Anthrax Evidence Points To State Sponsor

ABCNEWS.COM ^ | 10-16-01 | Gary Matsumoto

[dogbyte12]

Just a note. ABC is also reporting tonight that they believe that the person who mailed the envelopes in New Jersey sent out two strains. A weakened strain was sent to Tom Brokaw, really nasty stuff to Tom Daschle. It's bad enough that this person or person's has anthrax, but they actually have two different versions of it.

Perhaps they want to scare the media with tame versions, and kill politicians with the "good stuff"

Discuss...

[homegroan]

how does the sender NOT inhale the spores? Even if he/she wears a gasmask while putting the stuff in the envelope, wouldn't some be left behind? They must go thru a lot of bleach and Cipro.

[America's Resolve]

A weakened strain was sent to Tom Brokaw, really nasty stuff to Tom Daschle. It's bad enough that this person or person's has anthrax, but they actually have two different versions of it.

If that's true, it might be a source of comfort. Why send the weaker strain and put everyone on guard against opening mail? I understand that the lady who opened it in Dashle's office didn't have it anywhere near her face and looked down into the envelope and saw the powder. We're all watching our mail a lot more closely since Fla. Really stupid to put people on their guard like that, no?

[xm177e2]

how does the sender NOT inhale the spores? Even if he/she wears a gasmask while putting the stuff in the envelope, wouldn't some be left behind? They must go thru a lot of bleach and Cipro.

You can use a laminar flow hood and disinfectant. Plus, it takes 10,000 spores in the lungs to give you pulmonary Anthrax. They can afford to breathe in a few.

[dogbyte12]

But if the agents used in the attack are found to contain the telltale presence of certain compounds used in a professional drying process, this could be a very revealing clue. For instance, the presence of aluminum clay, an anti-clumping agent employed in an air-drying process for anthrax, would point to professionals rather than amateurs, and narrow the field of possible suppliers.

They also say the Florida anthrax was very weak, in comparison to the stuff Daschle got. I bet the stuff in Florida matches the stuff Brokaw got however. I am thinking more and more this must be the strategy. Shock the media, then kill the politicians.

I am wondering if the FBI has collected any other unopened mail from New Jersey sent to the White House or Gephardt, Lott, or Hastert and hasn't told us yet.

We are now often learning several days later what law enforcement already knew.

[El Gato]

Really stupid to put people on their guard like that, no

No, it's not. The purpose of terrorism is to create terror. They've been fairly successful at that, although probably not as much as they hoped. The real questiion is, what do they expect our response to be. And of course what it really will be. They may be in for big surpise, at least I hope so.

[newsperson999]

TERRORIST "MARWAN" WAS LIKELY SICK WITH ANTHRAX..CLICK

[HiTech RedNeck]

patented a secret process

Oxymoron alert. No patents are secret; all are on file for public viewing. Perhaps they mean "developed a secret process."

[hoyaloya]

How could this be? According to CNN's experts, the whole anthrax business is being perpetrated by domestic parties like the Aryan nations?

I'm stuck at a hotel and don't have FOX - so I watched Greta Van (whatever) interview some guy named Larry Ellison (presented as a "Counterterrorism Expert") tonight. She laid out all of the suspicious stuff indicating a foreign threat . . . then he presented his evidence. You know what it was? That the targets were "liberal-type places" and it wasn't deadly enough to be bin Laden. He argued that "instilling fear isn't bin Laden's modus operandi." That's it. A "counterterrorism expert" and that's what he has to add. Where do they get these buffoons?

I flipped over to CNBC, and whaddyaknow, Larry Ellison was talking to Brian Williams as a "Aviation Counterterrorism Expert." Is he reknowned or just a run-of-the-mill rent-a-talker?

[Big Bunyip]

You can use a laminar flow hood and disinfectant. Plus, it takes 10,000 spores in the lungs to give you pulmonary Anthrax. They can afford to breathe in a few.

Be that as it may, given the disregard for their own lives these animals have displayed, it's also reasonable to assume that the sleeper agent/cell stuffing envelopes is by now infected. That should mean:

1/ He/They'll mail out their rermaining supplies in a rash of letters (which, hopefully, we may just have seen); and,

2/ If he/they are infected, what stunt have he/they got in mind to make a dramatic exit? In other words, the liklihood of being infection increases the chances of another attack.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The anthrax envelope pictures looked as though the envelopes had been wet. Perhaps they had been coated with a substance to make them airtight.

[dogbyte12]

For your scorn. No news here again I am afraid.

[HiTech RedNeck]

They must go thru a lot of bleach

Perhaps the reason for Atta's "dishpan hands"?

[ladyinred]

This is just horrid. I guess this report will stop the accusations that it is the VRWC that has started already though. I have felt from the beginning that this is the terrorists continuing attack on us, in spite of people I know buying into this internal nuts stuff. Perhaps some of the false alarm ones are, but the deadly ones have to be more sophisticated. I keep asking where a pro lifer could get ahold of Anthrax that is military grade?

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

"how does the sender NOT inhale the spores?"

Ask Billy Klinton, he didn't inhale...

[cactmh]

The idea IS to make people look at there mail more closely, and to watch their backs more closely. They are trying to disrupt our lives and make us live in fear....it's working.

[Rushian]

Actually, patent applications that require DOD approval to be released can be put under a patent secrecy order for many years.

[WIMom]

This is the type of information which tells us something. It's the "I heard from someone, who heard from someone, who heard from someone, who heard from someone"...type articles, the rumors that start the hysteria is just what the terrorists are looking for. Look at how many people are running out to stock up on antibotics, gas masks, etc.

[dogbyte12]

From the AP at 11:58 PM EDT

Investigators have found that the strain of anthrax on the letter mailed to Daschle's office was ``a very potent form of anthrax that clearly was produced by someone who knew what he or she was doing,'' the majority leader said.

Three government sources, all speaking on condition of anonymity, said preliminary testing indicated the anthrax had been refined enough so that it could be easily dispersed through the air. One law enforcement official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the anthrax was in a purified form that could be used as a weapon. Additional testing was being done late Tuesday.

This is not your local yokel's anthrax.

[PianoMan]

Larry Ellison? As in Oracle CEO? The guy who wants us to all have National IDs so he can have a govt-sponsored monopoly on the database software that uses them?

Or is the name just a coincidence?