Why so many anthrax hoaxes in upstate NY in 1999 ? {including Lackawanna and nearby communities}

1999 WMD Terrorism Chronology: Incidents Involving Sub-National Actors and Chemical, Biological, Rad ^ | 2000 report of 1999 incidents

[syriacus]

Lackawanna has a previous terrorism connection --an anthrax hoax---

Report 1999 WMD Terrorism Chronology: Incidents Involving Sub-National Actors and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Materials

Upstate NY had quite a few Anthrax Hoaxes in January and February of 1999

Summary: An anonymous phone call threatening anthrax, placed to the central switchboard of the West Seneca, New York, Town Hall on 21 January, resulted in the building's closure for the lunch hour.

Summary: A 22 January Buffalo News report stated that Niagara County, New York, sheriff's deputies arrested two high school students and charged them with falsely reporting an anthrax incident to a high school principal.

Summary: On 22 January, employees at a food market in East Aurora, New York, found a letter in the rear entrance threatening anthrax exposure.

Summary: At around 6 a.m. on 25 January, an individual telephoned a company in Alden, New York, claiming that anthrax was in the office building.

February

Summary: Two 14-year-old boys confessed to phoning in a 2 February anthrax threat to a high school in Lackawanna, New York.

Summary: Three boys were arrested on 5 February and charged with aggravated harassment and falsely reporting an anthrax incident the day before in Cattaraugas County, New York.

Summary: On 5 February, a school in East Aurora, New York, was closed following the discovery of an anthrax threat written on the front door.

Yemen had an anthrax hoax around the same time, too.

Summary: On 16 February, a letter threatening to use anthrax to kill US and British citizens living in Yemen was faxed to the London, United Kingdom, office of an Arabic newspaper.

[syriacus]

Interesting that upstate NY was home to so many anthrax hoaxes--several years before -9/11

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

They have been working for a while then, it would seem!

[Mitchell]

Thanks for posting this, syriacus. Ping to the others.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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[syriacus]

I missed these other upstate NY anthrax hoaxes.

On 12 March, a staff member at a high school in Hamburg, New York, found a note on the floor of one of the classrooms stating that anthrax would be released by the end of classes that day.

Summary: On 15 January, the United States Attorney's office in Buffalo, New York, received a letter containing a threat of anthrax exposure.

On 16 April, a note bearing an anthrax threat was handed to a faculty member of a high school in Chautauqua County, New York.

On 22 May, a college located in Syracuse, New York, received a letter containing an anthrax threat.

On 22 May, a high school located in Syracuse, New York, received a letter containing an anthrax threat.

[Diogenesis]

QUAERIE: Given this, why did the FBI target putative
"right wing" individuals as suspects?

Why was this not given a BEACON as JOB #1?

[okie01]

About those kids that were apprehended, two in one event, three in another, is there any information that would identify them as Muslim? Or connected in any way with our Yemeni perps from Lackawanna?

Begging pardon in advance for profiling...

[Cicero]

Well, I don't know about these particular cases, but in 1999 bill clinton was behind a lot of scare stories about the threat of terrorists spreading anthrax in American cities. That was also when he was innoculating the troops with untested and dangerous anthrax vaccine.

I THINK clinton was hoping to provoke a serious terrorist attack, so he could proclaim a state of emergency, put FEMA in charge of the country, and extend his term in office.

Anyway, when you have a lot of news people chattering about the danger of anthrax attacks, it's likely to give pranksters with too much time on their hands ideas.

[syriacus]

About those kids that were apprehended, two in one event, three in another, is there any information that would identify them as Muslim?

I haven't been able to find any information about them.

[okie01]

"I haven't been able to find any information about them."

And, given their ages, there probably isn't any information on them...in the public record.

[Lion's Cub]

FYI

[syriacus]

And, given their ages, there probably isn't any information on them...in the public record.

Exactly.

[aristeides]

But the local press may know their identities.

[syriacus]

It seems that Lackwanna HS's International Youth and Student Organization was involved in the same September 21, 2001 SUNY-Buffalo peace rally as Marxist-Leninists, environmentalists, Muslim and Arab student groups, Workers World Party, etc.

I'm back to searching a bit, to see what other information I can find on Lackawanna HS and anthrax.

The only interesting page I can find, other than the report that heads this thread is this one

radtimes on Sat, 29 Sep 2001

Buffalo, N.Y., activists reported numerous anti-war activities, the largest being a Peace and Unity Rally at the University of Buffalo on Sept. 21 [2001]. A speak-out in front of the student union drew 100 people, including representatives of the Organization of Arab Students, the Muslim Student Association, the Asian Student Union, Environmental Network, Lackawanna High School International Youth and Student Organization, U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization, Workers World Party and the IAC.

[syriacus]

The article right above is also found at WORLDWIDE PROTESTS TELL BUSH: "STOP WAR, END RACISM

9/26/01,By Greg Butterfield

[syriacus]

See also:

Lackawanna, NY Demonstration Defends Rights of All [Commies and Intifadahists shoulder to shoulder]

On March 8, International Women's Day, a demonstration was held in Lackawanna, New York, just south of Buffalo, under the banner "Defend the Rights of All!" The demonstration, organized by the Lackawanna Discussion Group (LDG), was called under three main demands: No to racism and profiling of Arabs, South Asians and Muslims; No to disinformation and the demonization of Islam; and No to censorship and attacks on Arab youth.

[Alamo-Girl]

Great catch! Thanks for the heads up!

[weegee]

Yours is the most recent thread to include the words Anthrax and Hoaxes in the title so I'll followup your post with this statistic I found on the USPS website tonight (I was looking for something else when I went to the users' questions section):

United States Postal Service: Answer ID 258

Historically, how often do Anthrax and other threats and hoaxes occur?

During FY 1999 and FY 2000, there were approximately 178 anthrax threats received at courthouses, reproductive health service providers (clinics offering abortion services or counseling), churches, schools, and post offices. During FY 2001 we have had only approximately 60 threats or hoaxes, which included anthrax, hoof and mouth disease, the Klingerman virus hoax and others.

Chemical and biological weapons are sometimes referred to as the "poor man's nuclear weapons" and pose a significant threat in the post-Cold War environment. Their relative low cost and simplicity of design and technology make them weapons of choice for a variety of rogue states and terrorist and non-state organizations. Although acts of chemical and biological terrorism have not been prevalent in the U.S. up to now, use of these weapons or the threat of their use are disruptive forces.

This answer is undated and so I do not know if it followed 9/11 or not.

[weegee]

PING, I don't know if you had seen the statistic I just posted anywhere before (compiled number of anthrax hoaxes in 1999 and 2000 compared to 2001).

[Alamo-Girl]

I hadn't seen that information! Thank you so very much!