The Anthrax Mailer: An al Qaeda Operative

Phoenix News ^ | 3/5/04 | Kenneth J. Dillon

[_Jim]

One of the more complete and unbiased sites referencing literally hundreds of news stories on the Anthrax mailings:

www.anthraxinvestigation.com

[jpl]

I have to believe that the Feds had something: an ex-wife's suspicions about her husband, a co- conspirator, office rumors, something to steer them toward the domestic terrorist/mad scientist model.

They were steered in this direction primarily by an "expert" named Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, with some help from New York Times editorialist Nicholas Kristof.

I don't think that either Occam or Andre Gide were forensic pathologists.

It's true the particular strain originated in the United States. However, this really doesn't mean anything when you consider that the same strain has also been in the hands of the British and the Russians for quite some time now, and that's simply to the best of our knowledge. God only knows how many people could have possibly stolen a tiny sample of the strain from any one of those places. Security was a complete joke during the Clinton years, and our government today might as well be the U.N.

If you manage to get one of my hairs or a drop of my blood, you have my DNA. With enough scientific expertise, you can replicate it and plant it to make it look like I was somewhere, even if I was never there, so it's not as though forensic pathology is completely foolproof.

[TrebleRebel]

Is that the unbiased site that claims all the US scientists who analyzed the anthrax and reported that is contained silica and "polymerized glass" were all wrong? Also, is that the unbiased site that claims there is no such thing as weaponized anthrax and the unbiased site that claims the anthrax couldn't have arrived at AMI in a Jennifer Lopez letter because nobody else got sick?

Is that also the unbiased site that claims the anthrax producer is a "drunk" and leaves little room for doubt that he believes Miachael Failey is the anthrax mailer?

Could you explain to us how the author of this unbiased site is any different than Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, who also created a profile around a specific individual?

[TrebleRebel]

[_Jim]

Is that the unbiased site that claims all the US scientists who analyzed the anthrax and reported that is contained silica and "polymerized glass" were all wrong?

You tell me - you seem to be the 'expert' on this subtipic ...

[John H K]

Whoa! are you serious???!!! I had never heard that! To me, that proves the link...the odds against it otherwise are just too astronomical.

Sigh. It was from the WIFE of the first guy who died, and it's not like they rented out a room in their house; the wife was a real estate agent.

Also, the letters were mailed after it was already known several of the terrorists had lived in Florida, so it was possible for the mailer to pick AMI as a target to try to build an association with the 9/11 hijackers.

[John H K]

Of course, the Chile anthrax was also real anthrax, but not Ames.

Actually, it turned out to be botched labwork in Chile, likely cross-contamination (was painfully difficult to follow up on that one.) Not much publicity because the CDC didn't want to sho up the Chileans.

So other than US diplomatic mail cross-contaminated from the anthrax letters to Daschle and Leahy, EVERY single one of those supposed international anthrax letters turned out to be bogus.

[John H K]

Heh, even I forgot it wasn't Steven's wife, but the wife of an editor who worked with Stevens.

And as I mentioned, she was an agent, who presumably leased hundreds of even thousands of apartments.

It's interesting that I've seen the claim that Atta "rented an apartment from Bob Stevens!" at least a dozen times on FR, just shows how sloppy and lazy thinkers botch basic facts.

[genefromjersey]

I've had a lot of thoughts on this topic over the years,and recently began wondering ( again ) about the possibility of this having been made by one of Ken Alibek's former co-workers, as it had certain characteristics common to old Soviet bloc weaponry: "sloppiness" and effectiveness.

Any of you who know weapons will have heard of the Russian AK-47 (and its successors).The AK-47 would NEVER pass an American or British orinance inspection,because it was made crudely,by semi-skilled workers,who left atrocious toolmarks behind. On the other hand, it is one of the most reliable assault weapons ever made.

I suspect-on the basis of tests that revealed a stunning degree of refinement in the siliconization process in some parts of the sample; clumpy, amateurish clods in other parts-the material was made,using the very latest German/Swiss technology-by a lab technician with no real pride in workmanship : in short, your basic old Soviet Lab worker - this time working for a bit of extra vodka money,instead of "The Motherland".

[Mitchell]

You have to be very careful applying Occam's Razor in connection with covert activities, which are by their nature full of twists and turns and disinformation.

A well-thought-out covert action will look like something other than what it is.

[jpl]

Also, the letters were mailed after it was already known several of the terrorists had lived in Florida, so it was possible for the mailer to pick AMI as a target to try to build an association with the 9/11 hijackers.

I'll give you credit man, your sympathy for Muslim terrorists knows no bounds, and you certainly never give up in your mission.

[Mitchell]

Also, the letters were mailed after it was already known several of the terrorists had lived in Florida, so it was possible for the mailer to pick AMI as a target to try to build an association with the 9/11 hijackers.

A connection between the 9/11 terrorists and AMI wasn't published until after Bob Stevens fell ill.

You can believe it's coincidence if you like (it is an indirect link; the wife of Steven's boss at AMI was the rental agent for one of the terrorists). But I don't think you can claim that somebody dug up this indirect AMI connection in the days immediately following 9/11 and purposely sent anthrax to AMI based on that.

Unless, of course, I'm wrong and you can point me to some article which mentions both AMI and the 9/11 terrorists, dated before Bob Stevens became ill.

[Mitchell]

I should spell his name right throughout: Stevens' not Steven's.

[pointsal]

Good job....thought provoking. PING

[jpl]

Even in the highly unlikely event that it actually became public knowledge within the first days after 9/11 who some of the terrorists were renting an apartment from and exactly where they were, it takes a pretty huge stretch of the imagination to honestly believe that some "angry individual" managed to prepare this very deadly weaponized anthrax (or steal it), prepare the envelopes, and go deliver them in such an incredibly short period of time. Either that, or you need to believe that this person had possession of the anthrax for some time beforehand, was just sitting around waiting for some major terrorist incident to take place, and lo and behold, as a happy coincidence 9/11 took place and gave him the perfect opportunity to frame up the terrorists.

Frankly, either one of these scenarios is so utterly fantastic that I honestly doubt whether even HK really believes his own BS in this case. From what I can discern, his only real purpose of being here at FR is to constantly make excuses for his Muslim brethren and convince us that they're just poor, misunderstood people that need our sympathy.

[Mitchell]

Even in the highly unlikely event that it actually became public knowledge within the first days after 9/11 who some of the terrorists were renting an apartment from and exactly where they were, it takes a pretty huge stretch of the imagination to honestly believe that some "angry individual" managed to prepare this very deadly weaponized anthrax (or steal it), prepare the envelopes, and go deliver them in such an incredibly short period of time. Either that, or you need to believe that this person had possession of the anthrax for some time beforehand, was just sitting around waiting for some major terrorist incident to take place, and lo and behold, as a happy coincidence 9/11 took place and gave him the perfect opportunity to frame up the terrorists.

I agree.

Frankly, either one of these scenarios is so utterly fantastic that I honestly doubt whether even HK really believes his own BS in this case. From what I can discern, his only real purpose of being here at FR is to constantly make excuses for his Muslim brethren and convince us that they're just poor, misunderstood people that need our sympathy.

I really don't want to impugn anybody's motives.

[apokatastasis]

Concerning the role of the UK... David Kelly was apparently the senior microbiologist - I'm not sure of his actual job title - at Porton Down from 1984 to 1992 (after 1992 he was promoted to higher levels of management). During this period (in 1988 and 1989, according to the New York Times), Iraq tried to acquire the Ames strain from the UK. Back when Kelly was first found dead, I speculated that someone on our side might have killed him because he knew too much - for example, that Iraq had indeed succeeded on its UK fishing expeditions. Given that he was also deeply involved in biowarfare inspections in Russia and Iraq in the 1990s, one could equally suppose that forces from Russia or from Iraq itself were behind the "assassination", e.g. trying to (i) bury evidence of a Russian connection, or (ii) cripple the 2003 search for biological WMDs in Iraq. Whatever the details, I cannot help but feel that Kelly was also, somehow, a casualty of the anthrax letters.

[eno_]

...the odds against it otherwise are just too astronomical

It is utterly completely true, and very well-documented. Plus, one of the hijackers went to a doc with a skin infection. Hell of a coincidence, eh?

[Shermy]

From the papers filed against the Iraqi spy today...

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0311041lind2.html

b. On or about September 19, 2001SUSAN LINDAUER, a/k/a "Symbol SUSAN'" met with an officer of the IIS in Manhattan.

C. In or about October 2001 SUSAN LINDAUER, a/k/a "Symbol SUSAN', accepted a task given to her in Manhattan by an officer of the IIS.

...

h. In or about January 2002 SUSAN LINDAUER, a/k/a "Symbol SUSAN' met with an officer of the IIS and accepted payment from the IIS for travel, lodging and meal expenses in the amount of $232.77.

[Shermy]

See # 39