 |
| image courtesy of: topsecretwriters.com |
The FBI has established a graduate program at a Pennsylvania university for its agents to study counterterrorism and weapons of mass destruction, thePittsburgh Tribune-Review reported on Tuesday (see GSN, Feb. 17).
The multiple year program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is currently only open to FBI personnel. Other departments ultimately might be able to have students study for the master of science in strategic studies in weapons of mass destruction.
"It's not going to be open enrollment (or) traditional students," university criminologist Dennis Giever said.
"You worry about whether you might be teaching the wrong person this stuff," he said.
The degree program includes studies of of radiological "dirty bombs," strikes on the energy infrastructure and food-based bioterrorism.
The FBI three years ago began talks with the university on establishing the WMD studies program, according to bureau Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate countermeasures and preparedness chief Doug Purdue.
While several universities were approached, only Indiana University of Pennsylvania had existing programs specializing in anti-WMD efforts, Purdue said.
Thirty-four FBI agents have to date taken specialized WMD classes through the university. The bureau and other government branches anticipate spending $300,000 annually to send 15 to 20 personnel to enroll in the graduate program.
Some analysts who believe there is a low risk of a WMD strike on the United States have said such efforts are an unproductive use of government funds.
"It seemed ridiculous to some people," Federation of American Scientists Terrorism Analysis Project Director Charles Blair said. "But even if the risk is really low, it's still good to have some people looking at it in an academic sense" (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review/Pennlive.com, July 12).
No comments:
Post a Comment