John LeBoutillier
Thursday, Nov. 29, 2001

Professor Wiley is the John L. Loeb Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Harvard's Wiley Laboratory. His specialty was the study of the effects on cell structures from influenza. However – and this is the worrisome part – Professor Wiley had extensively studied other dangerous viruses such as Ebola.

As he said in his official bio, "My research group studies how proteins from the surfaces of viruses initiate viral infections and how proteins of the human cellular immune system respond by presenting antigens and mobilizing defensive cells. We study proteins from influenza, HIV-1, herpes, and human respiratory syncytial viruses. To understand how viruses enter cells by membrane fusion, we have studied influenza, HIV-1, and Ebola virus in the past and found they share many elements of their atomic mechanism."

When we hear the words "pandemic" and "Ebola" we should all begin to worry – Big Time.

But apparently the overconfident FBI is not worried. Said FBI spokesman George Bulls, "It's not real likely that he was abducted by Al-Quaeda terrorist cells and forced to work. Conceivable, yes. Possible? Eh."

Mr. Bulls is appropriately named. If the disappearance of Dr. Wiley isn't the No. 1 mystery of the month, what is?

Here we have a top expert with knowledge of biological warfare – the very domestic threat we are most afraid of – and he has suddenly gone missing, and the FBI pooh-poohs the possible link to the War on Terror?

Hopefully, Professor Wiley is going to be found alive – and the mystery will be solved.

But short of such a happy ending, the possibilities are too gruesome to consider. Why is it so hard to picture Osama's – or Saddam's – agents kidnapping Dr. Wiley and squeezing information from him? Or, perhaps, threatening his family unless he cooperates? Or maybe he has cooperated for quite a while – and now that some horrific event is about to unfold he disappeared or was rubbed out before talking.

The most shocking part is the cavalier nature of the FBI investigation. FBI spokesman Bulls said, "He could have walked away. Sometimes people disappear for financial reasons, personal reasons." But investigators say that he had no apparent domestic troubles, no money problems – and left no suicide note.

Memphis Detective J.D. King said, "We've interviewed family and friends, in person and by phone, and found no reasons for suicide."

Iraq and Iran have done extensive research into the adaptability of fatal viruses for widespread dissemination in population centers to maximize the death rate.

We should all take the strange disappearance of Don Wiley very seriously. He does not sound like the type of person to just "walk away" from a happy and productive life – especially at a time like this.

Investigators should assume the worst – and act accordingly.

After all, three months ago FBI agents like Mr. Bulls would have pooh-poohed the possibility of four simultaneous jet hijackings, too.

Nothing – and I repeat, nothing – can be discounted when it comes to our enemies.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Bioterrorism
War on Terrorism