Alleged Use of Biological and Toxin Weapons Dr B.P. Steyn South - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Alleged Use of Biological and Toxin Weapons

Dr B.P. Steyn South Africa

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Scope

• Introduction
• Alleged use of BTW by States
• Alleged use of BTW by non-state actors
• South African approach to management and

investigation

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Introduction

• Alleged use of BTW can be committed by one or more

states against another state or by non-state actors

• Procedures for obtaining assistance, investigations and

involvement of International organisations differ

• Use may result in:
• Disease outbreak with no knowledge of a specific

incident

• Overt use resulting in an incident (anthrax letters)
• Disease outbreak management based on patient care,

laboratory support, epidemiology

• Disease outbreaks due to BTW use are managed in the

same manner as naturally occurring outbreaks by public health or veterinary systems, while investigation and epidemiological processes will differ

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Introduction

• Investigation is aimed at determining the cause, source
• f infection and collecting evidence – Epidemiology and

laboratory support play a major role

• Overt use resulting in an incident is managed according

to standard Hazmat incident management principles

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Alleged Use by States

• International community, particularly States Parties are

involved

• Convention spells out processes to obtain assistance from
• ther States Parties, but the affected state may also obtain

assistance via coordination by International Organisations (WHO, OIE)

• Convention provides for investigation sanctioned by UNSC
• Only existing mechanism to conduct investigations is UNSG

investigation mechanism that insufficient, was recently updated, but status is unclear

• Disease management same as for naturally occurring
• utbreaks
• Investigative epidemiology will play a major role
• Lab support will be directed toward diagnostic work as well as

forensic work

• Difficulty is laboratories that may be used for forensic work

that will satisfy all parties

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Alleged Use by Non-State Actors

• Primarily a domestic issue that is managed according to

domestic procedures

• States may seek assistance from other states directly

and/ or through international organisations (WHO,OIE)

• Investigation similar as for use by states – aim is

domestic according to own legal requirements

• Most developing states the forensic capabilities for this

type of investigation are lacking

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South African Approach

• State Use: SA will support international actions,

including UNSG mechanism when it is updated.

• Disease outbreaks:
• Primary response and lead department health/

agriculture for outbreak management with other departments such as Defence in support

• These departments will lead investigation until clear

there is criminal involvement – Police will conduct investigations in parallel with mutual support and cooperation.

• Coordination is through Disaster Management system

and Joint Operation Centres.

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South African Approach

• Incident (white powders):
• Managed according to incident management

prescripts (Government Gazette) as joint effort

• Police bomb squad responsible with lab support
• CBR/ Hazmat Teams for major incidents
• Health consequences remain responsibility of

health/ veterinary services

• Police in command of investigation with others in

support in terms of expert fields – epidemiology laboratory service

• SA is in process of establishing a forensic molecular

biological capability

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Questions