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According to the Dictionary of the English language, terrorism is defined as the unlawful use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidation or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons. (Houghton Mifflin, 2000)

The past decade has seen the formation of terrorist groups and organizations, such as Al Qaeda, and the execution of terrorist attacks by extremists against the West.  The most conspicuous and most publicized terrorist attack was the 2002 September 11th attack of the World Trade Center in New York, USA.  The US Homeland Security is a department that was set up immediately following those attacks, and was give the mandate to manage and respond to disasters and threats, coming form external but also focusing on internal threats that would potentially harm or disrupt the American way of life.

According to the Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan for the fiscal years 2008-2013 its overriding and urgent mission is to lead the unified national effort to secure the country and preserve Americas freedom (Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan, 2008-2013)

There are several types of terrorism- nuclear terrorism, state terrorism, bioterrorism, and cyber-terrorism and although all of these are threats to the U.S, this paper shall focus on bioterrorism, which poses a great threat to the nation.

Bioterrorism, which is the use of biological weapons to attack the country or the states interests is an actual threat today, and can take many forms, i.e. use of nerve gas, or even the release of a certain uncontainable virus to the public with the intention of spreading it in order to cause fatalities. In 2003 the US public went into a panic attack after the release of an unidentified powdered substance supposedly identified as powdered anthrax. The probability of a bioterrorist attack is a very feasible threat because terrorist organizations are working round the clock, trying to come up with weapons to attack Western countries.  Bio-weapons are also said to be much more destructive than chemical or nuclear weapons since they cover a larger geographic area, and are mostly made of airborne diseases that spread quickly.

Such weapons can be put in consumer goods such as baby powder, beverages, cereals etc, as well as in city water, heating and ventilation pipes making it unmanageable and its spread faster, covering an even larger geographic area.

There has been an increase in bio-weapon threats, as the Center for Strategic and International Studies puts  it due to the fact that there is an increasing availability of dual-use know-how, technology and equipment and the revolution in the life sciences creating technologies and know-how that makes biological weapons acquisition easier (Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2006)

Another issue is the fact that the U.S maybe unprepared to deal with a biological attack on a large scale due to the fact that previous incidences have see a shortage of equipment needed for control and response. For instance, there are no pathogen sensors to detect bio weapons. Similarly, there are limited local emergency responses as most bio-weapons consist of diseases with extremely short incubation periods.

Should there be a bioterrorism attack, there is the guarantee that there will be extremities in casualties, with very little response or help since the response teams may be well affected too there will definitely be long-term psychological effects. In addition, all public areas within and around the affected area will be on absolute lock-down, affecting normal business operations indefinitely which will consequently affect and probably cripple the economy, especially if the attack takes place in a trade stronghold like New York.

The Homeland Security prevention method for such a bioterrorism threat includes
Improve intelligence on biological activities by having investigative units for activities of such a nature so as to identify and interdict them.

Control over production of potentially hazardous biological components.

Investigation of any suspicious science-oriented activities
Strengthen security in the transport system as well as the public and populous locations by acquiring pathogen detectors.

Management and screening of religious groups and politically affiliated institutions.

Ensure that all scientist undertaking research and biological inventions present their blue-print and samples to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention together with the antidotes.