Bioterrorism
Final Communiqué
1st Interpol Global Conference
Lyon, France, 1-2 March 2005
Introduction
The 1st Interpol Global Conference on Preventing Bio-terrorism was held in
Lyon, France on 1 and 2 March 2005. It was attended by more than 500 delegates
from 155 countries, with representatives from the police, scientific and academic
communities, as well as delegates from international and non governmental organizations.
The Conference,
Recognized the continuing threat posed by global terrorism and the ongoing
need to enhance the co-ordination of effort at national and international levels,
in order to strengthen the global response to this serious challenge and threat
to international security;
Acknowledged that the terrorist use of biological weapons, inter alia,
constitutes a serious threat to global security and to the civilian population
across the world;
Agreed that effective international law enforcement co-ordination and
national action is necessary, in partnership with relevant agencies, to recognize,
prevent and contain the threat from the terrorist use of biological weapons;
and
Welcomed the timely Interpol initiative, supported by the Alfred P Sloan
Foundation, to improve the understanding, preparedness and capability of law
enforcement agencies to tackle bio-terrorism.
In particular, the Conference noted that:
Developing further co-operation between law enforcement agencies,
public and animal health authorities and other relevant organizations, nationally
and internationally, is essential to address the threat of bio-terrorism;
and
Interpol has an important role to play in supporting national and
international efforts to prevent and investigate terrorism generally, and
bio-terrorism particularly.
In this respect, delegates agreed that:
- The Conference had provided a valuable opportunity to improve understanding
of the current and future threats posed by bio-terrorism;
- Interpol, as the global police organization, should further promote and
enhance co-operation and partnership initiatives between law enforcement and
relevant agencies to strengthen the global response to bio-terrorism; and
- Specifically, Interpol should be encouraged to further co-ordinate, develop
and enhance the knowledge, training and capability of law enforcement to recognize,
prevent, contain and investigate bio-terrorist threats, including by:
- establishing a resource centre at the disposal of worldwide law enforcement;
- enhancing co-operation and understanding between international organizations
and research centres, including those dealing in genetic engineering;
- developing an Incident Response Guide; and,
- providing training and awareness programmes, including Regional workshops;
- seeking to develop, with law enforcement and relevant agencies, ways
of gathering and sharing information concerning the threat of bio-terrorism
more effectively.
