Posted on 1/24/2003, 8:49:36 PM by knak
Flight restrictions again were imposed Thursday over the Frederick Watershed as FBI officials acknowledged the move was tied to the ongoing anthrax investigation.
"We have no information that indicates there is any public safety hazard, but we want to comment about this matter now because people have a concern over public safety," Special Agent Barry Maddox said Thursday evening from Baltimore.
Mr. Maddox's statement mirrored a media advisory issued last month that "the searches are in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation. It is important to note that based on water, soil and sediment testing already conducted, there is no indication of any risk to the public health or public safety."
This is at least the second straight month that FBI agents have targeted sections of the wooded Catoctin Mountains for study.
Last month, access to the region around Gambrill Park Road was contained by FBI agents stationed at roadblocks. Toward the end of the month, photographers captured images of special tents that had been erected and divers plunging into two side-by-side ponds, searching for evidence linked to the anthrax attacks.
Mr. Maddox said the FBI's Baltimore field office is assisting the Washington field office with the investigation.
"I imagine if they deemed it necessary to protect the integrity of the area, they could take similar measures (to limit access) again," he said.
"Although, I'm unable to comment further, I expect that whatever investigative techniques we have at our disposal could be utilized," he said.
Thursday evening, Frederick Police Chief Kim Dine said he continues to receive briefings from federal investigators when activity takes place in the city's watershed. In addition to two ponds that were searched by divers in late December, investigators have been canvassing other parts of the region as well, he said.
Although FBI investigators indicated late last month that they were close to wrapping up their investigation, Chief Dine said Thursday that the agents might never have completely cleared out.
Mr. Maddox said, "The investigation is continuing, so it's likely agents have been out working the case this entire time. No time frame has been established for the investigation to conclude."
We have been told there are "two investigations" - I assume Project Hatfill, and the real atx investigation.
For no particular reason announce on a weekday more investigation of the park...wait for Saturday to do the search...That happened last year...
I'll guess that this third (fourth? fifth?) return to the area will take place mostly tomorrow, Saturday.
Why?
To milk the terrorism budget for overtime pay
On the other hand, it could be a cover story when the overflights are being stopped because of a terrorism threat to Camp David, or because the war with Iraq is about to start.
I thought I read some place that Blair will be spending next weekend (not this one that is just beginning) with Bush at Camp David. Did I misread? Is it this weekend?
It's a waste of time, considering that the anthrax came from Iraq, and the guys who mailed the letters are all dead.
This is to get it on the record that I received two implied death threats on Free Republic today, from new sign-ups using the screen identities 666-Anthrax and Brandon Shaw (the latter name is reference to Alfred Hitchcock's Rope and my screen name on anthrax_fans, a private e-mail list). The first post referenced a story told by Boris Karloff in Peter Bogdanovich's movie Targets, a film about a Charles Whitman-style rooftip sniper. Given the "literary style" (60s acid freak) and the fact that A. J. Weberman's New York apartment was actually used as sniper nest by a deranged JDO activist and Weberman co-defendant Mordechai Levy, I suspect this poster is Weberman, who maintains the "STEVE HATFILL NAZI SWINE" web site. Weberman's antics are described in this Weekly Standard article: The Hunting of Steven J. Hatfill. The other post was a link to the Funeral Sermon from Eccesiastes. I could go into more detail on Weberman and his associate, Henry Niman, but I'll leave it at that for now.
Appreciate the clarification.
The sick-o left is a desperate crowd.
These guys seem to enjoy the publicity they collect from a canopy of media choppers, so blocking overflights makes me suspicious.
It's either a ruse, covering another security reason for blocking overflights...or it means they might actually be up to some serious business (which, by definition, would have nothing to do with Hatfill).
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