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Bioterrorism is simply terrorism that involves biological agents, which can take the form of bacteria or fungi, viruses, or toxins that are produced by living things. An act of bioterrorism does not have to involve actual biological weapons; it can also take the form of a hoax, such as the distribution of letters claiming to contain dangerous microorganisms through the mail, or even the simple threat of an attack. These actions can cause terror just the same as a full-scale attack.

The range of effects that a biological attack can produce is broad. These agents may be used to target a single person, such as in the assassination of a world leader. They can also cause the incapacitation or death of thousands of victims, as well as posing a long-term threat to the population by contaminating their environment.

Only recently, however, has the potential for biological WMD use by terrorists been realized. In 1984, the most successful WMD attack on U.S. soil occurred when over 700 people in Oregon developed food poisoning and were hospitalized after followers of the cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh contaminated salad bars in several restaurants by straying them with a salmonella-laced liquid. Other examples of bioterrorism and attempted bioterrorism in the United States and elsewhere have included the following:

Members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult attempted to spray anthrax into the air from the tops of buildings in Tokyo in 1994. Members of a Minnesota militia group were convicted of possession of ricin in 1995. They had produced this agent for their own use to retaliate against local government officials. Several U.S. media and government offices received letters laced with anthrax through the mail in 2001, resulting in five deaths. This was one of the most complex and manpower intensive investigation ever conducted by the FBI. The FBI had many suspects, but settled on Dr. Bruce Ivins as the prime suspect. Unfortunately, Dr. Ivins committed suicide before the case could go to trial. Three U.S. Senate office buildings were closed in 2004 after ricin was found in a mailroom serving Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s office.

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