Posted on 05/14/2002 9:09:15 AM PDT by KirkandBurke
Mailbox Package Explodes in Philly
PHILADELPHIA- Federal agencies were investigating the origin of a mailbox package that exploded while being defused by a bomb squad after a mail carrier became alarmed by an attached note.
"He saw a package. He didn't like the looks of it, he didn't like the writing on it," FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi said.
Bystanders Maria Gonzalez and Joe Johnson said the mail carrier told them the note said "Free Palestine" and mentioned al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. A police official who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed that account.
The carrier didn't handle the package and the bomb squad was called to examine it. The squad was attempting to disarm it from a safe distance when the bomb detonated. The blast sprayed shrapnel for 100 feet, but no one was injured, Vizi said.
The device was wrapped in a foam box and packed with nails. It also had a sophisticated switch to allow the bomber to plant it safely and avoid a premature explosion, authorities said.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the FBI, postal service and the region's Joint Terrorism Task Force were investigating. Postal officials said they sent out an alert to warn all area postal employees.
"We're very concerned at this point," said John R. Sinnen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Gonzalez said the explosion hurled at least three chunks of metal into the street. The blast left a black scuff mark on the street but caused no other visible damage in the residential neighborhood.
Postal workers have been more alert since six pipe bombs hidden in rural mailboxes exploded in Iowa and Illinois earlier this month, injuring four letter carriers and two residents. College student Luke Helder has been charged in that unrelated case with leaving those and 12 other bombs in five states.
It would be interesting to see a report on the style of the device and a commentary on who may have trained the maker. Some types of set-up are quite signature.
The FBI has said that it has no hot leads in the case. FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III said in Senate testimony on Wednesday that recent scientific findings in the case have not altered the belief that the culprit is likely a U.S. man with a scientific background, acting alone. Lately, the agency has been giving lie-detector tests to some scientists with a history in the field.
Border Patrol agents took custody of the two men, who claimed to be Israeli citizens, for investigation of immigration violations.
Were cigarette lighters capable of generating such false-positives we'd be deluged in potential bomb suspects. Everyone caught owning a lighter would require a call to the FBI or the ATF.
You still haven't answered my question... are you an Israeli, or an American?
That's one post wrong out of one post I've read of yours, so you're 100% wrong.
Perhaps if I had such a reputation with veracity as you appear to I'd consider changing my screenname after all. Thankfully, I do not.
I don't believe for a minute that it's a "lone mailer" who pulled this off. But, the genetic signature of the spores points to the US as the source. They'll have to come up with some pretty creative science to pass it off on a lesser developed group. Who stood to gain money as a result of the attacks? Who stood to gain power as a result of the attacks? Who had the technology to produce the spores? Who works for the possible production lab? Where did they come from or who might they really be working for? (their handlers) Who got the government contract to produce the antidote? Who controls that company? Who is invested in that company? Who works for that company? Have you ever heard of Project Jefferson? (pre 9-11?)
You can start here for a list of domestic characters. Here's some possible shareholders, though, because the company is not publicly traded, it's difficult to document. But you will notice who runs the company. Here's the company's approval for continued manufacture of the government supply of anthrax vaccine. The Anthrax Money Machine. Bio-warfare attacks can also serve to further empower an already runaway govenment.
Now, do you want me to tell you what I really think about what kind of domestic attack this anthrax might be?
I won!! I won!! :D
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.