ABSTRACT
Modern states have developed offensive biological weapons research programs. Terrorists have been known to deliberately release infectious agents or toxins to strike at their targets. Many of these agents are highly lethal to humans and also lack antidotes or therapeutic countermeasures. Others strike economically important animals or food crops. Since the deliberate release of anthrax in the letter incidents of 2001, the policy makers have become acutely aware of the perils of these activities, and the U.S. government has signicantly increased funding for biological threat agent research aimed to support homeland defense.
