Biological weapons

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) was concluded in 1972. It has presently 151 States parties. It was challenged in the nineties by revelations about past offensive biological weapons projects by several States, by the suspicion that several countries were conducting BW offensive programmes contrary to the international norm and by the increasing concern that non-state actors might strive to acquire and use biological weapons, as proven by the efforts of the Aum Shinrikyo terrorist sect to produce anthrax and release it into the environment and the anthrax scare in the United States after 11 September 2001. These concerns were sharpened by the growing technical possibilities offered by progress in biogenetic science.

Related Subject(s): Disarmament