Some steps have been taken to create such a database, but it is not complete, Barak said during his sobering address aimed at health-care professionals, emergency crews and government agency representatives attending the summit. Intelligence agencies naturally want to protect their own databases and make certain that when they share information their databases remain protected, he said. However, cooperation is vitally important in a world where terrorists are active and able to exploit weaknesses in security, at times using technology for ill gain, Barak said, touching on chemical, biological and nuclear threats.
The global shipping industry is particularly vulnerable, he emphasized numerous times during a speech in which he often said that he couldn't say much more because of the sensitive nature of the information he possesses about threats and how the Israeli government in particular responds to those.
What he would say is that terrorists could use containers on ships to launch coordinated attacks with GPS (Global Positioning System) technology and digital radios to, for instance, release biological or chemical agents into the air.
"It's frightening to think how easy launching an attack might be, not necessarily through the air, but through shipping in containers," Barak said, adding that he has some discomfort saying that publicly, but the possibility of "major, simultaneous attacks of a biological nature by terrorist groups," is real. Beyond that, he said, it's important for world leaders to help prepare the people of their nations psychologically for such terrorist acts.
Civilian preparation is key, he said. In Israel, for instance, "we practically equipped the whole population" with protection like gas masks against the threat of chemical warfare, especially for children and people who are not mobile, Barak said. His nation also has accumulated a "sizable" amount of antibiotics to fight anthrax and is vaccinating "first responders" such as emergency crews against smallpox.
Israel has found "the need to try to predict what should be done not just as far as the need for vaccines, but with training and education of staff and first responders," as well as the public, he said.
More money is needed to effectively provide federal security in the U.S. and in other countries, he said, noting that creation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will help in that regard. Otherwise, Barak also advocated at least one armed air marshal on airplanes, secure cockpit doors and the right of pilots to decide how threatening passengers should be dealt with, including the possibility of shooting them.
"It's just the beginning," he said of the battle against terrorism. "We should approach terrorism as our forefathers approached piracy on the high seas" so that countries agree there will be no assistance of any kind to nations that support terrorism. When that agreement is violated, he said, the nation that is responsible for the breach should be ostracized. It took 20 years to make the seas safer from pirates, Barak said, and it will also take time to fight terrorist organizations.
During his speech, Barak referred several times to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and during a question-and-answer session at the end of his talk, he said he supports the approach of U.S. President George W. Bush, who has pledged a military campaign if Hussein does not voluntarily comply with U.N. weapons inspections and disarm his nation. Hussein and terrorists must be dealt with decisively, Barak said, adding that in his opinion Bush is acting with "moral and strategic clarity" and the international debate about the wisdom of military action against Iraq will not dilute that clarity.
A military campaign against Hussein will be "decisively won," Barak said, and will further send an important message to Iran that the U.S. is willing twice in 12 years to wage war.
In the only moment of levity during his remarks, Barak was asked his views about particle filtering systems for airplanes, schools and other enclosed spaces known to have poor air quality and which therefore could be particularly vulnerable to a biological or chemical attack. Barak gestured and said "or gambling palaces," referring to the myriad Las Vegas casinos with their pumped-in air that is often already filled with cigarette smoke. Such efforts may be too focused on air travel than is necessary, to the detriment of particle filtering in other areas. He stressed that in general, officials are "far behind" the ability to sense the presence of biological agents in real time.
Unlike the security checks, including metal detectors, before the Bill Gates opening keynote speech Sunday night at the MGM Grand hotel, there was no discernible security presence for the Barak talk save for one dark-suited man who stood, hands clasped in front of him, to the side as the former Israeli prime minister spoke and who then followed closely behind as Barak exited the stage. The BioSecurity summit continues through Thursday at the MGM Grand conference center. The summit Web site is http://www.biosecuritysummit.com
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