Conn Spores[Vials from Tomas Foral's Refrigerator Test] Positive; Army(Ft.Dietrick)Plans More Tests

Connecticut Post ^ | December 1, 2001 | MICHAEL P. MAYKO

[Clovis_Skeptic]

OK, so what links does this guy have to Greenpeace, ASPCA or ELF? Is the VAST LEFT WING CONSPIRACY about to unravel?

that could be considered hate speech (otherwise known as Truth). LOL

[patriciaruth]

Interesting, but possibly a red herring.

[Enlightiator]

Why do I feel like I'm in the middle of a pulp fiction paperback whenever I read a thread with Nick Danger posting? Sheesh Nick, how do you know so much about Tomas Foral?

[Nick Danger]

how do you know so much about Tomas Foral?

I've been doing this a long time. I've gotten very good at finding things on the web.

[FreeReign]

I live in New Mexico, which has the lowest humidity of any state in the Union. ...I have a couple of open shelves just to the left of my kitchen counter. Sometimes I place fruit and vegetables on one of the shelves, and then I forget about them for months. During that time they dry out without rotting. Here is a completely dried out orange from my shelf. This orange is about three years old.........

Your picture of the dried out orange is very nice. I believe New Mexico's climate is very similar to Afganistan. I hope our Marines in Afganistan have better luck with their oranges.... *straight face*

[muawiyah]

Looks like just another individual of Basque descent with a refrigerator full of anthrax.

Just move along - Spain doesn't want to extradite any of the bad guys we want - not likely we'll extradite this guy to Spain.

[Fabozz]

"Not sure I understand why anybody would accuse some grad student who stores anthrax contaminated animal blood of having anything to do with spreading the refined spores via the postal system."

They're just leaving no stone unturned. There's virtually no chance that this clown has anything to do with the anthrax letters, but he is the only person they've actually caught with illicit anthrax, so they may as well run the lead to the ground.

[Samwise]

I've gotten very good at finding things on the web.

OK. I've got a question then, for you or anyone. Just how the heck did they find one spore on one single letter to some family. Was there an arrow pointing to it that said "Anthrax spore. Test here."? Are they testing all mail in a certain post office? Was the family a potential target? What's the link?

[nwctwx]

Just thought I would let you all see the latest the school is offering up on the situation. This is the 3rd e-mail they have sent us...


TO: The University Community

FROM: Philip E. Austin, President

I want to let you know that the results of the tests of the contents of the vials and environmental samples taken from the Atwater Laboratory in the Pathobiology Building on Tuesday have been released by the FBI. The text of the FBI's statement is reprinted below.

The results confirmed our expectations that the vials removed from the building by the state Department of Environmental Protection did contain anthrax but posed no direct threat to public health. We are pleased to report also that the samples taken by the state DEP of the area where the vials were stored tested negative for anthrax as well.

Additional tests are scheduled and we are awaiting further guidance from both law enforcement officials and the state Department of Public Health about the timing of the reopening of the building. As indicated earlier, information about class locations is available through the website at www.canr.uconn.edu/pathoclass . We will provide further information as it becomes available.

The text of the FBI statement is as follows:

New Haven, CT November 30, 2001

Michael J. Wolf, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI for the State of Connecticut, announced the receipt today of the final results of the analysis of material removed Tuesday, November 27, 2001 from the Wilbur O. Atwater Laboratory Building at the University of Connecticut.

The material, which was contained in two vials, was tested at the State Department of Public Health Laboratory in Hartford, Connecticut. The material tested positive for the presence of anthrax. The material was reportedly taken from the carcass of a dead cow in the 1960s. The samples themselves did not pose a direct safety threat, in that the material requires processing to realize anthrax spores. Tests conducted in the area where the vials were stored were negative.

Mr. Wolf advised that additional tests are scheduled to be conducted by the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) Laboratories, Fort Dietrich, Maryland. The purpose of these tests, among other things, will be to compare these samples with others in this investigation to date.

The FBI inquiry is continuing.

[lewislynn]

In which case, the Feds are just demonstrating how clueless they are, and how much they need to look busy.

And you of course you're some kind of an expert in investigations. Judging from your expertise they should have just taken everybody's word and forgotten the whole thing...especially the rock solid claim of how many vials there were. What was the amount again?...oh yea, ...5 to 7...of which someone is positive he only kept 2...

He was told to destroy them ALL. Instead for some unknown reason he chose to keep 2 vials. So, was it 2 of 5 or 2 of 7?...And that's only what WE know.

Doesn't that about sum up the rock solid evidence and testimony, clearing him of any suspicion.... Sherlock?

[Eroteme]

The UConn memo sounds like typical ass covering. There may be good reason for that.

Recall that after the anthrax outbreaks, all labs were ordered to account for their stock. Now, here's this little unnoticed gem from Kirklyn Kerr, the dean of the School of Agriculture, as reported in the campus newspaper (posted by Fred25 in #25):

UConn had destroyed all the anthrax samples that had been accounted for during the first week in October. (emphasis mine.)

Then in grut's post #26 from the Hartford Courant, we learn that Foral found the vials in a rusty old can in the back of the fridge, and was told to destroy them. Sounds to me like Foral found these vials after the so-called accounting and destruction. The rusty can had been overlooked--or deliberately put aside and stashed in the fridge--and was not part of the original accounting.

Foral's stupid move (and that's all I think it was) may have exposed a larger systemic negligence (or worse) at UConn.

[Clinton's a rapist]

Weaponized?

Didn't think so.

[Angelique]

I am particularly drawn to your link about the Mexican border. All borders should be tightened.

Referencing the Anthrax, I still say look at Bayer. There is something quite weird that they are the only makers of Cipro, located in NJ, and are not on NYSE.

[joyce11111]

Yeah, just picture him in a sleepy fog reaching into the fridge for a quick snack....ooooops...that tasted funny...