Project Bacchus was a covert investigation by the
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is both a defense agency and a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense (DoD) for countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear ...
to determine whether it is possible to construct a
bioweapon
Biological agents, also known as biological weapons or bioweapons, are pathogens used as weapons. In addition to these living or replicating pathogens, toxins and biotoxins are also included among the bio-agents. More than 1,200 different kin ...
s production facility with off-the-shelf equipment.
History
The project
Project Bacchus operated from 1999 to 2000 to investigate whether would-be terrorists could build an
anthrax
Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...
production facility and remain undetected.
[ During the two-year simulation, the facility was constructed, and successfully produced an anthrax-like ]bacterium
Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among the ...
.[ The participating scientists were able to make about of highly refined bacterial particles.][MacKenzie, Debora]
Anthrax in Florida and New York "the same strain"
, ''New Scientist
''New Scientist'' is a popular science magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organ ...
'', October 18, 2001. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
Reportage
The secret Project Bacchus was disclosed in a September 2001 article in ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''.[ Reporters ]Judith Miller
Judith Miller (born January 2, 1948) is an American journalist and commentator who is known for writing about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program both before and after the 2003 invasion, but her writings were later discov ...
, Stephen Engelberg and William J. Broad collaborated on the article.[ Shortly after it appeared, they published a book containing further details.][ The book, '' Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War'', and the article are the only publicly available sources concerning Project Bacchus and its sister projects, Clear Vision and Jefferson.][Enemark, Christian. ''Disease and Security: Natural Plagues and Biological Weapons in East Asia'',]
Google Books
, Routledge, 2007, pp. 173-75, ().
References
Further reading
* Tucker, Jonathan B.
Biological Threat Assessment: Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease?
, ''Arms Control Today'', October 2004, accessed January 6, 2009.
* Miller, Judith, Engelberg, Stephen and Broad, William J. ''Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War'',
Google Books
, Simon & Schuster, 2002, ().
*--
, ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', September 4, 2001, accessed January 6, 2009.
{{U.S. biological weapons
Bacchus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Gre ...
Bacchus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Gre ...
Bacchus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Gre ...
Bioterrorism