Using Microbial Forensics to Strengthen Biosecurity and the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 Dana Perkins, PhD 1540 Committee Expert Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing an International Science Roadmap Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia, 13-16 Oct 2013 13-16 October 2013 Unless otherwise specified, the opinions presented here are those of the presenter and may not necessarily reflect the views of the 1540 Committee, its Group of Experts, or the UN Security Council
• Microbial forensics (bio-forensics) is an essential element of a national and COMBATING BIOLOGICAL international biosecurity infrastructure, WEAPONS & BIOTERRORISM as a deterrent and support tool Bio- Consequence • Similar to nuclear forensics, bio- Threat Reduction BW – Elimination Cooperative Bio- forensics may be used as a tool to Biosurveillance detect, prevent and deter acts of bio- Management terrorism and illicit trafficking or use of biological materials. • The potential applications of bio- forensics thus may contribute to MICROBIAL FORENSICS strengthening biosecurity in the context of resolution 1540 (2004) and Non-Proliferation Counter-Proliferation Consequence to achieving cooperation and synergy Management among various international security frameworks. Resolution 1540 (2004) and Microbial Forensics
Legally binding obligations on all States under Resolution 1540 (2004), to: Refrain from providing any form Implement and enforce appropriate controls of support to non-State actors over related materials in order to: that attempt to develop, acquire, Account for and secure items in production, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use nuclear, chemical use, storage or transport; or biological weapons and their Physically protect; means of delivery Detect, deter, prevent and combat the illicit Adopt and enforce appropriate trafficking and brokering through effective effective laws prohibiting border controls an law enforcement efforts; activities involving the Control the export, transit, trans-shipment proliferation of such weapons and re-export and the provision of funds and their means of delivery to and services related to such export and non-State actors, in particular for trans-shipment that would contribute to terrorist purposes, as well any proliferation; attempts to engage in such activities, assist or finance them Penalize violations. Resolution 1540 (2004): A Response to Threats to International Peace & Security
• Means of delivery: missiles, rockets and other unmanned systems capable of delivering nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons, that are specially Visit of 1540 expert at the Volpenpest HAMMER Training designed for such use and Education Center, 5-7 Feb 2013, Richland, USA • Non-State actor: individual or entity, not acting under the lawful authority of any State in conducting activities which come within the scope of this resolution US NIH Biosafety and Bicocontainment Training Program- Dana Perkins personal photo • Related materials: materials, equipment and technology covered by relevant multilateral treaties and arrangements, or included on national control lists, which could be used for the design, development, production or use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery Definitions for the purpose of resolution 1540 (2004)
“Two R-400A bombs photographed by UNSCOM inspectors at Murasana Airfield near the Al Walid Airbase in late 1991 bearing the markings indicating they were to be filled with botulinum toxin…”- http://www.fas.org/irp/cia/product/Iraq_Oct_2002.pdf http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/29B727532FECBE96C12571860035A6DB?OpenDocument Gruinard Island: Site of British anthrax experiment during World War II Anthrax Leahy Letter Powder: Anthrax cultures: CDC/Dr. James Feeley, Public Health Image Library #1165 FBI (public domain) Source: http://www.gifte.de/gruinard_island_bild01.htm Illustrative Example
“[Security Council] calls upon States to renew and fulfill their commitment to multilateral cooperation, in particular within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, as important means of pursuing and achieving their common objectives in the area of non- proliferation and of promoting international cooperation for peaceful purposes… [and] promote the universal adoption and full Security Council Meets on Non-Proliferation of WMDs UN Photo: Eskinder Debebe, 28 April 2004 implementation, and, where necessary, strengthening of multilateral treaties to which they are parties, whose aim is to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, biological or chemical w e a p o n s ” – Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) Non-proliferation Regimes and resolution 1540 (2004) are Mutually Reinforcing
“[The Security Council] expresses its intention to monitor closely the implementation of this resolution and, at the appropriate level, to take further decisions which may be required to this end ”- Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) The 1540 Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) is a subsidiary body of the Security Council The current Group of Experts was established per resolutions 1977 (2011) 1540 Committee Chair (ROK) and 2055 (2012) “to assist the Committee 1540 Committee Member in carrying out its mandate…” 1540 Group of Experts Member
UN Security Council UN Department of Political 1540 Committee Affairs Cooperation with international Monitoring & Transparency & organizations, including the Security Assistance Council committees established pursuant national implementation media outreach to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001) UN Office for Disarmament Affairs Group of Experts Regional and sub-regional seminars and workshops The 1540 Architecture
• BWC States Parties have called for “measures for the investigation of alleged use” as part of a “coherent regime to enhance the effectiveness of and improve compliance with the Convention…to be included, as appropriate, in a legally binding instrument”- Special Conference of Parties to the BWC, 19-30 Sep 1994, Final Declaration • “The Conference notes that the Secretary- General’s investigation mechanism, set out in A/44/561 and endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 45/57, represents an international institutional mechanism for investigating cases of alleged use of biological or toxin weapons” - Final Document of the Seventh Review Conference, 5-22 Dec 2011. The use of BW (or CW) would constitute prima facie evidence of a breach of international obligations
• “[The Security Council] decides that Member States shall inform immediately the Security Council of any violation of resolution 1540 (2004), including acquisition by non-State actors of chemical weapons, their means of delivery and related materials in order to take necessary measures Members of the Security Council vote on resolution 2118 therefore”- Security Council UN Photo/Mark Garten (27 September 2013) Resolution 2118 (2013) The use of BW (or CW) would constitute prima facie evidence of a breach of international obligations
BW use / bioterrorism / illicit trafficking Seize / Secure Site Assessment Evidence Gathering Transport to Laboratory Nationally-designated laboratories for internationally accepted Lab Testing definitive confirmation (and attribution) ? AND / OR Lab Reporting United Nations-designated laboratories ?
• The development and improvement of technical bio-forensics methods to detect illicit trafficking and biological materials outside of regulatory control, and to prevent and respond to biosecurity events, implicitly strengthen the implementation and enforcement of resolution 1540 (2004). • While in nuclear forensics the IAEA has a leading role in facilitating the exchange of information and international collaboration as well as providing assistance in support of law enforcement and assessment of nuclear security vulnerabilities, bio- forensics lacks international leadership. • The potential exists for much more widespread and effective cooperation not only between countries, but also between organizations such as inter alia WHO, OIE, FAO, CWC/OPCW and the BW/ISU. • A sustained effort is required to build communities of bio-forensics specialists. • Member States, international organizations, National Academies, professional organizations and academia are essential actors in this effort of developing the S&T foundation of bio-forensics and raising awareness on the possible synergies among its different applications. Food for thought
“Milestones and concrete projects need to be formulated and pursued in order to effectively realize the full potential of WMD Forensics science to contribute to preventing, deterring and responding to WMD proliferation and terrorism threats” http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_02/20110615_WMD-Forensics-Conference-Report.pdf
Dana Perkins, PhD 1540 Committee Expert United Nations 300 East 42 nd St., Suite IN-03074H New York, NY 10017 Tel: +1 (917) 367 6023 (office) E-mail: PerkinsD@un.org Collective e-mail: 1540experts@un.org Website: http://www.un.org/sc/1540 Contact information
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