SENATE POWDER TESTS POSITIVE FOR RICIN (Update -- 16 PEOPLE DECONTAMINATED)

AP Wire ^ | Feb. 3, 2004 | AP Wire

[Ragirl]

Because if this really is Ricin it is almost certainly the work of Islamists. And that would be the anthrax mailings were almost certainly Islamists. And the press really really doesn't want it to be Islamists.

I agree. The press wants it to be some angry right wing white guy who has a confederate flag flying from his pickup truck. Of course, John Kerry says "there has been an exaggeration", so maybe Frists office did this as some sort of stunt. (sarcasm)

[all4one]

The following is info. from 2002 regarding Ricin.

"http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/ricin1.html"

A how-to terrorism manual used by disciples of Osama bin Laden includes a chapter containing instructions on how to manufacture ricin, the toxin found this week in London by anti-terrorism police. In response to the British discovery, the FBI today (1/10) issued an alert to U.S. law enforcement agencies describing the effects of ricin, which the bureau noted "would be most effective in an assassination by injection or as a food contaminant." The poison could also be "used in a terrorist operation to contaminate closed ventilation systems (e.g. heaters or air conditioners), drinking water, lakes, rivers and food supplies," the FBI stated. The bureau's ricin warning comes two years after the agency obtained a copy of "Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants," a 180-page volume offering jihad members guidance on subjects such as assassination, forging documents, and preparing poisons. Included in the manual's 18 chapters is a section titled "Assassinations Using Poisons And Cold Steel," which you'll find below. (8 pages)

[OXENinFLA]

WARNER: It is crucial that the important work of the ISG group go on. Thus far the findings have been significant.

Dr. Kay has stated that, although we have not found evidence of large stockpiles of WMD, or forward-deployed weapons, the ISG group have made the following evidence as a part of their record that will be forthcoming: first, evidence of Saddam Hussein's intent to pursue WMD programs on a large scale; actual ongoing chemical and biological research programs; an active program to use the deadly chemical ricin as a weapon, a program that was interrupted only by the start of the war in March; and evidence of missile programs; and evidence that in all probability they were going to build those weapons to incorporate in the warheads, what we know not for sure, but certainly the possibility of weapons of mass destruction; evidence that Saddam Hussein was attempting to reconstitute his fledgling nuclear program as late as 2001; and, most important, evidence that clearly indicates Saddam Hussein was conducting a wide range of activities in clear contravention of the United Nations resolutions.

---

WARNER: Part of that program were missiles; clearly, clearly, in defiance of the U.M. resolution in terms of range. They had the potential to incorporate in those warheads, although small quantities, nevertheless very lethal types of WMD. Am I not correct in that?

KAY: You're absolutely correct.

WARNER: Could you say that the work thus far of the ISG -- and I recounted a number of things, including the ricin and so forth in my opening statement -- does that not lend itself to the understanding, the conclusion that Saddam Hussein and this military machine under his control posed an imminent threat...

KAY: Perhaps.

WARNER: ... to the neighbors...

KAY: Perhaps.

WARNER: ... to those beyond the parameter of the neighbors?

KAY: Senator Warner, I think the world is far safer with the disappearance and the removal of Saddam Hussein. I have said I actually think this may be one of those cases where it was even more dangerous than we thought.

I think when we have the complete record you're going to discover that after 1998 it became a regime that was totally corrupt. Individuals were out for their own protection. And in a world where we know others are seeking WMD, the likelihood at some point in the future of a seller and a buyer meeting up would have made that a far more dangerous country than even we anticipated with what may turn out not to be a fully accurate estimate.

WARNER: Thank you, Dr. Kay.

[Physicist]

Obviously this is the work of a domestic, left-wing extremist.

I say this only because the target was a Republican. Fair's fair: the media was quick to conclude that domestic, right-wing extremists were at fault in the anthrax attacks, strictly because Democrats were the targets.

[macrahanish #1]

I don't know about Iraq, but the Brits found an AQ cell had it in London.

[shhrubbery!]

Didn't that spy who got the ricin prick from the umbrella die right away?

IIRC it took a few days for him to die, and during that time he was able to tell investigators about the umbrella incident.

There was a TV documentary about the Soviets testing ricin on their own political prisoners. Amazingly there was videotape (or was it just a dramatization) of one of their victims being sickened with flu-like symptoms, and then dying in the next 2 or 3 days.

[Rutles4Ever]

Stunning. A freakin' RICIN attack on the government and the top story is an FCC investigation into the Super Bowl. Is there any doubt there will be more mailings coming soon?

[Monty22]

We're witnessing a story being buried from the top down.

[mware]

The stuff sent to the Connecticut post office was addressed to the RNC, according to reports I read.

[shhrubbery!]

Amidst the media hoopla over "NO WMD found in Iraq," one significant little bit from David Kay's report has been mostly ignored:

[David Kay found] New research on biological weapons-applicable agents, Brucella and Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), and continuing work on ricin and aflatoxin -- none of which were declared to the U.N.
--Kay: Iraq search team making significant finds (CNN)

[White Eagle]

We should have gone in when we first got to the Iraqi border, when we knew where all this stuff was. Now, it's been scattered to Sytria, Francew, Germany, and Tommy Daschle's summer house.

The Dems wanted to know what happened to this stuff, now they do.

[Puppage]

But, but, John Kerry says the threat of terrorism is overblown & exaggerated. How can this be? Let's take the Homeland Defence money & put it into social programs.

[Peach]

Where I see (given the late hour) I was clear as mud.

Aaron Brown on CNN they had known about this since early afternoon, a little after 12:00.

The article states the ricin was found at 3:00

Regardless, the media didn't mention this as far as I can find until after 8:30 p.m.

[CathyRyan]

bump

[Woodman]

If you consider 2-8 hours fast I guess so. Also I think in small enough amounts it could take several days to kill you. If I remember correctly the victim in London (assassinated by Bulgarian agents) took about a week to die. They dosed him in a small enough quantity to make it look like a natural death and didn't even find the injection (tiny BB shot from an umbrella) until after he was dead.

[reformedliberal]

Bush has stated that he will not support a gas tax for the highway funds.

If the *pure conservatives* stay home or vote 3rd Party, you will find yourself paying higher taxes on everything. The budget will grow. There will be no gridlock. Amnesty will be an EO on the 1st day of Kerry's 1st term. Environmentalists will control our rural lands. France will finally be able to end US sovereignty.

The election is about our sovereignty, IMO. Both as individuals and as a nation.

[norwaypinesavage]

"don't worry... its just a chem-bio weapon..."
What a relief. We all know there aren't any chem-bio weapons.

[m1-lightning]

There are many stories linked to ricin here on FR

300 Sacks Castor Beans Found In Iraq By U.S.Troops

Bio-Chemical Weapons & Saddam: A History

FR search on Ricin

[VRWCmember]

But it is not a large stockpile of Ricin so Bush must have lied.

[over3Owithabrain]

Ricin' beans?