Ken Alibek | |
|---|---|
Қанатжан Әлібеков | |
 Alibek in 2003 | |
| Born | Қанатжан Байзақұлы Әлібеков Kanatzhan "Kanat" Alibekov 1950 (age 73–74) Kauchuk, Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union |
| Nationality |
|
| Education | Tomsk Medical Institute |
| Occupation(s) | Microbiologist, doctor (oncologist) and bioweaponeer |
| Years active | 1975–1991 |
| Era | Cold War |
| Known for | Creating the most virulent strain of anthrax ever synthesized |
| Children | 5 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Service | Soviet Army |
| Years of service | 1975–1991 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | Biopreparat |
Kanatzhan "Kanat" Baizakovich Alibekov[1] (born 1950), known as Kenneth "Ken" Alibek[2] since 1992, is a Kazakh-American microbiologist, bioweaponeer, and biological warfare administrative management expert. He was the first deputy director of Biopreparat.[3]
During his career in Soviet bioweaponry development in the late 1970s and 1980s, Alibekov managed projects that included weaponizing glanders and Marburg hemorrhagic fever, and created Russia's first tularemia bomb.[4] His most prominent accomplishment was the creation of a new "battle strain" of anthrax, known as "Strain 836", later described by the Los Angeles Times as "the most virulent and vicious strain of anthrax known to man".[5][4]
In 1992, he defected to the United States; he has since become an American citizen and made his living as a biodefense consultant, speaker, and entrepreneur. He had actively participated in the development of biodefense strategy for the U.S. government, and between 1998 and 2005 he testified several times before the U.S. Congress and other governments on biotechnology issues, saying he was “convinced that Russia’s biological weapons program has not been completely dismantled”.[3] In 1994, Alibek received a congressional award, a bronze Barkley medal awarded in recognition of distinguished public service and his contribution to world peace.
In 2002, Alibek told United Press International that there is concern that monkeypox could be engineered into a biological weapon.[3]
Ohio-based Locus Fermentation Solutions hired Alibek in 2015 as executive vice president for research and development of biologically active molecules for different applications.[6]
- ^ Kazakh: Қанатжан Байзақұлы Әлібеков, romanized: Qanatjan Baizaqūly Älıbekov; Russian: Канатжан Байзакович Алибеков, romanized: Kanatzhan Baizakovich Alibekov
- ^ Kazakh: Кеннет (Кен) Әлібек, romanized: Kennet (Ken) Älıbek; Russian: Кеннет (Кен) Алибек, romanized: Kennet (Ken) Alibek
- ^ a b c Courtney-Guy, Sam (2022-05-20). "Russia 'planned to use monkeypox as a bioweapon', report warned". Metro. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
- ^ a b Jacobsen, Annie (2015), The Pentagon's Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America's Top Secret Military Research Agency; New York: Little, Brown and Company, pg 293.
- ^ Willman, David (2007), "Selling the Threat of Bioterrorism", The Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2007.
- ^ Brian Albrecht, The Plain Dealer (2019-09-08). "Scientist who supervised Soviet biological weapons production now develops products to help people". cleveland. Retrieved 2022-10-30.