U.S. has new anthrax fears; Al Qaeda suspects say group wants to obtain p

[joeunderdog]

Two years after the anthrax letter attacks, senior Bush administration officials say that they have fresh concerns about the nation's vulnerability to terrorist attacks with the deadly germ.

Officials said their fears had intensified in part because they now recognize that anthrax spores can be more widely dispersed than previously believed. In addition, they said, terror suspects with ties to al Qaeda have told questioners that the group has been trying to obtain anthrax for use in attacks.

snip

According to an article by Milton Leitenberg, a biological warfare expert at the Center for International and Security Affairs at the University of Maryland, computer hard drives and handwritten notes seized at the home where (khalikd Shaikh) Mohammed was arrested included an order to buy anthrax, along with other evidence of an interest in acquiring anthrax and other dangerous germs.

"Nothing so far translated implies access to the most dangerous microbial strains or to any advanced processing or delivery methods," Leitenberg concluded in a survey of recent developments in bioterrorism published in the journal Politics and Life Sciences.

more...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/28/MNGJ83VC4A9.DTL

Hope you got enough duct tape and plastic for Christmas.

[Mikimouse]

1. I guess that the faux alert on cruise ships didn't have

the desired effect. Be afraid, be scared, don't think, we'll do all the thinnin' around here, right Baba?

[Wwagsthedog]

2. Sorry but I don't have time to worry about anthrax.

I spend all my time being afraid of the commies, la cosa nostra and drug lords not to mention gummint.

[Newsjock]

3. Hence, my #1 worry for 2004

It's clear that this marathon of fear is failing to have the desired effect on the American people. And it's also clear that, every time this happens, the next scare is designed to be even more scary.

If this goes on for another 11 months, I dread what the level of fear-mongering will become.

Or, in the alternate scenario, is there a point at which the administration realizes that fear has lost its potency -- and they have to pull a LIHOP or MIHOP in order to regain control?

(For a while, I was rather concerned that Christmas would be the big LIHOP/MIHOP, but then Air France came along to save the day.)

[aquart]

4. Not this far from the election.

Think October Surprise.

[aquart]

5. "Nothing so far translated implies access to the most dangerous microbial

In other words, they ain't got squat.

As usual.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. WOLF!!! WOLF!!!

THE BIG, BAD WOLF IS COMING!!!!

EVERYBODY'S GONNA DIE!!!!!!

(Or is the sky falling-- I get them confused)

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kool Kitty]

8. Oh no, not this again.

Whatsamatter, Tommy Thompson-Cipro sales flagging?

[Rex]

9. Ya know, it's kinda funny in a sad way

the people who are supposed to be our enemy...are supplying us with information about...wait for it...the people that are supposed to be our enemy...are supplying us with information about...wait for it...

When will the cycle of stupidity end?

[Voltaire99]

10. Say, Al Qaeda doesn't feed Anthrax to cows, does it?

Because if they don't, I'm sufficiently afraid of the US beef industry to have any energy left over for worrying about one more pathetic "war on terrorism" scare.

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Bush administration officials?

Okay, which Bush administration officials? Would the WH like to make a statement? Or is this just some more bullshit from an anonymous source? Didn't W say he wasn't going to tolerate leaks? Or did he mean that no one in the WH is allowed to use the potty anymore?

[Robb]

12. Here's a good one:

"Officials said their fears had intensified in part because they now recognize that anthrax spores can be more widely dispersed than previously believed."

...So we're supposed to believe there's anything about the science of anthrax we don't already understand? A bioweapon so old we've already got an aging thrash band named after it? :eyes:

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. The story is written by Judith Miller of the NYT

Miss WMD's 2003, is now spreading more fear by upping the anti with a new anthrax story. This woman is about as credible as that fellow who was the Iraqi information minister.

Now that we know where this story is coming from, we can take it with the grain of salt that it is not even worth.