INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble (speaking) and Ukraine's Minister of the Interior, Yuriy Lutsenko, at the opening of the conference.

KIEV, Ukraine – INTERPOL launched the second phase of its bioterrorism prevention programme today with a specialised workshop for senior law enforcement officials to raise awareness and understanding.

The three-day meeting, held in Kiev and attended by police representatives from 23 countries, will address a range of issues including biohazards, laboratory security, bioterrorism identification, and the importance of legislation to combat the threat.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ukraine’s Minister of the Interior Yuriy Lutsenko said the threat of bioterrorism needs to be taken seriously.

'I would like to encourage every country here to support the activities of INTERPOL. Only through co-operation and co-ordinated action can we hope to combat the threat of bioterrorism, which if left unchecked could have devastating consequences.'

The first phase of INTERPOL’s bioterrorism prevention programme identified the lack of legislative support for the law enforcement community as one of the most significant problems. In September, INTERPOL launched its biocriminalisation project to address the issue in three main areas:

• developing a thorough understanding of member countries’ legal frameworks in the area of bioterrorism;
• identifying legislative and information gaps;
• assisting member countries in drafting legislation.

'Effective legislation is needed to provide police with the tools to prevent and investigate bioterrorism threats,' said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble. 'While many member countries have recognised the need for specific laws to combat this threat, only a few so far have drafted or implemented the necessary legislation.'

The bioterrorism prevention unit at the INTERPOL General Secretariat in Lyon will work with the designated contact point in each INTERPOL National Central Bureau to ensure any such gaps are identified.

'Implementing the appropriate legislation needs to be done urgently, as without this, law enforcement often has no framework or authority to act,' said Professor Barry Kellman, legal advisor to INTERPOL’s bioterrorism prevention unit.

Other initiatives introduced by INTERPOL include the creation of its Bioterrorism Incident Preparedness and Response Guide, which provides comprehensive, step-by-step procedures to assist law enforcement in preparing for and dealing with bioterrorism-related incidents.

A Bioterrorism Prevention Resource Centre, which provides training materials, scientific documents, planning and crisis management guidelines and other vital information, has also been created and is accessible via INTERPOL’s website, www.INTERPOL.int.