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The FBI WMD Chemical Countermeasures The FBI WMD Chemical Countermeasures Corporate Outreach ProgramCorporate Outreach Program
SSA Richard SSA Richard BaltzersenBaltzersen, WMDD, WMDDChemical Countermeasures TeamChemical Countermeasures Team
Agenda
Chemical ThreatWMD Directorate Chemical
Counterterrorism Program Mitigating the Threat
WMD Coordinator RoleWMD Countermeasures
WMD Incident Threat Spectrum
Chemical Weapons are deemed less of a threat thanToxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs)
NuclearWeapons
Radio-isotopes
BiologicalToxins
Chemicals Weapons
High
Low
Industrial Chemicals
Biological Pathogens
Explosives
Chemical Threats
Chemical Warfare Agents– Nerve Agents– Blister Agents– Blood Agents– Choking Agents
Toxic Industrial ChemicalsPrecursor Chemicals for ExplosivesResources – where do you find info about making WMDs and Improvised Explosives?
Resources
Reference material
Patent/ Scientific literature
Subject matter experts
Underground literature
Internet
Academic Students
Chemical Industry Outreach Initiative
Liaison outreach to corporations at HQ/corporate level
*Outreach…not necessarily cases
TRIPWIRES-reporting of suspicious customers/purchase inquiries
WMDCs invited to take lead on setup of meetings (working w/ established liaison contacts in division)WMDCs invited to take lead on outreach discussion at meetings (FBIHQ, Field Office, Corporate reps at all meetings) Communicate Guardian leads and tips back to Chem Team for tracking FYI
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ONE POINT OF CONTACT
Corporate Headquarters
Security
Loss Prevention
Precursor Chemicals
Wide availability for commercial purchase.– i.e. hydrogen peroxide, acetone, strong acids,
cyanides, acids, oxidizers etc.Legitimate use of products in various industries make them difficult to regulate– Ex. hydrogen peroxide used widely in
numerous industries (hair care, cleaning, health)
Chemicals as ExplosivesHousehold, industrial, and agricultural chemicals have been used in conventional explosive attacksOklahoma City bombingWTC 1993 bombingJoel Henry Hinrichs III
Chemicals– Fertilizers
Ammonium nitrate, urea– Oxidizers
Hydrogen peroxide (in TATP)– Solvents
Acetone, Methyl Ethyl Ketone– Acids
Sulfuric, Nitric– Fuels
Diesel, nitromethane
TATP Starting MaterialsTATP Starting Materials
AcetoneAcetone –– Common SolventCommon Solvent
Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4)Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) –– Common StrongCommon StrongAcidAcid
Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) –– Various Various sourcessources
AcetoneAcetone
Sulfuric AcidSulfuric Acid
PEROXIDE AVAILABILITYDrug stores - 3 to 6% solutions
Beauticians supply stores – up to 18%
Internet - 30 to 35% solutions (food grade peroxide)
Pool Chemicals - 27.5 %
Health Trend
HMTD PrecursorsCITRIC ACIDCITRIC ACIDHEXAMINEHEXAMINE
…and Hydrogen Peroxide
Other Household ChemicalsInstant Cold Packs (ammonium nitrate)Airbags (sodium azide)Salt peter (KNO3, used as stump Zremover)Aluminum Powder and other metalsVaselineIcing SugarCharcoal
Just Pyrotechnics?
Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs)- Chemicals found in manufacturing facilities,
maintenance areas, and storage areas that have an LCt50 value of less than 100,000 mg-min/m3 in any mammalian species and are produced in quantities
greater than 30 tons/year.
Class 2 – Gases Class 3 – LiquidsClass 4 – Flammable SolidsClass 5 – Oxidizers/Organic PeroxidesClass 6 – PoisonsClass 8 – CorrosivesClass 9 - Miscellaneous
Chlorine Attacks in Iraq
Numerous attacks utilizing explosives and chlorine containers (2006 – 2007)
• 150-pound and one-ton chlorine containers available in Iraq
• No 90-ton chlorine railcars in Iraq
2007 VBIED attack prevented in Iraq (one-ton chlorine containers, nitric acid, and other chemicals)
One-ton chlorine container
Chlorine Attacks in Iraq
Chlorine in the U.S.
11 million tons produced in U.S. (2008)2nd most abundantly rail transported TIHNearly 34,000 rail shipments in U.S. (2007)More toxic than most abundantly shipped TIH (anhydrous ammonia)
90-Ton Chlorine Railcar
TSA-Led Chlorine Rail Tanker Vulnerability Study
Multiagency group including FBI, DHS S&T, DHS TSL, DOD NSWC, DOT FRA, contractors, and industry experts.Two-part study:– 1st part involves threat characterization and
determination of resulting hole size– 2nd involves development of accurate release
models using respective hole sizes.
1 = PIERCED CONTAINER, E.G. PAINT CAN 2 = BOTTLES OF ACID 3 = CYANIDE SALTS 4 = POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE
CRYSTALS5 = DETONATOR (OPTIONAL)
UNCLASSIFIED// FOUO
Improvised Chemical Device
KCN (s) + HCl (aq) HCN (g) + KCl (s)
(Hydrogen Cyanide Gas produced)
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
Mobtakar_FBI_31sec.mpg
Improvised Chemical Device
Chemical Agent vs. Drug Lab
Sulfur Mustard
Methamphetamine
UNCLASSIFIED//For Official Use Only
“If people of authority engaged in jihad determine that the evil of the infidels can be repelled only by their means, they [WMD] may be used. The weapons of mass destruction will kill any of the infidels on whom they fall, regardless of whether they are fighters, women, or children. They will destroy and burn their land. The arguments for the permissibility of this are many.”
“The arguments of scholars also prove the permissibility of so-called biological weapons. Some of them explicitly permit bombarding the infidels with snakes and scorpions and poisoning their water.”
- WMD Fatwa from a Saudi Cleric in May 2003
International TerroristInterest
UNCLASSIFIED//For Official Use Only
“. . . experts in the fields of chemistry, physics, administration, electronics and media and all the specifications, especially the atomists and explosives engineering experts, . . . we are in dire need of you. The field of jihad can satisfy your scientific ambitions, and the large American bases in Iraq are good places to test your unconventional weapons, whether biological or dirty . . .”
-Abu Hamza al-Muhajer’s, al-Qa’ida in Iraq
in September 2006
International TerroristInterest
UNCLASSIFIED//For Official Use Only
“The Americans are afraid that the WMDs might fall into the hands of ‘terrorist’ organizations, like Al-Qai’da and
others. There is good reason for the Americans’fears…They [AQ] have scientists, chemists, and nuclear physicists. They are nothing like they are portrayed by these mercenary journalists – backward Bedouins living in caves. No, no. By no means. This kind of talk can
only fool naïve people.”
Dr. Abdallah Fahd al-NafisiKuwaiti Political Scientist
& al-Qa’ida-affiliated ideologue31 January 2009
International TerroristInterest
Mitigating the Chemical Threat
WMD Countermeasures Unit IHQ level
WMD Coordinator Field level
Chemical Industry
BOTTOM UP APPROACH
TOP DOWN APPROACH
•Operates at corporate level•Gains national view of chemical vulnerabilities•Establish tripwires•Conduct awareness training•Chemical Outreach Day•Creation of database for outreach activity
•Operates at point of sale level•Access to regional chemical threat view as well as national•Establish relationships with chemical contacts in AOR•Conduct awareness training•Access to SMEs through HQ for reach back capability
Opportunity for CountermeasuresLondon 7/7/05 Bombers
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Staying A Step Ahead….
Countermeasures employed by:
Multiple trips to store (07/25 & 08/28)Limited quantities purchasedUtilized more than one purchaserPaid Cash
Najibullah Zazi
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Staying A Step Ahead….
Countermeasures employed by Najibullah Zazi:
Placed multiple items on counter to disguise true intention (hair rollers, shower cap)
Only placed one peroxide bottle on counter
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Staying A Step Ahead….
Countermeasures employed by Najibullah Zazi:
Feasible story to cashier? Multiple girlfriends?
Anything is POSSIBLE…but is it plausible?
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Staying A Step Ahead….
Counting on a lack of WMD awareness…–Misconceptions in retail sector re: WMD/Terrorism–Lack of WMD awareness by salespeople, cashiers, store personnel
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Staying A Step Ahead….
Counting on a lack of WMD awareness…
“…at the time it wouldn’t be a red flag…who would think that something you find at the grocery store, at many different retail stores….would be cause for alarm?”
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Staying A Step Ahead….
Counting on a lack of WMD awareness…
“…not in my wildest dreams did I think that we would be sitting here a week later and watching the arrest of this gentleman…it’s horrifying”
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Staying A Step Ahead….
Counting on a lack of WMD awareness…
Bottom Line: Outreach, Education, Partnerships, TRIPWIRES
WMDD Chemical CounterterrorismOutreach Objectives
Build national and international chemical terrorism threat detection, identification, and reporting capabilities
Improve chemical terrorism assessment and investigative capabilities
Enhance chemical industry and academic outreach
Bomb Tech/WMDCCollaborative Effort
Incident Response– Utilize WMDC resources for additional
information if needed– WMDC can provide vital information regarding
recent alerts may assist in your RSPPost Incident Intelligence– Notifying WMDC of device and/or chemical
trends seen in the field
Message to Remember
WMD Countermeasures Unit IHQ level
WMD Coordinator Field level
Chemical Industry
BOTTOM UP APPROACH
TOP DOWN APPROACH
•Operates at corporate level•Gains national view of chemical vulnerabilities•Establish tripwires•Conduct awareness training•Chemical Outreach Day•Creation of database for outreach activity
•Operates at point of sale level•Access to regional chemical threat view as well as national•Establish relationships with chemical contacts in AOR•Conduct awareness training•Access to SMEs through HQ for reach back capability
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Questions?Questions?