MoD opens doors on counter-terrorism lab

Collaboration to out-tech terror

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Science, 10th April 2006 13:39 GMT

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The UK government has opened the doors on its new Counter-Terrorism Science and Technology Centre. The MOD said it would provide a “one-stop shop” for technical responses to attacks.

It will be staffed by experts from government, academia and industry.

Centre director, civil servant Ken Brigden said: "[It] will be staffed by the very best...with cutting edge expertise in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats. Terrorist threats evolve rapidly, so the centre will respond, not just to current threats but also anticipate threats as they emerge and develop."

Defence secretary John Reid said the Porton Down centre would be a “world-class hub” for counter-terrorism.

Its role will be two-fold. Workers at the centre do frontline research for the MOD into useful technologies for prevention, such as ground penetrating radar, explosives detection, and forensics for the aftermath of an attack. It'll also be commissioned by other departments to prepare reports they can use to inform their own anti-terrorist strategies.

A spokesman said the centre's role would "underpin" efforts to counter terrorists. ®

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