FBI might drain Md. pond (it's now a tub with holes)

Baltimore Sun ^ | 5/12/03 | Scott Shane

[TrebleRebel]

FBI might drain Md. pond as part of its anthrax probe Spores reportedly found during Dec., Jan. searches of waters near Frederick -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Scott Shane Sun Staff Originally published May 12, 2003

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In addition, The Washington Post, citing anonymous sources, reported yesterday that divers retrieved a "clear box" with holes that could accommodate protective biological safety gloves, as well as vials wrapped in plastic.

Scientists working with dangerous microbes often use a "glove box," a sealed container made of glass or clear plastic with glove ports fixed in place to allow the researcher to manipulate equipment without being directly exposed to the germs. Such equipment ranges from laboratory-size units of the kind used at the Army's biodefense center at Fort Detrick in Frederick to small, inexpensive "glove bags" made of flexible plastic that can be disposed of after a single use.

One person who has heard a description of the box allegedly found in the pond said last night that it was not a commercially manufactured glove box or glove bag, but rather a plastic tub with two holes in it. The source, who has spoken to FBI officials, said some investigators believe it might have been part of jury-rigged equipment used to load the anthrax spores into the envelopes later sent to two U.S. senators and several media organizations. ------------------------

[The Great Satan]

For anybody who's interested in l'affaire Hatfill, there are some leads in the public domain which could be the basis for an investigative journalism project. It might help to be based in DC. For example, I believe it should be possible to go down to the US Copyright Office and take a look-see at Hatfill's book, which supposedly inspired this alleged pond search. Here's the entry in the database for the novel, Emergence:

Registered Works Database (Author Search)

Search For: HATFILL, STEVEN J., 1953-
Item 1 of 1

---

1. Registration Number:		TXu-887-264
Title:		Emergence.
Description:		198 p.
Claimant:		acSteven J. Hatfill , 1953-, & acRoger Akers , 1947-
Created:		not given on appl.
Registered:		26Aug98
Author on © Application:		text: Steven J. Hatfill; revisions & some text: Roger Akers.
		1/B

I would also recommend any journalists interested in the case call the FBI Washington Field Office, (202) 278-2000, and check if Pamela Lane and Jennifer Grant, the two FBI agents who Hatfill referenced in his August 2002 news conference, actually exist and can address Hatfill's claims that they mistreated his mysteriously shy girlfriend:

It is definitely not good to be the girlfriend of a person of interest. My girlfriend was locked inside an FBI car and hauled off to FBI headquarters and interrogated for hours, without once being told she has the right to leave any time she wished. Her requests for a lawyer were delayed and made difficult. Her purse, although not on the search warrant, was taken from her and its contents examined after the interrogation process while she was being driven back to her residence.

She was screamed at by FBI agents and told that the FBI had firm evidence that I had killed five innocent people. This was told to her by FBI agent Jennifer Grant and FBI agent Pamela Lane. Can you imagine that?

The FBI trumpets that I am not a suspect, and the woman I love is told the FBI -- told by the FBI that I am a murderer.

This is the life of a person of interest, Mr. Ashcroft. But that's not all. My girlfriend was told that she better take a polygraph examination and cooperate, or else. Her home checkbooks, computers, private papers and car were seized. As for her home, it was completely trashed, as is appropriate for the home of a girlfriend of a person of interest.

Some of her delicate pottery was smashed. The glass on a $3,000 painting was broken. This painting was wrapped in bubble wrap, by the way. Neatly stacked boxes awaiting shipment to her new home were ripped open, instead of opened with due regard to their contents.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have pictures of how FBI left this apartment, her apartment, which, at the time of the raid, was neatly prepared for a move to Louisiana, with all her belongings packed in nicely stacked boxes. This is one of the pictures.

I refuse to allow my girlfriend -- to this treatment, as the girlfriend of a person of interest. She is not here today. I love you. I will not state her name here. And I ask the news media, please, for common decency, if you know it, please leave her alone. She will not make a statement.

Of course, the big score for a journalist who wants to make a name for himself with this story would be to find Hatfill and his girlfriend, and get them on the record, up close and personal, about their treatment by the FBI. I mean, either this fellow is guilty of five murders and is the author of a plot which terrorized the whole country, cost us $2 billion, and was used by Colin Powell to justify attacking Iraq, or he's been the victim of a monstrous smear campaign. The public has a right to know which it is. It might also be interesting to see what kind of lifestyle Hatfill now enjoys, having supposedly been without his $150K/yr from the DOJ for the last eight months. Perhaps this will all have a happy ending and Hatfill will be shamed into tieing the knot, seeing as how his girlyfriend has presumably been making up the $150K/yr shortfall in their joint income for all this time -- perhaps by selling some of those $3,000 paintings that grace the walls of her lavish, sensuously oriental, ultra-feminine apartment:

Have at it, boys!

[aristeides]

I think I read in one recent report that Hatfill has been living lately in the girlfriend's apartment.

[Shermy]

Is this "find" in the area where Hatfill's fictional novel have someone dispose of incriminating material?

I like the "drain the pond" angle. < /gag> Sounds like a way to burn up some budget and accrue overtime pay.

[Fred Mertz]

Ladies and gentlemen, we have pictures of how FBI left this apartment, her apartment, which, at the time of the raid, was neatly prepared for a move to Louisiana, with all her belongings packed in nicely stacked boxes.

Is it safe to assume the alleged 'she' didn't move to Louisiana based on your comment? I wonder what 'she' looks like.

[Fred Mertz]

Check out the Hatfill book info in #41.

[thinden]

And guess who sits at the bottom of this food chain?

_Jim; sinkspur; & poohbah?

[freeperfromnj]

We'll just have to wait and see. I think far too much credence is given to Rosenberg's allegations. The feds didn't need her to point them in HF's direction. They were investigating many scientists and would have eventually got to him. Everyone keeps equating this with Richard Jewel, Ruby Ridge, Waco... This isn't the Reno Justice Department. This is probably the biggest case on Ashcroft's plate right now. I just don't see him putting it on the line to frame an innocent scientist.

[Shermy]

I think far too much credence is given to Rosenberg's allegations.

Her allegations, rather her "protrait" were important. She spoke privately with Senate staffers just before pressure was applied on the Justice Dept. In Hatfill's first speech he referred to her and her allegations - refuting allegations and querying why she would target him.

[Poohbah]

I thought we weren't going to attack Iraq at all.

Get your story straight, will ya?

[freeperfromnj]

She spoke privately with Senate staffers just before pressure was applied on the Justice Dept.

I understand that, but if they haven't found anything credible to back up her allegations during the course of the 18-month investigation, why haven't they backed down at some earlier point in time? They seem to be going further down the road with this and drawing more attention to the investigation. When I think back to Ashcroft's confirmation hearings and how Leahy and the judiciary committee tried to paint him as a racist, I have a hard time believing that he would play that game here. Maybe I'm wrong in assuming that Ashcroft and the Justice Department is running this investigation.

[Shermy]

and any draining would be months away.

A perfect excuse for keeping the Project Hatfill gravy train going. Lots of dough in the terrorism budget to be used up yet...

Has any one discussed why, if the box is so important, some diver or device not retrieve it?

[freeperfromnj]

I wish the press would listen and comprehend what he has to say on the issue of what the word "domestic" means.

What is your interpretation of Ashcroft's definition of the word "domestic"?

[Shermy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/609566/posts
Focus of U.S. Anthrax Probe Is Domestic - Ridge

[Shermy]

FBI Says Anthrax Suspect Likely Domestic
Reuters | 11/09/01 | Deborah Charles

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/567759/posts