Seven ill in letter scare at Palestinian PM office

[Minstrel Boy]

Seven ill in letter scare at Palestinian PM office

Monday, August 7, 2006

Seven people in the Palestinian Prime Minister's office in the West Bank have fallen ill after opening a letter containing an unknown substance, government and hospital officials say.

The envelope, postmarked Tel Aviv, was addressed to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of the militant Hamas movement who is based in the Gaza Strip, Deputy Prime Minister Naser al-Shaer told a news conference.

Several people lost consciousness after the envelope, containing tissue paper, was opened, he says.

"The Prime Minister has formed a committee to investigate and medical labs are checking the substance," Mr Shaer said.

...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1708860.htm

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Weird. They think it was a gas

but that would, presumably, require an airtight envelope to transport. And this affected several people - not just the one who opened it and thus was close to it. How much gas can you get in an envelope - or get produced by some substance in it once the envelope is opened?

[Dhalgren]

2. Oh great!

Who wants to bet? US military-grade anthrax? What substance would cause people to pass-out like that?

[leveymg]

3. What is it about extreme Rightists and anthrax?

They just seem to love those envelopes filled with biowarfare agents.

Maybe it's because they invented them.

[Little Star]

4. Some sick people in the world huh?

Will CNN, Faux, MSNBC report on this? Hell NO!