Jessica Stern

While much attention on biological warfare threats against America has been focused on foreign states such as Iraq and terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, some people argue that an equal or greater threat may come from domestic extremists and terrorists within the United States. In the following viewpoint, terrorism expert Jessica Stern examines the possibility that domestic terrorists might use germ weapons. Although she believes that the likelihood of such a scenario has been overstated by some, the potential consequences of a bioterrorist attack make it a threat that should not be ignored. She argues that the most likely candidates to use biological weapons are the small but growing number of extreme religious and right-wing groups who are unconstrained by political objectives. Stern, a former National Security Council...