A team of researchers convened by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security began a series of tests today at 20 MBTA stations to determine how airborne contaminants would spread in a terrorist attack on Boston's subway system.
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"We hope to gain information from airflow tests that tell us what type of (protective measures) to take and where to place that," said Teresa Lustig, program manager of the Chemical/Biological Division of the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. "Unfortunately, as we know, terrorists have targeted these types of systems in the past."
Threats of a chemical attack have been made against the New York subway system since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In 1995, a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system by domestic terrorists killed 12 people and injured dozens. Boston's MBTA system has never received a threat or attack, said MBTA Police Chief Paul MacMillan.
"But we know by their very nature that subway systems are vulnerable to a terrorist attack," MacMillan said during a press briefing today at Haymarket Station. "This will help us prepare -- and improve -- our response plan."
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