LYON, France - Senior police officials, scientists and health experts from around the world will gather in Lyon on 1-2 March for the first INTERPOL global conference on bio-terrorism.

Delegates from more than 100 countries are expected to attend. Participants will discuss the risk of bio-terror attacks, case studies, prevention of attacks, preparation and training of law enforcement personnel, and the related legal and political framework.

The conference will bring together the world's most highly respected experts in policing and public health to assess the threat, reduce the risk and establish a global framework for sharing intelligence, experience and training.

Among the confirmed keynote speakers are INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble, INTERPOL President Jackie Selebi, the former Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police, Lord Stevens, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Zack Zaccardelli.

Preventing and fighting terrorism around the world is one of INTERPOL's highest priorities, and the threat of terrorists using biological weapons is one which cannot be underestimated.

Bio-terrorism knows no geographic, national, economic or political boundaries. An incident in any one country is likely to cause immediate and profound worldwide impact.

The conference is part of a two-year INTERPOL programme funded largely by a major grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. A series of workshops will also be held around the world over the next 18 months - Africa (autumn 2005), Asia (spring 2006) and the Americas (summer 2006).

The conference in Lyon will be closed to media, except for the opening ceremony on the morning of 1 March. There will be an opening press conference, attended by Secretary General Noble, INTERPOL President Selebi and other key speakers, immediately after the ceremony. There will be a closing press conference on 2 March and during the two days of proceedings journalists may also be able to interview other police, scientists or experts who agree to this.

Journalists wishing to attend must send to the INTERPOL press office - press@interpol.int or fax +33 4 7244 7407 - their name, a recent digital photograph, the name of their media organization and a letter from an editor on company letterhead stating that they have been assigned to cover this event. Applications must be made no later than Monday, 21 February. On arrival at the conference venue, the Lyon Congress Centre, Cité Internationale, 50 Quai Charles de Gaulle, journalists will be expected to provide their official media credentials and passport or national identity cards before being issued a photo ID badge.

Further information about the conference and INTERPOL is available at www.INTERPOL.int.

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