The threat is real. The anthrax attacks of 2001 killed five Americans and terrorized the nation. And al Qaeda has openly pursued WMD and would likely use any weapons they build or buy against our nation.

So what are we doing to make sure this doesn’t happen? Plenty, because of our role in investigating violations of weapons of mass destruction laws and detecting and disrupting the acquisition and use of WMD on our homeland by terrorists and other adversaries, including nation states. We use the full array of our intelligence and investigative capabilities—all the tools we use to combat terrorists, spies, and criminals—to counter the threat.

Our work falls into four main areas:

1. National coordination. In July 2006, we consolidated all of our WMD operations into a new WMD Directorate (WMDD) within our National Security Branch. It’s led by Dr. Vahid Majidi, who previously headed the Chemistry Division and related national security issues at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Specifically, the WMD Directorate Works to identify and disrupt WMD operations and threats through the following:

• Countermeasures and Preparedness. Integrates WMD preparedness programs and initiatives; uses a proactive and multi-layered strategy; works with FBI Headquarters and field components, other government agencies, industry, academia, and strategic foreign partners.
• Investigative and Operations: Directs the U.S. government WMD Threat Credibility Assessment process; manages all WMD investigations; coordinates with the FBI’s Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, Criminal Investigative, and Laboratory Divisions.
• Intelligence Analysis: Assists the FBI, the U.S. Intelligence Community, national security, and law enforcement entities in countering threats posed by the acquisition, development, and use of WMD by foreign and domestic actors hostile to the U.S. and its allies; manages all WMD-related intelligence functions.

2. Local response. Each of our 56 field offices nationwide has a highly trained WMD Coordinator who manages the assessment of and response to incidents involving the use or threatened use of WMD. Each coordinator has established relationships with regional, state, and local emergency response, health, and law enforcement personnel to assist notification and response to WMD incidents.

3. Outreach and Information Sharing. Our WMD components routinely reach out to key areas of the private sector, such as the chemical and agricultural industries, to increase awareness and sensitivities to potential threats and to facilitate reporting of information with potential intelligence value. This includes establishing a two-way dialogue and methods to report suspicious activity. We’ve established two WMD-specific InfraGard portals to provide unclassified information and intelligence products to vetted academia and industry members.

4. Preparedness. We regularly join with first responders, law enforcement, and health agencies in cities and communities across the nation to stage various mock exercises to test our ability to investigate and respond to the use of WMD. One of the most significant drills is Operation TOPOFF.

• Nuclear Terrorism Conference: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 Mock Dirty Bomb Drill | Wrap Up
• Your Role in WMD Prevention
• How We Respond to WMD Threats
• Agroterrorism
• Nuclear Terrorism: What We’re Doing to Prevent It
• Investigating Suspicious Powders

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