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Terrorism causes physiological trauma- dirty bombs
Hecker 6 [Siegfried is a visiting professor at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) at Stanford University The Annals of The American Academy of Political and Social Science, September, Lexis]
Terrorists have also not yet crossed the radiological dispersal bomb (dirty bomb) threshold. A dirty bomb will disperse radioactive materials but not cause a nuclear detonation and mushroom cloud. Materials for dirty bombs include roughly a dozen radioisotopes that are ubiquitous in international use as radiation sources for medicine, industry, and agriculture--and readily available to determined terrorists. A dirty bomb would not kill many people, but it would cause enormous psychological trauma and economic disruption (Ferguson et al. 2004). Regardless of whether or not terrorists are just about to cross the nuclear bomb threshold, we must assume that some of them eventually will. The best preventive measure is to keep the weapons-usable material out of their hands.
Terrorism Turns Hunger/Food Production/Resource Wars
Terrorism would destroy food supplies---wrecks the global economy and farming industry
MacPherson 01 (Robert, Staff Writer Agence France Press, Lexis)
While the world's attention is riveted by the spread of anthrax by mail, EU experts are tackling an even more sinister scenario -- a terrorist strike on the foods that Europeans eat. Meetings this week of specialist committees better known for tackling mad cow and foot-and-mouth disease will be delving into the risks that bio-terrorism could pose to Europe's crops and livestock. "The intention is to begin a process for the urgent review of our present defense systems against any potential bio-terrorism attack in the areas of animal and food production," EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne has said. Speaking to EU farm ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, Byrne raised the specter of herds being infected with contagious viruses, or crops being sprayed with harmful chemicals. While insisting that he did not want to be alarmist, Byrne said he has already pursued "this very sensitive dossier" with US Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and with health ministers in most of the 15 EU member states. "This is all part of the process of reviewing the level of preparedness in the EU against such threats, both at the level of the member states and at the community level," he said. Discussing the risks this week is the Standing Veterinary Committee, a blue-ribbon panel of top vets from each of the EU member states whose scientific advice is closely listened to by EU farm ministers. It played a key role in Europe's reponse to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain earlier this year, and with the threat of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) -- mad cow disease -- to human health. The lesser-known Standing Committee on Foodstuffs is also reviewing the bio-terrorism question this week, Byrne said. "The experience of recent years with foot and mouth disease and classical swine fever highlights the huge damage which can result from the introduction of viruses against which our animal population is vulnerable," Byrne said. "Food production and distribution systems have also shown their potential vulnerability," he said. "We cannot ignore these warning signs." Simon Whitby, a research fellow at Bradford University's peace studies department who has written about bioterrorism and agriculture, said an attack on farms was unlikely to go unnoticed for very long. Industrialized economies, he said in a telephone interview Wednesday, already have sophisticated procedures in place to constantly monitor the quality of produce going into the food chain. "But in terms of economic impact, it would be devastating" if just a small-scale attack took place, as it would rattle public confidence in the food supply and wreak havoc in the farming industry, Whitby said. "It's most certainly a serious concern for governments," he said. Last week in Washington, Veneman announced that the Bush administration was asking Congress for 45.2 million dollars for "biosecurity" programs in the wake of the September 22 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Terrorism justifies racism
Mahoney and Kirk 2 (Honor, Editor and Lisbeth, Staff writer, EU Observer, Lexis)
HIGHLIGHT: Since the September 11 terrorist attacks in America Muslims often "have to justify that they are not terrorists", said Beate Winkler, director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). She was speaking in Brussels on Thursday to mark the publication of a report on Islamophobia in the EU after September 11. The report outlined ways to combat islamophobia, which rose sharply in the EU and called on an "early warning system for racism." Since the September 11 terrorist attacks in America Muslims often "have to justify that they are not terrorists", said Beate Winkler, director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). She was speaking in Brussels on Thursday to mark the publication of a report on Islamophobia in the EU after September 11. Significant rise in attacks since September 11 The report, which is based on the EUMC's network of national focal points in each member state, monitored racist behaviour towards Muslims in the period directly after the terrorist attacks until the end of 2001. According to Bob Purkiss, the chairman of EUMC, there was "a very significant rise in attacks since September 11" which acted as a "detonator" for racist sentiment. He also pointed out that the rise of religious intolerance led to a manifestation of racism in the EU. Racist graffiti and offensive websites In the UK, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands the country reports showed a significant rise in islamophobic behaviour, which ranged from verbal and physical attacks to racist graffiti and offensive websites. The people most affected were women and children, towards whom the highest percentage of racist behaviour was directed. Overt signs of the Muslim religion, such as the hijab, which is worn by Muslim women, were "identifiable targets for verbal abuse." A number of EU member states, including Sweden, Denmark and Greece, showed an increase in physical attacks on Muslims. Austria, Finland and Luxembourg had the least reported incidences of islamophobia. However, the tools for monitoring racism in the member states vary greatly and one of the next important tasks for the EMUC will be to ensure than the monitoring methods are standardised.
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