* Dr. Worsham explained that she and Pat Fellows helped with the anthrax investigation down in Florida in Fall 2001
Posted by DXer on January 14, 2014
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
CASE CLOSED ... what really happened in the 2001 anthrax attacks? 
DXer said
Fast forward to 2015:
Anthrax, West Nile virus studied at Florida biolabs
http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2015/05/28/anthrax-west-nile-virus-studied-florida-biolabs/28080663/
PALM BAY – After opening boxes shipped from a research institute in September 2005, two MRIGlobal laboratory technicians noticed an unidentified liquid lining a bag that contained vials of Bacillus anthracis — the bacteria that causes anthrax.
Several of the samples had been inadequately sealed. And the liquid was immediately deemed biohazardous, said Pam Sharitz-Tesch, MRIGlobal external communications manager.
Palm Bay police officers and firefighters rushed to the scene and cordoned off the Treeland Boulevard biolab. Both lab technicians were treated at an occupational health clinic, and two contractors who were elsewhere in the building went to the emergency room as a precaution, Sharitz-Tesch said.
No one contracted anthrax, and the deadly disease did not escape the facility. But MRIGlobal changed its lab protocol and emergency-notification procedures after the scare.
“In response to the incident, MRIGlobal changed protocol to require (that) all tertiary shipping boxes and containers must be opened in a biological safety cabinet,” Sharitz-Tesch said.
***
The University of Florida operates at least seven BSL-3 spaces at its Emerging Pathogens Institute on the campus in Gainesville, according to a university website. The 80,000-square-foot facility has four BSL-3 suites and three BSL-3 rooftop greenhouses.
DXer said
The DOJ shredded Pat Fellows’ civil deposition.
You can see how the former CIA General Counsel, in his recent book, agonized over the destruction of the interrogation videos by the head of the clandestine service. With all of its highly expert counsel, the DOJ should have appreciated that critical documents relating the Fall 2001 anthrax incidents should not have been destroyed. For example, at another point, Dr. Worsham disagrees with the misleading “angle” (spin) that the FBI put on the issue of submission of samples. Her testimony and Dr. Fellows’ testimony would have been central to such an issue.
Ms. Fellows was thanked by the former Zawahiri associate, taught by Heba Zawahiri, for providing technical assistance relating to their work together with virulent Ames.
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
She then went to head the B3 at Southern Research Institute which was doing the work with virulent Ames for the DARPA researchers infiltrated by Ali Al-Timimi. Al-Timimi shared a suite with the leading Ames researchers. Al-Timimi was coordinating with Anwar Awlaki. The Al-Timimi case is subject to ongoing, classified motions.
Amerithrax represents the greatest counterintelligence failure in the history of the United States — bigger than 9/11 because it relates to an ongoing threat. The guilty parties, IMO, are Ayman Zawahiri and Adnan El-Shukrijumah (and of course Yazid Sufaat, Hambali, KSM etc) — but people need to be able to get on the same page to understand that. They need to help develop a common understanding of the facts even if it is awkward in light of Dr. Ivins’ unfortunate passing.
Dr. Ivins wrote PF about missing Ames — and a missing powderized anthrax sample. There is no email response that has been provided. He noted that she had destroyed a lot of samples before moving onto SRI in downtown Frederick.
I am being given the civil depositions in hard copy and don’t know how to upload or email large pdfs (upon scanning). USAMRIID should coordinate with DOJ and upload the depositions to the electronic reading room. (About the only thing I see redacted from this PW deposition was her birthdate).
I have a lot of confidence in the expertise of these DOJ attorneys. But it is precisely because of their expertise they know that spoliation doctrine is a harsh mistress.
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com