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AMERICANS face the demoralising possibility that the anthrax attacks are the
work of home-grown fanatics who’ve never been near an Iraqi or Taliban terrorist
training camp
(see “The secret is out”).
If that is confirmed, it will reinforce the uncomfortable lesson
that bioterrorism is neither a purely theoretical risk nor the preserve of
foreign extremists. The US government will be keener than ever to take fresh
steps to counter it. But what steps? Already in its sights are the world’s “germ
banks”, the 1500-plus repositories of bacteria and viruses that supply
researchers with the samples they need. At talks…