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(Salt Lake City-AP) -- Utah will soon have a new tool in fighting terrorism.
The state is one of a dozen approved for a federally funded weapons of mass destruction response team.
The U-S Department of Defense announced yesterday the W-M-D Civil Support Team will consist of 22 full-time members of the Army and Air National Guard trained to help local, state, and federal officials respond to a terrorist attack.
Utah had help from other states for the 2002 Winter Games but has been vying for a team of its own since before the games.
Legislators say it makes sense Utah was chosen because of the chemical munitions and biological agents stored in the state.
Utah has two years to put the team together. There are 32 such teams around the country.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
