The Tokyo subway gassings revisited
Mar 12, 2007
How real is the threat of weapons of mass destruction terrorism? Twelve years ago the world was shocked by the nerve gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system - the world’s first major terror attack using non-conventional weapons. Twelve people died and thousands were hospitalised after followers of the Aum Shinrikyo cult and its charismatic leader Shoko Asahara unleashed sarin nerve agents into the Tokyo subway system, creating mass hysteria across Japan and a wave of fear across the world that the Pandora’s Box of “superterrorism” had been opened. Twelve years have passed since the attack and to the surprise of many, terrorist groups have not demonstrated an ability to match, let alone supersede Aum Shinrikyo’s efforts. Despite gory predictions, chemical and biological attacks have not become the favoured terror tactic. International terrorism authority DR ADAM DOLNIK, from the University of Wollongong’s Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention, is an expert on chemical and biological terrorism. This month he will be in Japan speaking on bio-terrorism issues at an international symposium on Building Bio-security Capacity in Asia, run by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dr Dolnik will return to Australia to present a special lecture to mark the 12th anniversary of the Tokyo subway attacks. In the lecture he will analyse the attack and its consequences, consider the key factors that motivate terror groups to adopt new tactics and technology, assess the contemporary capability of today’s terrorist groups to acquire and weaponize chemical and biological agents, and present a frank assessment of the threat of “superterrorists” attacks in the future. Dr Dolnik’s lunchtime lecture is open to the university community and the general public. Admission is free. WHERE: University of Wollongong Lecture Theatre 67:104 McKinnon BuildingWHEN: Thursday, 22 March, 12.30pm.
For more information, contact:
media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128
|
