Crazy. This has to be planned. Terrorists plant some real anthrax in a few letters, then mail out a bunch of letters with salt, sugar, baking soda or whatever in order to create mass panic.
Why is CNN calling this an "anthrax scare"??????? I mean, people are contracting anthrax, there are reported cases even death from anthrax. This is more than a scare, it is bio-terrorism. And how can they say these aren't terrorist related? How often do you get anthrax in the mail? That sounds like pure terrorism to me?! rH
Probably because that sounds worse. The media is probably upset that people aren't running in the streets scared poopless, and by calling it a scare (even though it's worse than that) they're trying to scare the nation. My opinion is that this is another victory for the US. Whoever is doing this probably thought the same thing that bin Laden and his cronies thought when they hijacked those planes-Americans won't know what to do, they won't be able to go on. However, there are now at least 5 cases, and we're not panicking. Facial.
Exactly. This is just an intimidation game. But the U.S. people are so determined to get rid of Osama bin Laden that the game isn't working. I'm betting that Al-Qaeda is taking a dump in their pants right now because their intimidation isn't working and the U.S. is still coming after them, with practically full support from the American people.
I'll bet that in the end, they'll find out that the Anthrax is coming from some morons here in the states, just trying to take advantage of the current crisis. Idiots! If it were from Bin Laden, it would seem to me that he'd use a more lethal way of spreading the Anthrax or some other highly contagious virus, like infecting some of his suicidal followers & having them go around & spread it.
Hottoddie -- I'll take the bet!!! bet whatever you want because my ace in the hole is my understanding that some of these were postmarked before Sept. 11th...isn't that right???
I've heard Sept. 18th. Here's the link & story on Daschle's letter. http://news.excite.com/news/ap/011015/15/news-attacks-anthrax-congress Sen. Daschle Letter Contained Anthrax Updated: Mon, Oct 15 3:55 PM EDT By RON FOURNIER, AP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) - A letter opened Monday in the office of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle tested positive for anthrax, prompting a criminal investigation into a bioterrorism scare that has now spread to Capitol Hill. Capitol Police Lt. Dan Nichols said the letter, which was opened by Daschle aides, contained a powdery substance. He said two preliminary field tests on the letter were positive for anthrax. The letter was then sent to an Army medical research facility at Fort Detrick, Md., for further tests. "There was an exposure when the letter was opened," Nichols said. The letter was postmarked Sept. 18 from Trenton, N.J., the FBI said. People who were exposed were being treated with Cipro, an antibiotic, said a Capitol physician. There was no immediate indication whether any of those exposed had anthrax spores in their bodies. Daschle said his office in the Hart building a block from the Capitol had been quarantined and closed. Emergency medical vehicles were parked outside the building. He said there were 40 people in his office at the time, but that he doesn't know how many of them may have come in contact with the letter. He said he also was gratified that the response was so quick. "We have to be alert, we have to recognize that the risk is higher than it was a couple of weeks ago but we have to live our lives," he said. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Bush said "there may be some possible link" between Osama bin Laden and a recent flurry of anthrax-related developments. "I wouldn't put it past him but we don't have any hard evidence," he said of the man suspected as the leader behind Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington that killed thousands. Within a few hours of the delivery of the letter to Daschle's office, officials in the House and Senate issued orders to all congressional offices to refrain from opening mail. A memo from the House sergeant-at-arms said the mail would be "picked up ... for additional screening and returned to you as soon as possible." Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, said precautions were being taken at the White House with regard to mail, but added she was not aware of any tainted letters being delivered there. She would not provide details on the security measures. "Like everybody else, we are being very cautious about what we open," Rice said. The suspicious package was received at the majority leader's office in a Senate office building across the street from the Capitol. Separately, one source said that when it was opened, a powdery white substance fell out. Capitol Police were summoned, the office sealed, and the workers immediately given a test for anthrax exposure. There was no immediate word on the results of those tests. But Bush, in responding to a reporter's question, said he had just talked with Daschle. "His office received a letter and it had anthrax in it. The letter was field-tested. And the staffers that have been exposed are being treated." The president made his comments after a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the latest in a steady stream of foreign leaders to visit Washington in the wake of the terrorist attacks. The president said additional tests are being conducted on the letter. It "had been wrapped a lot," he said, and there was "powder within the confines of the envelope." He said the powder itself had been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for additional testing. The disclosure came after days of unsettling reports of anthrax scares in three states, including the death of one man in Florida last week. "The key thing for the American people is to be cautious," said Bush. Now, what were we betting?
I wonder, actually, if this is even Al Queda. I mean, this dispersal method is really, really ineffective. You'd think, with all the money in their hands, they'd try to use it as an aerosol. Instead, they're spreading it in a way that makes it likely the least deadly form method of contraction will occur. I can think of three possibilities that explain this, one which is more frightening than the others: 1. Al Queda is using this as a smoke screen for something more dangerous. Maybe they're spreading it via aerosol right now, but since people aren't getting suspicious letters, they think they're safe. The best argument against that is that there simply isn't much you can do about inhalation anthrax to begin with. Why bother covering-up a disease that's going to be fatal anyway? Also, the very existence of anthrax makes the symptoms more commonly known, which might make detection easier even in aerosol cases. 2. It could simply be a matter of them being unable to disperse it. That's hard to do. The Japanese cult Auma spent millions of dollars on bio-chemical weapons research. I'm sure you've heard of their subway sarin gas attack. Well, they also unleashed anthrax. And it fell from the top of a building to the sidewalk. In liquid form. And nobody got sick. Al Queda might figure... well, we can scare the Americans ths way, and it's better than nothing. 3. Or this could be another Unabomber like situation. Maybe it's some disgruntled med student that just decided he was fed up with modern society. Not every lab tech has access to anthrax... but some do. I mean, the media, microsoft, and the government are pretty common targets of angst. I hope this is what's happened.
#2 seems likely...they have a limited amount of the anthrax spores...so instead of being able to create a mass Anthrax attack with a large number of casualities, they opt to send out the spores in letters to high profile individuals, and then also generate false reports with harmless salt, sugar, etc...spread out in public places in order to induce mass panic.
I completely agree with MrSpur. Since they theoretically have a limited amount of anthrax (yes, an assumption), the idea here is to spread terror, not kill millions of people. The idea is to cause the most psychological damage while using the littlest amount of spores. I also believe this is the work of Al-Qaeda, not a U.S. militant group. The postmarks of the letters were from 2 known U.S. terrorist hideout locations: Florida and New Jersey.
CNN just reported some 90 envelopes containing threatening letters and a white powder were received by birth control/ abortion organizations, like the Planned Parenthood centers and I think another organization. No word yet if it is Anthrax. We need to catch these bastards. Surf
I can't believe people would doubt that this is al queda.What about the fact,the editor of the Suns wife,leased apartments to two of the hi-jackers ?? What are the chances of that being a coincidence ?????
