The inspector general for the U.S. Homeland Security Department last month faulted one DHS agency for not doing enough to prevent chemical and biological weapons from being smuggled into the country (see GSN, June 26).
(Nov. 3) -
Former President George W. Bush, left, in 2002 displays a portable chemical agent sensor at Port Elizabeth in New Jersey. The U.S. Homeland Security Department's inspector general last month criticized Customs and Border Protection's preparations to prevent smuggling of chemical and biological weapons through the nation's ports (Luke Frazza/Getty Images).
In a partially redacted document, the Inspector General's Office found that Customs and Border Protection officials had "not conducted a formal risk assessment to determine which pathways, including maritime cargo, pose the highest risk of biological and chemical weapons entering the nation."
The report recommends that a formal risk assessment be carried out to make certain that Customs and Border Protection was assigning its detection resources to those points of entry that offer the greatest threat to national security.
The department acknowledged that Customs and Border Protection "has taken steps to mitigate the threat of nuclear and radiological weapons in maritime cargo containers."
Agency officials have said new detectors that would aid inspectors in the detection and identification of biological and chemical weapons are under development.
The Inspector General's Office also recommended that Customs and Border Protection revisit and make current its protocols on the investigation of containers suspected of carrying chemical and biological weapons.
"Without updated policies to focus cargo inspections, biological and chemical threats may go undetected," according to the report.
Customs and Border Protection agreed with the findings of the report (U.S. Homeland Security Department report, Oct. 7).
The report came as a result of a measure in the Cost Guard and Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2004 that requires a yearly review of procedures for the inspection of port cargo, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee said yesterday in a press release.
"Tireless assessment of inspection procedures at our ports, and the adaptation of those procedures to face 21st century threats head on, is critically important to strengthening America's national security," said Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va) in the release.
"To ensure our ports are secure, it is crucial we determine which pathways into America pose the greatest risk of biological and chemical weapons release and use the most cutting-edge, proven technologies for interdiction," Rockefeller said, "A plan to deploy these improved detection resources in our ports will be essential moving forward" (U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee release, Nov. 2)