American Anthrax (one of my old radio scripts)

(This was written over 10 years ago, but recent events make it seem relevant again ...)

Script/Transcript for program: American Anthrax

Exactly one week after September 11th, 2001, the first of what were to be several letters containing Anthrax were mailed out. They were sent to several news media offices and two Democratic Senators, and five people died as a result. Letters sent to the New York Post and NBC News contained these words:

09-11-01
THIS IS NEXT
TAKE PENACILIN NOW
DEATH TO AMERICA
DEATH TO ISRAEL
ALLAH IS GREAT

But we now know that the anthrax contained in these letters came from a US Army base. However, four years later, this crime remains unsolved.

Now, in recent news, it has been revealed that the US plans to buy large quantities of Anthrax. Newscientist.com reports that Edward Hammond of the Sunshine Project, and organization committed to preventing the use of biological and chemical weapons, discovered contracts relating to the Army's Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, asking companies to tender production for huge quantities of a non-virulent strain of anthrax, and equipment to produce other bio-agents.

Alan Pearson, program director for biological and chemical weapons at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation in Washington, D.C. says "It raises a serious question over how the US is going to demonstrate its compliance with obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention if it brings these tanks online. If one can grow the Sterne strain in these units, one could also grow the Ames strain, which is quite lethal."

I'm Jody Paulson, and I just thought you should know.