of the Tokyo subway, at its least, had global implications. In fact, it caused mass hysteria throughout the world. The world was obviously familiar with chemical weapons as means of warfare, but they were not accustomed to a terrorist’s usage of chemical weapons to promote ideology and/or radicalism. The attack on the Tokyo subway system had a major impact on the home front of Japan along with the international community. In its aftermath, Japanese social commentators were quoted saying that “the attack had produced a national crisis and fundamentally altered the mood of Japanese basking in economic success and sure their society was free of