One year ago or so, there was a genetic weapon story...

[slor]

that could kill people of certain ancestry only. Does anyone have a link to that story?

[UL_Approved]

1. It is discussed in a document of the PNAC

I don't know of any specific weapon, though.

[zbird]

2. Found this article in The Guardian.

Refers to a report from the British Medical Association.

Could you make a genetically targeted weapon?

You could try, but probably wouldn't want to be around when you released it. The prospect that rogue scientists could develop bioweapons designed to target certain ethnic groups based on their genetic differences was raised this week in a report by the British Medical Association (BMA).

The report, Biotechnology, Weapons and Humanity II, warns that construction of genetic weapons "is now approaching reality". Such "genetic bombs" could contain anthrax or bubonic plague tailored to activate only when genes indicated the infected person was from a particular group.

snip...

Others say the concerns are exaggerated. "Trying to find a weapon that affects quite a few of one ethnic group and none of another ethnic group is just not going to happen," says David Goldstein, who studies population genetics at University College London. "Because all groups are quite similar you will never get something that is highly selective. The best you would probably do is something that kills 20% of one group and 28% of another."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/thisweek/story/0,12977,1337137,00.html

[slor]

3. Thanks All!