LETHAL TOXIN DISCOVERED (UK)

Sky News ^ | Jan 7, 2003 | Sky News

[snippy_about_it]

Anti-terrorist police are questioning six men after discovering traces of the highly toxic poison ricin in London.

The toxin, to which there is no antidote, has been linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network.

It causes massive damage to internal organs, and normally kills within three days of ingestion.

The men are of north African origin. They were arrested after an operation by the anti-terrorist branch in north and east London on Sunday.

Scotland Yard said equipment and materials were found at an address in Wood Green in north London, where one of the man was also arrested. A woman also arrested has since been released.

Assassination

Ricin was the poison used to murder Bulgarian exile Georgi Markov in a poisoned umbrella assassination in London in 1978.

Public health workers throughout the NHS have been alerted to be on the lookout for symptoms of ricin exposure in patients.

It is understood that so far no-one has been to a doctor showing any signs of having been in contact with the toxin.

Today's news comes weeks after security sources warned of a possible terror attack involving London underground.

Statement

In a joint statement, anti-terrorist chief David Veness and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Pat Troop said: "A small amount of the material recovered from the Wood Green premises has been tested positive for the presence of ricin poison.

"Our primary concern is the safety of the public and the police have worked closely with the Department of Health throughout.

"The Department is now alerting the health service, including primary care, about these developments.

"It is also ensuring that the health service is able to provide advice to the public, including through NHS Direct.

Investigations

The statement adds: "Intensive police investigations are continuing and forensic analysis of the premises in Wood Green will take some time to complete.

"While our message is still 'alert not alarm', we would re-iterate our earlier appeals for the public to remain vigilant and aware and report anything suspicious to police.

Terrorist expert Professor Paul Wilkinson told Sky News: "Ricin is not an obvious weapon to use to cause mass injury, but it is worrying that such a poison was being held so near to an array of targets in central London."

[snippy_about_it]

Nationwide Health alert issued in Britian. Authorities don't know where the manufactured stuff may have been distributed or if it even has been yet.

[snippy_about_it]

ping.

Stay safe.

[snippy_about_it]

Britian = Britain...sorry, I was in a hurry.

[Dog]

What the hell???

I just got in.....oh wow!

[hchutch]

FYI.

Holy ****.

[TontoKowalski]

I'm not sure, but I think this poison was used on a recent episode of CSI. I know it's only TV, but their portrayal of how this poison works was terrifying.

[Sender]

RICIN and its potential as a biowarfare agent

[Dog]

Ivan stay safe..

[marty60]

This was the plot of the death of a woman on CSI last Thurs. She was trying to kill her boss....and made the stuff in her kitchen. She had laid her pen down. At work the next day she put the pen in her mouth and oops. Very interesting. The mistake this story pushing is that you have to have a big manufacturing ops. Any kitchen will do. NOW THAT'S SCAREY.

[marty60]

Didn't see your post. It's my favorite show. I bet the writer of this episode is sick.

[snippy_about_it]

This news was breaking on FOX and they were talking to a reporter from Sky News and she said they think they were manufacturing it in this flat and they have no idea where the "contents" are, thus they have issued a UK nationwide alert.

I would be real worried about my food or water supply.

[Timesink]

They should get all the information out of these bastards that they can - by torture if necessary - and then line them up and shoot them. This is war.

[Dog]

I am sort of confused here......have they found all the ricin?? Or is it missing??

[Dog]

Give these creepys to the SAS boys......they will get the info out of them...PDQ

[FreedomPoster]

>>The men are of north African origin.

Why don't they just say that they're peaceful, friendly Muslims?

[Snowy]

I am sort of confused here......have they found all the ricin?? Or is it missing??

Well, the problem is that a thimble full could kill hundreds. That's the impression I get when it was said that an amount the size of a pin head could kill a full grown man.

[lepton]

Ah...the power of beans.

[NormsRevenge]

A couple of links for perusal at your leisure.

Antiterrorism Law Used In Poison Smuggling Case
The New York Times, December 23, 1995, p. 7.

An unlikely threat
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - July/August Issue 1999

[NormsRevenge]

The Soviet KGB used it in the old days. A little bit goes a long way. No andidote, easily applied.