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 SINGAPORE (AP) - Hot weather. Crowded communities. Weak public health systems. Conditions like these have turned Southeast Asia into a breeding ground for SARS and bird flu. Now experts warn that the region's vulnerability to infectious disease could prove devastating in the event of a bioterror attack.
The threat cannot be ruled out: Some of the region's Islamic militants are believed to be interested in acquiring disease-causing agents or toxins, and any nation allied with the United States is said to be a potential target.
That is why Interpol is hosting a workshop on the threat of bioterrorism in Singapore next week, gathering senior police and government officials from 37 countries around Asia. A similar conference was held in South Africa in November, and another will be held in Chile later this year.
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