Several terrorist groups have actively sought weapons of mass destruction (WMD) of one kind or another. To date, however, al Qaeda is the only group known to be pursuing a long-term, persistent and systematic approach to developing weapons to be used in mass casualty attacks.

FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), located in Anniston, Alabama, is the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s only federally chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training center.

Jan 25, 2010 · In 1998, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden declared that acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was his Islamic duty -- an integral part of his jihad.

Apr 10, 2025 · Al Mauroni is a retired civil servant with forty years’ experience in counter-WMD policy and programs, and is the author of the book BIOCRISIS: Defining Biological Threats in U.S. Policy. His last government position was as the director of the US Air Force Center for Strategic Deterrence Studies between 2013 and 2024. The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the ...

Nov 16, 2017 · This article outlines al-Qa`ida’s justifications for using weapons of mass destruction (WMD), provides background information on the first and second phases of al-Qa`ida’s anthrax-based BW program, and then assesses whether it could begin a third phase.

The prospect of terrorists deploying weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is the foremost danger to U.S. national security. During the 2004 U.S. presidential debates, the danger of WMD terrorism was one of the few topics on which both candidates agreed.

May 15, 2018 · Despite clear interest on the part of some non-state adversaries, a true WMD is at present likely out of their reach in all but a select set of scenarios. Changes in technology, however, could augur a dramatic shift in the WMD terrorism threat picture.

Oct 21, 2005 · Al-Qaeda’s leadership has been primarily concerned with providing the justification for jihadis to use WMD, while al-Suri advances this to actively advocating CBRN weapons as essential to the “end-game” strategy.

Al Qaeda’s interest in using WMD against the United States began well before September 11, 2001. In 1998, Osama bin Ladin expressed that acquiring and using such weapons were an integral part of his jihad.

A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a biological, chemical, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill or significantly harm many people or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natural structures (e.g., mountains), or the biosphere.