Ricin in the Capitol, coincidence or setup

[lonewolf0507]

I find it really interesting that someone is lucky enough to get ricin through the heavy security of our capitol hill police. If you live in the DC area, you understand the levels of security in this area. So the question is how could someone get such a dangerous chemical through the levels of agent detecting devices in the mailrooms and around the DC area? Is it me or is this just a litte convenient. Especially sense W is looking really vulnerable right now. Sounds like a setup to me.

[loftycity]

1. Crying Wolf when ever the polls are down..

Yes I think it is set up. It actually is starting to get boring.
They're nuts...

[tom_paine]

33. Boring as a 1978 Soviet Agriculture Report

Boring and terrifying at the same time.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Funny how most of these incidencts

happen at a time and place when W needs them the most. Osama must be a closet Bu$h supporter.

[Solomon]

17. Didn't you see my thread Confessions of Tinfoil Hatter?

It's all mere coincidence. Bush is so bad off right now that anything that happens is a convenience to him. Tee Hee.

[Bronco69]

3. Look for even more dangerous things

to get through security as bush's* poll numbers continue to slide.

[EstimatedProphet]

4. Y'know, they've made a spectacle out of everything so often

only to have it turn up to be faked time and time again, that it's no wonder people would expect this is a set-up.
Had this administration done ANYTHING on the up-and-up, maybe people wouldn't assume that everything that happens is an ulterior plot by BushCo. They brought this attitude on themselves. Remember that when someone calls you a "conspiracy nut".

[KharmaTrain]

5. I Don't Wear Tin Foil Hats But...

On this one I have to wonder as well...the timing is way too suspicious.

Yes, part is to deflect the non-stop bad news raining down on this regime. The MOD isn't "resonating", thus it's time to pull out something from the "fear" bag to get the tongues on the tube wagging. This isn't just to shut us "liberuls" up, but also to whip the Right Wingers in line. Nothing like a good scare to do that. And if it works, bank it this regime will go to the well again.

What gets me is that Ricin isn't something you cook up in some chemistry set...it requires expertise and equipment that few in this country have. Aren't these chemicals also supposed to have some sort of "fingerprint" that allows for figuring out where the chemical was made...and based on it's purity that would determine if this was produced in a government facility or someone's kitchen.

Either way, to come up as empty as this regime did in the Anthrax scare in 2001 and to do absolutely nothing since (other than harass and destroy the life of a scientist who didn't have the right political credentials to satisfy Asskkkroft). That story vanished into the Gary Condit noise in 2002.

If this is a ruse, here's hoping it backfires as people start putting the pressure on this regime to come clean on what they had been doing the past 2 1/2 years since that last chemical mail attack (that is all but assured to have originated inside the U.S.) and how little bang for the buck we're getting out of this vaunted "Fatherland" security office.

[Nihil]

11. Um ...

> What gets me is that Ricin isn't something you cook up in some
> chemistry set ... it requires expertise and equipment that few in
> this country have.

Beg to differ but I seem to recall that it is exactly the sort
of thing you can cook up in your kitchen. The hard part is to get it
to your target.

From a BBC article on the January 2003 "find":
<snip>
"It is relatively easy to manufacture in small amounts but would be
considered an unusual agent to use for a mass attack as it must be
ingested or injected to take effect."
<snip>
(more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2636099.stm)

Someone earlier mentioned sprinkling it on napkins in a McDonalds or
something? Personally, I suspect that a salt or sugar pot would be
a better idea as there would be far more random results - ideal for
a genuine terrorist but not as convenient for this type of operation.

I expect that this one is simply firing a shot in the air so someone
can say "they're trying to kill me". A real attempt would involve
pointing the gun at the person's head before pulling the trigger.

Nihil

[KharmaTrain]

16. Point Taken...But...

Knowing Chemistry majors as well as I did in college, I know it's possible to make lethal toxins in a college lab or kitchen, but wouldn't either create suspicion...especially in this age of the patriot act where the transfer of chemcial that could be used in creating such toxins are supposed to be monitored? Please notice the tongue in cheek where needed.

Delivery, as others noted, was supposed to be air-tight into those Senate buildings...having to pass several special screening systems that us poor peons aren't worthy of. Also, if this was sent through the U.S. Mail, then wouldn't traces show up along the route...and why isn't there a quarantine of the main D.C. Post Office if that's the case? Lots to ponder here that I'm sure will be spun very nicely for me on the cable channels in the days ahead.

A dedicated terrorist who wants to spread a toxin over a large populace would do it similar to what happened in Japan in the 90's when it was put in the ventilation system of a subway or injected in the water supply where it could spread rapidly and do its deadly deeds before it's even detected. And that leads to the Homeland Defense parlor game..."How many ways can a terrorist kill us so we can scare the sheeple"...I'm not going there, my friend.

[jmowreader]

37. No, ricin is easy to make

You can make crude ricin with a coffee grinder and some castor beans.

They use solvents (no, I don't know which ones--alcohol, maybe?) to extract the pure ricin from the ground-up beans if they want the really nice stuff, but you can off someone very effectively with the crude ricin.

Anthrax requires the skills and equipment, not ricin.

[Silverhair]

6. More information needed.

Until then I shall decline comment. In other words - let's wait a bit and see what happens.

[radwriter0555]

7. Especially since frist is next in line for the throne... he will replace

cheney in 04 and will stump for prexy in 08.

So they will play this up as he is the victim.

[KensPen]

8. Everytime Wingnuts cite no attacks on US soil since 9-11

I always wonder how the anthrax scare was forgotten....

no arrests,
no answers,
just dissappears,

like Richie Cunningham's older brother, Bush is excluding it from history.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. He went with Osama

to the witness protection program.

[tom_paine]

34. Totalitarian Nations and their revisionist histories

As Imperial Amerika sinks further and further into 3rd World Corruption, the Imperial Pravda will become more grotesque and transparent.

Winston Smith has already disposed of your ficitious "Anthrax Attack" and disposed of it down the Memory Hole.

[dusty64]

10. Setup.

As with everything else, the timing sure is interesting. Anything to try and change the subject. This will probably backfire as we are sure to see a completely different treatment of the way this is handled. A quick and intense "investigation" will follow in complete contrast to the total failure to do anything when it was directed at Democrats.

[western mass]

12. Targeted a Repub this time - so it wouldn't be TOO obvious

[TheDonkey]

30. Agreed. also let's dr. evil get some more tv time

[ComerPerro]

31. Yeah but you notice people are calling for an investigation?

But when the "anthrax killer" was harming innocent Americans and liberals, no one really gave a shit. We still don't know who did it.

Shit, you know the funniest thing about this? Everybody in the news (sorry, NPR at least) has made a point to mention that ricin is only dangerous if inhaled deeply over long periods of time.

Hmm, something not very dangerous yet menacing-sounding appears in the mailroom waiting for a high-ranking Republican, just as the President's approval ratings falls to one of the lowest levels yet.
An "attack" coming out of the blue to remind Americans "We still got this terror thing, support the GOP!!!"

BULLSHIT

[teryang]

13. Frist's strange behavior

Frist is treating this incident like an opportunity to display his medical credentials. During his public statements, I didn't hear word one about the constitutional significance of attacks on the majority leader, the Senate or Congress. According to Frist it was merely "a crime."

This incident proves that the fascist regime will do anything, I repeat, anything, to stay in power.

Frist's public statements prove that he is the perfect man to represent a powerless, rump legislature in a fascist regime.

[chelsea0011]

14. Ricin...the poor man's weapon.......

Home-grown, anti-government terrorist yahoos have used it to try to kill federal agents in the past. a little chemistry knowledge and make it in your celler. I've read the beads are used for necklaces and have killed children from chewing on them. And I can't believe this is osme sort of Rove conspiracy stuff, but if this were found in Iraq, there would be a press conference on "I told you we were right about WMD" already. But these home growners are the core base of the wacko republican right and we must never start a campaign against them lest we lose those votes. I bet the antrax and ricin connection is the same.

[colonel odis]

15. i vote for setup n/t

[kentuck]

18. I've got on my tinfoil hat...for real

:tinfoilhat: Investigators went into Sen Frist's office last week and removed a hard drive from his computer. For months, or years, they had been hacking into the Democrats personal computer files, evidently. Where was this investigation going?

By shutting down the Senate Office Bldg and not permitting anyone in, not even the Senators, who will have access to those rooms? What will be missing once the offices are re-opened?

On top of all those suspicions, we have the Democratic primaries today, which have been getting a lot of publicity. And George W Bush's poll numbers just yesterday were the lowest since he moved into the White House. The Washington Post has picked up on the AWOL story today. And by coincidence, someone has planted ricin, supposedly, in Sen Frist's office?

Does this all sound unbelievable to anyone else? We can scratch off one suspect -Eric Rudolph - that was thought to have sent the anthrax a couple of years ago. Who is trying to cover up? Who is trying to distract and deceive? What's the story here?????????

[ElsewheresDaughter]

22. kentuk i may have to agree with you here and also see my post below

[9215]

26. Where'd you get that tinfoil hat?

I wish mine would work like that.

Good post. :thumbsup:

[AlinPA]

28. This gets the attention off today's primaries. It also changes the

subject RE: WMDs, Bush's AWOL story (its picking up), job losses, mess with the deficit. Timely.

[tom_paine]

36. I think you have something there

[DoYouEverWonder]

38. I'll bet they scrub more than ricin powder

when they decontaminate Frist's office?

BTW: This is way too convenient. First you send the your enemies the real killer, anthrax. Then you need a new scare/distraction so you send Frist, which ricin that in powder form is not really dangerous. Frist gets great face time acting like a real doctor and everyone forgets about the criminals that took over the WH and the fact the SADDAM DIDN'T HAVE WMD's.

[rvgwinn]

19. just enough ricin

I find it odd that NO one is sick! If I was going through the trouble of getting this into the building undetected and risk going to jail for the rest of my life,I would make sure to get the job done right.I thought even a little ricin was dangerous??

[kentuck]

20. The Senate is open for business !

And Frist is explaining ricin...But the offices of the Senators will be open later....

[ElsewheresDaughter]

21. BushCo* message to his rethug s "shut up & tow the party line" or else!

many rethugs are speaking out against bush*s budget, no WMD's debacle, immigration policy, funding of the arts, and many rethugs have already publicly voiced their opposition ....this ricin is just a shot across the bow to remind them just who the fucking boss

oh! and wasn't Frist's computers conficated a few weeks ago by the FBI because of an investigation into the hacking of democrats computers by the repukes on the hill?...hmmm i forgot that this may very well be related...now no one can get in those buildings not even the senators...who knows what will be either missing, planted, copied and hacked when they return wow nice job rove :puke:

[Kathy in Cambridge]

23. Set up

:tinfoilhat:

i wouldn't put it past these freaks.

[9215]

24. Low impact fear mongering

You don't have to blow something up to spread fear. This kind of operation is cheap, easy (if you are on the inside), and effective in spreading fear.

Whoever did it doesn't like Repugs either. :eyes:



Now let's see where the forensics leads. See if they can trace the manufacurers signature on the Ricin, etc.

Any of DU's crack investigative journalists know about this stuff?

[OneTwentyoNine]

25. Setup all the way,get the heat off of Bush and his illegal invasion..

Hell,anyone can see what this is all about. Chimp's even taking heat from Whore TV over WMD and BAM,yet another distraction pops up.

Sure as hell wouldn't have wanted this sent to a Dem,they'd be talking up how vulnerable we still are years after 9/11 and all of Chimpboys Terra talk.

Nah,send it to the good doctor,hell has it even been verified as ricin? This is another BS distraction pure and simple...

David

[9215]

27. CDC take on Ricin

Here is a Center for Disease control partial take on the stuff.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/facts.asp

Ricin is a naturally occuring poison derived from the waste of castor bean processing.

In 1978, Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian writer and journalist who was living in London, died after he was attacked by a man with an umbrella. The umbrella had been rigged to inject a poison ricin pellet under Markov’s skin.
Some reports have indicated that ricin may have been used in the Iran-Iraq war during the 1980s and that quantities of ricin were found in Al Qaeda caves in Afghanistan.

[TheDonkey]

29. I'm not LIHOP or MIHOP, but Anthrax and this Ricin ploy are setups

Whoever is doing them are republicons trying to usher in the fear factor again. Not sure if these cons are related to the administration or just other right wing radicals. But definetly delibrate attempt to boost bush.

[Moderator]

32. kick

[Snow]

35. Yo, people - do a little research. TPM seems to have a pretty good guess

at what's going on with this
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

-snip-

From a January 9th report from CBS and the AP ...
The FBI on Thursday offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest of anyone responsible for leaving a package containing the deadly poison ricin at a post office in October. A letter inside the package said the author could make much more ricin and will "start dumping" large quantities of the poison if new federal trucking rules went in effect, according to information released by the FBI and other federal agencies Thursday.


The letter, which was found at a post office in South Carolina, was signed "fallen angel" and the sender identified himself as "a fleet owner of a tanker company."
-- Josh Marshall

-snip-

[Zero Gravitas]

39. Right Wing Whackjob

its just another right wing whackjob like the Anthrax Killer. Its a different guy though I think.

[theboss]

40. Some people seem to think that the sun rising is a distraction

I can focus on more than one things at a time.

For instance, on Sunday, I was focussed on the point spread, the over/under, the chicken wings I was eating, Janet Jackson's boobs, and my taxes. Remarkable.

[Snow]

41. Let's kick this up...

There're several other threads with large amounts of totally unfounded speculation....
:kick: