Interpol laid out measures Wednesday to fill gaps in the ability of police around the world to combat bioterrorism, pledging to work with scientists and health experts and assume the role of global coordinator in the effort. Closing a two-day conference on bioterrorism, Interpol warned that terrorists intend to use biological or chemical weapons and that no nation is fully equipped to handle a large-scale attack on its own. «Bioterroism is a real threat,» John Abbott, chairman of the police agency's bioterrorism steering group, told a news conference. To track the threat, Interpol plans to set up a bioterrorism «resource center» to pool up-to-date information from the myriad agencies and police forces around the world. With data from scientists, health agencies and police forces, it would serve as a bioterrorism clearinghouse and give law enforcement agencies a new tool for preventing or detecting bioterrorism, Interpol officials said. Interpol also plans to organize bioterrorism training sessions for police on three continents in Singapore, Chile and South Africa. Abbott, a former director-general of Britain's national criminal intelligence service, said Interpol hopes to promote «information-sharing effectively between agencies _ the scientific community, health, law enforcement _ and build up the best possible picture to be able to inform countries of the current threats.» --More 2256 Local Time 1956 GMT
