Anthrax Case Solved?

[sdreid]

There's a good chance the Litvinenko murder was state sponsored however.

[sdreid]

The first murder with a radiological weapon, I think.

[Qlder]

Hi Stan
I have just read this thread and remembered that Ruth First, anti-apartheid activist and wife of fellow activist, Joe Slovo, was murdered by South African security services using a parcel bomb addressed to her. A state actor killing a citizen for political reasons.
I am deeply suspicious about the anthrax mailings. The timing of these attacks and the location were both such that the effect was what it was - a frightened political community more easily herded into passing the Orwellianly-titled Patriot Act.
The 9-11 attacks were carried out by mostly Saudi Arabians, and the anthrax attacks came from a US source.
If Ivins was involved in the attacks, it is very unfortunate that he was not able to stand in court and give his side of events, including any help/support/encouragement he may have had from other parties.

[sdreid]

Thanks Qlder, the First case was one I wasn't aware of.

[sdreid]

The first murder with a radiological weapon, I think.

Although I believe, Jack Ruby claimed the government did him in with something like that.

[sdreid]

I think of late that a similar claim has been made regarding Yasser Arafat.

[sdreid]

There were contradictory claims about what was found in Arafat's body.

[sdreid]

I don't really see what Arafat's exit changed.

[sdreid]

Thallium poisoning has also been mentioned as a possible reason for Arafat's death.

[sdreid]

Although I believe, Jack Ruby claimed the government did him in with something like that.

He claimed the gov. gave him some cancer inducing agent, I think.

[sdreid]

Although I believe Jack Ruby claimed the government did him in with something like that.

I haven't heard that Ruby had any ideas as to what that agent might have been.

[Abby Normal]

Hi all,

Well, now that an Army scientist, named Bruce Ivins, has committed suicide after supposedly finding out that he was under suspicion for the 2001 anthrax attacks, all is wrapped up, right? The problem is that a lot of people thought it was a Harvard biochemist, named Don Wiley, who killed himself by jumping off a bridge shortly after the last anthrax letter was sent late in 2001. And year ago, the FBI was spending untold millions of dollars trying to pin the murders on Steven Hatfill. Time will tell perhaps.

These sorts of killers are a little hard to classify. Are they serial killers, mass murderers or spree killers? In this case at least, I think I'd place this guy in the spree category.

yup.
it was probably the dude who killed himself. And yes I would lable it more to the spree killer type, who are known to commit suicide once the jig is up. Makes sense.

[Abby Normal]

yup.
it was probably the dude who killed himself. And yes I would lable it more to the spree killer type, who are known to commit suicide once the jig is up. Makes sense.

just to add-
I think there is also evidence of the killer being missionary oriented-so mix typr between spree and missionary.

[MacGuffin]

Hi Sdreid,

My grandfather had a cow that he said died of anthrax but I don't know how he knew that. He buried it where it dropped.

I know yours is an old post, but after reading through the thread, I thought I'd give you an answer to your grandfather's wisdom.
Cattle (including sheep and goats) usually experience/develop cutaneous anthrax infections, which is the most common type of anthrax infection.
This presents itself as deep skin lesions and large boils, and although is the most easily treated form of anthrax infection, without antibiotic treatment (which may not have been available in your grandfather's day) infected animals can eventually die from it.
So the disease was probably very obvious to your grandfather, and fairly well known by most animal farmers/ranchers, even back then.
Burying the animal where it fell is also a common form of disposal, along with burning the remains, as eating meat from an infected animal can cause gastrointestinal anthrax infections. GI anthrax infections are the second most common form of anthrax infections, and also respond very well to antibiotic treatment.
Inhalational anthrax is the third form of anthrax infection, and a far more rare
form of infection when contracted from natural occurring types of exposure (ie.: cattle farming).
It is also the most deadly form of anthrax infection, and the most difficult to treat successfully, even with the most modern antibiotics.
Anthrax spores must be tiny - sub-micron sized, in order to infiltrate and infect the bronchial system, and this is most commonly found in weaponized
anthrax, which is intentionally pulverized to the desired micron size before dispersal to unsuspecting victims.

[sdreid]

My mom told me about my grandfather's brush with anthrax and I think she said that he did burn the carcass. She is 91 now and I will ask her about it if I remember.