William M. McSwain, Bioterrorism Threat, Pennsylvania 2023

PHILADELPHIA – In a chilling warning, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain highlighted the growing threat of bioterrorism in Pennsylvania during a recent Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) Conference in Philadelphia.

According to McSwain, the Eastern District's Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee was created in the aftermath of 9/11 to promote information sharing between federal, state, and local authorities, serve as a coordinating body for carrying out the anti-terrorism plan, and provide an organizational structure for responding to any future terrorist incidents in the district.

McSwain expressed gratitude to those who made the conference possible, including Tom Perricone, Christine Sykes, Michele Mucellin, and Mickey Pease from the U.S. Attorney's Office, as well as Michael Harpster, Kevin Bosch, Nancy Baron Baer, Jeremy Bannett, Stacy Irving, and Col. Marcus Brown from various government agencies and the Anti-Defamation League.

The U.S. Attorney emphasized that safeguarding national security is a top priority and that the law enforcement and intelligence communities have a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the American people. He noted that the country is blessed to live in a strong, free, and resilient nation, and that it is the duty of the government to protect its values and way of life.

Much of the conference focused on the urgent threats to public safety, including biothreats. McSwain stated that biological threats can have grave health, economic, and national security impacts, and that promoting health security must be a national security imperative. He also highlighted the need for biodefense capabilities to evolve in the 21st century to counter biothreats.

The conference drew attendees from various fields, including medicine, public health, and law enforcement. McSwain urged collaboration and partnership among all individuals in attendance to combat terrorism and ensure public safety.

Defendant/Respondent: William M. McSwain, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Criminal Charges: None

City and State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Exact Date: June 7, 2023

Sentence or Outcome: No sentence or outcome, as McSwain is a U.S. Attorney and not a defendant

Dollar Amounts: None

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/remarks-united-states-attorney-william-m-mcswain-anti-terrorism-advisory-council