Analysis of the Threats of Bioterrorism and Efforts to Protect Public

Health in Indonesia

Anggraeni Endah Kusumaningrum

, Bintara Sura Piambada

, Arie Purnomosidi

, Merlin

Swantamalo Magna

and Frans Simangunsong

Faculty Of Law, Universitas Surakarta, Jl. Raya Palur Km. 05, Karanganyar, Indonesia

frans@unsa.ac.id

Keyword : analysis; bioterrorism; protection; society.

Abstract : This paper aims to analyze the threat of bioterrorism and public health protection efforts. Bioterrorism is an

effort to spread terrorist acts using biological agents / weapons in the form of bacteria, viruses, toxins, fungi.

War through bioterrorism is very effective, because the results are clear and the possibility of being accused

of human rights violations or extra ordinary crimes is also difficult to prove. This study uses a normative

juridical approach, and secondary data as the main data supported by primary data. The secondary data in the

form of primary, secondary and tertiary legal materials are analyzed qualitatively. Based on the analysis it

was revealed that even though the Indonesian government had ratified Law Number 5 Year 2018 related to

the Eradication of Crime of Terrorism, this law had not specifically regulated the prevention of the threat of

bioterrorism, so that implementation regulations were still needed in detail. Besides that, the Indonesian

people themselves still demographically still have a very low level of awareness of the dangers of biological

weapons.

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Good citizens' health is the first step in efforts to

protect, advance and educate the nation's life.

Without a healthy condition the objectives of the

government of the Republic of Indonesia as stated in

the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution are impossible

to achieve. But in order to realize this, it is often faced

with the presence of ATHG (threats, challenges,

obstacles, disturbances).

The facts reveal that the terror that occurred in

several places in Indonesia which was carried out

directly by using explosives (bombs) was indeed

shocking and at the same time claimed many victims.

However, the suffering of terror that is carried out

does not or has not caused a significant effect when

compared to bioterrorism, namely terror through

viruses, germs, or microorganisms that are

deliberately spread by irresponsible people.

Terror that is carried out by using viruses,

germs, or microorganisms is used by terrorist

organizations that carry out attacks in order to cause

damage and are usually associated with threats that

create an atmosphere of fear and danger in order to

attract attention and public panic. It can also be done

by major countries in order to strengthen its

hegemony, especially in the context of controlling

natural resources.

The terror of microorganisms is also used to

reduce the human population in the world / the

annihilation of certain ethnicities (genocide),

indications of this also begin to meet the truth, where

people in several countries in Africa were used as

"guinea pigs" to carry out tests on discoveries new

medicines produced by Western countries. Reduction

of population or population by disease and war

outbreaks is the equilibrium population

strategy.(Purwodianto, 2011)

Viruses, germs, or microorganisms that are

used as biological agents that can cause this disease

are considered by many to be far more deadly and

miserable. The argument is simple, the terror of a

bomb can happen so fiercely but it is only once

suffered after it dies. Another case with bioterrorism

can occur in the long term and more torturous. The

irony is that biological material is easily available in

the community, so you can imagine terror attacks

using biological materials will be easy to do.

Moreover, every year there are 1-3 variations in

infectious diseases in humans (emerging diseases) or

2968

Kusumaningrum, A., Piambada, B., Purnomosidi, A., Magna, M. and Simangunsong, F.

Analysis of the Threats of Bioterrorism and Efforts to Protect Public Health in Indonesia.

DOI: 10.5220/0009945129682973

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Recent Innovations (ICRI 2018), pages 2968-2973

ISBN: 978-989-758-458-9

old re-emerging diseases. Dengue fever, tuberculosis

(TB), HIV / AIDS, mad cow disease, bird flu, SARS,

MERS, Anthrax still threaten humanity.

Cases that have occurred related to deadly

viruses and microorganisms in Indonesia, namely on

April 11, 2003, 1 case of probable SARS (Severe

Acute Respiratory Syndrome) or sudden respiratory

disease has been found, after one day previously

announced 1 person was reported as a suspect case.

The probable case is a British businessman of

Chinese descent who came from Hong Kong and

Singapore before going to Indonesia. From 2016 to

the beginning of January 2017, 16 cases of skin

anthrax were reported in Kulonprogo and 1 suspect

Anthrax in Sleman, DI Yogyakarta province.

The abuse of the role of microorganisms such

as bioterrorism has a very broad impact. The impact

can be on the political, economic, security, health,

and even civilization sectors of a nation.

This is actually one of the "entry points" why

the threat of bioterrorism in the future cannot be

underestimated by the Indonesian government. War

through bioterrorism is very effective, because the

results are clear and the possibility of being accused

of human rights violations or extra ordinary crimes is

also difficult to prove.

The Government of Indonesia on May 25,

2018 has enacted Law Number 5 Year 2018

concerning Amendments to Law Number 15 of 2003

concerning the Establishment of Government

Regulation in lieu of Law Number 1 of 2002

concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism

into Law. This law is expected to be a more solid legal

basis to ensure the protection and legal certainty in

eradicating criminal acts of terrorism.

Indonesian society, from grassroots to

demographic political elites, still have a very low

level of awareness of the threat of danger from the

threat of bioterrorism. Politically, at the national level

it turns out that Indonesia's "political concern" for the

problem of the threat of bioterrorism is still very

partial. Likewise, the Political will of the government

is still insignificant, as seen from the still sectoral

handling of issues related to bioterrorism.

Meanwhile, the public's readiness if there is an attack

from the threat of bioterrorism has also not been fully

handled by the government / state. Compliance with

the threat of bioterrorism requires comprehensive

legislation. Therefore it is necessary to look again at

the existing laws and regulations, and look at the

reality that is happening now and how to anticipate it.

Based on the background above, the problem

that must be solved is related to how to deal with the

threat of bioterrorism and public health protection

efforts in Indonesia?

1.2 Research Methods

The research method used in this study is normative

legal research, namely legal research that puts law as

a building system of norms. The norm system in

question is regarding principles, norms, rules of law

and doctrine. In this study a juridical approach

method is used, by examining the rule or rule of law

as a system building related to a legal event.(Mukti

Fajar, 2010) The type of data used in this study is

Secondary Data which consists of Primary Legal

Materials, Secondary Legal Materials, and Tertiary

Law materials obtained from books, literature,

papers, legislation and other data sources. Secondary

data collection was carried out using the literature

approach method, which is a library research using

legal library materials that support in this study.

Collection of legal materials is done by way of

tracing, collecting, and studying conventional

documents such as reading, viewing listening, and

information technology (internet media). Secondary

data in the form of primary legal materials, secondary

legal materials, and tertiary legal materials that have

been collected and processed will be analyzed by

normative methods which will then be presented

descriptively. Data analysis in this study used

qualitative analysis.

2 DISCUSSION

2.1 The Threat of Bioterrorism

Bioterrorism is a term used to describe the use of

sabotage or attack with biological or biological

poisons in order to cause damage to individuals or

groups of individuals and even a nation / country.

These activities generally cause damage, intimidation

or cohesion and are usually associated with threats

that cause public panic. Cinti and Hanna said that

Bioterorism is the malevolent use of bacteria, viruses,

or toxins against humans, animals, or attempts to

cause harm and to create fear.(Cinti SK, 2007) So,

what can be utilized is not only microbes but also

microbial products. As a target, not only humans, but

also animals and plants. Meanwhile Lederberg

defines biological warfare as the use of microbial ...

agents ... for hostile purposes or in armed

conflict.(Lederberg J, 2000) So Bioterorism means

the use of microbes as a means of terrorism.

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The most commonly used biological agent as

a weapon of terror is a micro-organism and its

poisons, which can be used to cause illness or death

in a population, animals or even plants. Pollution

agents can be released in air, water or food. Microbes

used in bioterrorism are more popular in the mass

media as biological weapons or bioweapons.

Biological weapons by the United Nations are

defined as follows: "living organism, whatever their

nature, or the effectiveness of material derived from

them, which are intended to cause disease or death,

animals or plants, and which depend on their abilities

to multiply in the person, animal or plant attacked

".(Nation, 1969)

Terrorists are no longer monopolized by

terrorists, but can be anyone. Bioterrorism, with its

extensive damage and its easy creation and

distribution, is a threat to national security, especially

in the economic field.

Bioterrorism is actually hundreds of years old.

Tartar forces were the first group to take advantage of

bioterrorism in 1346. Tartar forces threw pes patients

behind the opposing lines. The next group was British

forces in America in 1736 and German forces in

World War I.

The United States has been attacked by

bioterrorism, at least in 1984, the City of Oregon was

attacked by radical groups using poisonous

salmonella food to contaminate salada bars in an

effort to influence local elections. This terrorist group

chose substances to cripple not to kill, so that their

attacks succeeded in making as many as 751 people

sick, but no one died. Then in 1994 and 1995, four

Minnesota men all members of the extreme anti-

government group called the Minnesota Patriot

Council were the first people convicted of possessing

a biological substance used for weapons according to

the 1989 Biological Weapons Terrorism Act. The

Minnesota Patriot Council was never implemented,

the group was heavily influenced by Christian

Identity's right-wing extremist ideology, similar to

the ideology that prompted the Oklahoma City

bombing by former members of the United States

Army army, Timmothy Mc Veigh.(Jun, 2009)

The next case occurred in Japan, a Japanese

scientist spread anthrax bacteria, allegedly as a case

of bioterrorism. However, in the United States, the

action of bioterrorism with anthrax bacteria

distributed with envelopes in 2001 succeeded in

killing 5 people and making more than 20 people

infected. The incident caused the US government to

bear huge costs because it had to give a dose of

prophylaxis to tens of thousands of people.

As reported on the official website of the

University of Indonesia, August 21, 2014, explained,

"the spread of the Bird Flu virus and Mers-Cov virus

was once associated with bioterrorism. Global

conspiracy theorists mention bioterrorism as all

threats even though scientists have so far not found

evidence of the use of biological weapons in the

outbreak of the disease. Both Avian Flu and Flu A

(H1N1) can be used as bioterrorism / biological

terrorism. However, which can be used as a biological

weapon in this case only flu A (H1N1) because it can

be transmitted between humans.(Mahasin, n.d.)

One important reason for using microbes by

terrorists is financial reasons. Bioterrorism is

relatively efficient compared to other methods.

Efficient in the sense of low cost and has a great

impact. The great impact can be a large number of

victims or a tremendous panic from the target of

bioterrorism. One of the advantages of microbial use

is that the impacts that occur are difficult to control

and very difficult to predict.(Tortora GJ, Funke BR,

2007)

Ideal microbes for bioterrorism have very

reliable characteristics, can be targeted right on target,

are cheap, durable, not very visible, effective, easily

obtained, and easily transportable.(Lederberg, 2009)

Very reliable and effective means having the effect

that terrorists expect. Cheap and easily obtained

means the price is affordable and can be obtained not

necessarily by legal means. It does not seem so

meaningful it is difficult to be sniffed by the

intelligence apparatus.

Microbes used in bioterrorism can be

classified into three classes. The three classes are:

(Bauman RW, Machunis-Masuoka E, 2007)Class A

(High Risk), examples of microbes that enter this

class are Bacillus anthracis and smallpox virus. The

characteristics of the disease caused by this class of

microbes are infectious, high mortality, and can cause

great social unrest. Class B (Medium Risk), an

example of microbes belonging to this class is

Salmonella and the virus that causes encephalitis. The

disease caused and the impact caused by this class are

slightly below Class A. Class C (Low Risk), an

example of microbes belonging to this class is

Mycobacterium tuberculosis which is resistant to

various antibiotics (multidrug-resistant) and

influenza viruses. Disease caused and the impact of

this class are under Class B.

There are four popular microbes commonly

used by terrorists, namely Bacillus anthracis,

Clostridium botulinum, Yersinia pestis and smallpox

virus. Microbes used in bioterrorism are classified

into three categories. Category A is the most

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dangerous among the three categories.(Sudibya,

2015)

In frequently encountered cases, biological

materials or biological poisons are sabotaged for the

purpose of attack to cause damage and are usually

associated with threats that cause public panic.

Biological agents that are commonly used are

microorganisms and their poisons that can cause

disease and even death.

The threat of bioterrorism has become a

separate reality from the development of non-

conventional terrorism. Because now with the vast

availability of information through the internet there

is the ability of terrorists to easily obtain chemical,

biological, radiological and even nuclear materials to

produce and make weapons from biological

substances.

The threat of bioterrorism can also occur

because it is easy to obtain biological substances,

especially those provided by sponsoring countries of

terrorists who can have such substances as a potential

source of biological materials for terror groups. The

use of relatively sophisticated technology by

terrorists is not only able to be evidence of the

involvement of the state in the attack, but terrorist

groups can also be very difficult to control and may

be able to turn around using the technology provided

against the sponsoring state itself. Another source of

obtaining biological substances for warfare is buying

or stealing from laboratories that are related to

government-level biological weapons programs.

In general, there are two scenarios for

bioterrorist attacks. One of them is the submission of

small scale in a relatively crude way such as the

methods of the letters of anthraxs in 2001, which

succeeded in causing mass disturbances and panic,

but did not have the possibility to cause significant

damage in the framework of loss of human life.

Another scenario is attacks with mass casualties,

which are much less likely, but have the potential to

cause disaster.(Pate, 2008)

One popular scenario for a bioterrorist attack

is mass pollution of a city's water reserves. Another

method is that the pathogenic substances can be put

into storage tanks, to prevent water shortages during

the morning and evening hours. The next scenario is

the spread of non-infectious substances such as

anthrax into the open air. Anthrax is the first example

of a biological weapon, this substance is relatively

easy to make, very malignant and the infection is not

contagious, so the outbreak will not spread outside

those directly affected. Anthrax forms very strong

spores when exposed to environmental stresses, and

these spores make the process and manufacture of

weapons easier with the material. Anthrax can be

transported in liquid or powder form.

In 1972, under the leadership of the United

Nations, 103 countries signed a convention on

biological weapons, which essentially prohibited the

development, production, accumulation and use of

biological weapons. The aim of this convention is to

completely eliminate the possibility of using

biological agents and their poisons as weapons of

mass destruction.

At a conference on bioterrorism in San Diego,

United States in early 2000, experts concluded that

the United States was not ready to deal with attacks

by biological weapons with pathogens such as

smallpox, anthrax, ebola, botulinum and others.

Therefore, bioterrorism is a big problem throughout

the history of mankind.(Wibowo, 2009)

In his book, Bio Hazard, Ken Alibek, who

served as deputy chairman of the Soviet Union's

biological weapons development in 1988-1991,

described his experience and research in the Soviet

archives. According to his findings, the Soviet Union

used germs that caused tularemia in the Wehrmacht

(German armed forces) unit during the Stalingard

battle in 1942. Symptoms of this disease were

headaches, nausea and high fever which caused death

if not treated. Meanwhile, the UK tests anthrax,

dysentery and glender germs. The United States even

developed biological weapons at Edgewood Arsenal

in Maryland and Pine Bluff in Arkansas.(Wibowo,

2009)

According to Paul Wilkinson, many analysts

predict that terrorist attacks using nuclear weapons or

nuclear terrorism to the United States will strengthen

in the future, which is carried out in the context of

"global jihad", "justice revolution" or liberation,

where nuclear attacks this will cause hot intentions,

shock and intense explosions, electro magnetic

phenomena and initial radiation. Besides that, nuclear

explosions also make radiation continued / repeated,

contaminated areas are increasingly widespread and

cause death and radiation effects that are very serious

for a number of members of civil society.(Wilkinson,

2006)

Meanwhile, according to Dr. Richard

Clutterback, many experts in the study of terrorism

predict the possibility of terrorists using chemical and

biological weapons as one of the prospects of nuclear

terrorism itself. Methods for making nerve gas and

biological pathogens easy to learn in the last few

decades. In fact, to make Sarin can be learned on the

internet, biological and chemical materials are also

easy to obtain and cheap and easy to learn by

anyone.(Clutterback, 1990)

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2.2 Efforts to Protect Public Health

against the Threat of Bioterrorism

in Indonesia

Compared to other countries, even with fellow

ASEAN countries such as Thailand and Singapore,

Indonesia has been so late that if there is an attack the

biological agency cannot do anything.

As a tropical country, Indonesia is a

"warehouse" for various biological agents. On the

other hand, as an agrarian country, Indonesia is very

vulnerable to the possible threat of biological agents.

Meanwhile, readiness for the emergence of disease

outbreaks in humans, animals and plants is still very

low. Vaccine readiness to deal with outbreaks of

some viruses is virtually nonexistent when compared

to other countries.

Regarding biological weapons, the attention of

the government can be said to be still very weak. The

government's attention to various outbreaks that have

occurred is so great, such as the outbreak of dengue

fever, polio etc., but in relation to bioterror threats,

the government still views the outbreak not

comprehensively, but only from the perspective of

human health alone. The government has not been

wary of any disease attacks that attack humans,

animals and plants as a negative potential that

weakens national security.

Besides being aware of the possibility of

genetic weapons, another thing to watch out for is the

presence of genetic imperialism or genetic

colonization. What is meant by genetic colonization

is the dependence of a country on another country for

genetic resources. Indonesia in this case has been a

victim for many years and if analyzed it actually has

caused an economic loss that is extraordinary or has

caused economic dependence.

Therefore the Indonesian state needs to be

aware of biotechnological advances such as:

1) The rapid development of biotechnology

and genetic engineering.

2) Reemerging diseases and new emerging

diseases.

3) The possibility of creating weapons that

only attack certain targets appears.

4) The ease of making biological weapons.

5) The difficulty of distinguishing research

activities aimed at peace or hostility.

6) His ability to multiply himself.

7) The possibility to increase the dependence

of a country with another country

(geneticimperialism).

Bioterrorism threats in the future must be a

serious concern for the government of Indonesia or

other countries, especially considering the terrorist

groups either on their own ability or because the

support of terrorist sponsor countries has the potential

to carry out attacks using nuclear, chemical and

biological weapons.

Bioterrorism can be used as a psy war in the

context of international relations or international

cooperation in the future, besides that bioterrorism

also has the potential to be used as a tool to weaken

and damage manpower of a country or nation. Not

only that, bioterrorism is also used to generate

economic dependence from developing countries to

developed countries with the motive to achieve

maximum economic benefits through pier tracing or

the spread of "man made" epidemics so that the

country whose population is affected by the epidemic

buys vaccines a virus that has been prepared by a

country that is suspected of spreading the outbreak of

the disease, both by means of bacteria or viruses.

In Indonesia, Law Number 5 Year 2018

concerning Amendment to Law Number 15 of 2003

concerning the Determination of Government

Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 1 Year 2002

concerning Eradication of Terrorism Crime in

particular article 35A-B and 36A-B which regulates

rights victims of rerorism are related to, medical

assistance, psychological rehabilitation, psychosocial

rehabilitation, compensation for death victims,

provision of restitution and compensation. Where in

the previous law only regulated two victims' rights,

namely compensation and restitution. The addition of

the regulation of rights to victims of criminal acts of

terrorism is carried out as an effort to protect the law

to the community and efforts to provide legal

certainty related to criminal acts of terrorism.

Likewise with the problem of preventing terrorism as

stipulated in Article 43-C, that the government is

obliged to prevent acts of terrorism. In this prevention

effort, the government is taking anticipatory steps

continuously based on the principle of protecting

human rights and the principle of prudence.

However, this Law No. 5 of 2018 has not

specifically regulated the threat of bioterrorism and

its prevention efforts, such as the opinion of IDI

(Indonesian Doctors Association) which states that

Indonesia needs a clear and clear legal umbrella to

deal with the dangers of bioterrorism. Likewise with

the Gajah Mada University plant and wildlife expert,

Joko Marsono, stressed the importance of the article

on preventing bioterrorism in the body of the draft

Quarantine Law.

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In order to prevent the possibility of using or

doing bioterrorism in Indonesia, there are a number

of efforts that need to be carried out including:

1) Collect data on researchers and companies

engaged in chemistry and biology.

2) Providing high incentives to nuclear,

chemical and biological experts so as not to be easily

mobilized by agents or foreign countries.

3) It is not easy to give research permission to

foreign researchers, especially those who research

related to biological and chemical problems.

4) Collaborate with the state and other

intelligence agencies to share information and

developments related to the possibility of a "nuclear

terrorist" attack or "bioterrorism terrorist".

5) Conduct training and evacuation of the

community in the event of a bioterrorism attack.

3 CONCLUSION

So far, both socially, politically, demographically,

economically, or ideologically, it turns out that the

threat of bioterrorism is still not handled

comprehensively and neatly arranged, but still

handled sectorally. Therefore, through Law Number

5 Year 2018 concerning Amendments to Law

Number 15 Year 2003 concerning the Establishment

of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 1

Year 2002 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts

of Terrorism into Law, it is expected that it can be

used as an effort to mitigate it. However, this law has

not specifically regulated related to the threat of

bioterrorism, so implementation regulations are still

needed in detail so that safeguards against public

health can be realized.

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