The COVID-19 Pandemic: Catalyst or Complication for Bioterrorism?

Gregory D. Koblentz and Stevie Kiesel

Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 2024, vol. 47, issue 2, 154-180

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how an infectious disease can cause massive casualties, destabilize governments, and garner intense media attention as countries struggle to respond effectively. Will the pandemic inspire terrorist groups to consider biological weapons, hoping to replicate these effects? This question is the latest iteration of the debate over the risk posed by bioterrorism, which is characterized by three camps: optimists, pessimists, and pragmatists. This article revisits these schools of thought in light of COVID-19 and analyzes recent developments among extremists to assess the new risk of bioterrorism. The article concludes with recommendations for policymakers to mitigate this risk.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2021.1944023

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