W. Seth Carus

About the author: W. Seth Carus is an expert on bioterrorism who has worked for the Center for Counterproliferative Research at National Defense University in Washington, D.C., as well as the Center for Naval Analyses. His writings include Bioterrorism and Biocrimes, a history and analysis of bioterrorist attacks, from which this excerpt is taken.

Analysis of past bioterrorist attacks can provide useful information about the types of groups and individuals who might carry out such attacks in the future. Most attacks so far have been the work of individuals or small groups and have occurred in the United States. Fewer than half have made use of known medical or scientific expertise. Bioterrorists are increasingly motivated by ethnic and religious aims as well as, or instead of, political aims, and have ideologies that justify causing mass casualties...