The Importance of Intelligence in Biosecurity and Bioterrorism

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to delimitate the concepts of biosecurity and bioterrorism and to highlight the importance of intelligence in the decision-making process. Biosecurity and bioterrorism are two terms who can be very similar at first view, but they are very different, and they only interconnect at one point, the first one is including the second. The first term biosecurity or biological security can be simply defined as an action taken to prevent a damage from a biological threat and bioterrorism is a form of terrorism which involves the use of a biological weapon. The intelligence in relation with biosecurity and bioterrorism can be defined as a process which is producing an analysis for the organisation. Biosecurity, bioterrorism and intelligence are all interconnected, the last one is the most important because a good intelligence can reduce or even disrupt threats and emergencies by providing an effective decision-making support when is needed. Intelligence has a very important role in managing bio threats only if stakeholders such as scientists, the first responder, clinicians and others are engaged in the process of taking the decision. A good intelligence provides a very important mechanism in understanding the threat and estimating the risk for a better decision to enable a potential biothreat.