Project Bacchus

Project Bacchus was a covert investigation by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to determine whether it is possible to construct a bioweapons production facility with off-the-shelf equipment.

History

The project

Project Bacchus operated from 1999 to 2000 to investigate whether would-be terrorists could build an anthrax production facility and remain undetected.^[1] During the two-year simulation, the facility was constructed, and successfully produced an anthrax-like bacterium.^[2] The participating scientists were able to make about 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of highly refined bacterial particles.^[2]

Reportage

The secret Project Bacchus was disclosed in a September 2001 article in The New York Times.^[1] Reporters Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg and William J. Broad collaborated on the article.^[1] Shortly after it appeared, they published a book containing further details.^[1] The book, Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War, and the article are the only publicly available sources^{[citation needed]} concerning Project Bacchus and its sister projects, Clear Vision and Jefferson.^[1]