* “Challenges in Intelligence Analysis”: Questions For Further Thought About Anthrax Attacks (Cambridge University Press, 2010)
Posted by DXer on October 23, 2014
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CASE CLOSED ... what really happened in the 2001 anthrax attacks? 
DXer said
Any serious analyst would want to see the classified materials.
GAO did not review any classified materials. The FBi reportedly wanted to protect “sensitive relationship with specific individuals, sources, and foreign governments.” Like Senator Leahy has said, when the government screws up, they just classify the information.
GAO should not countenance continued withholding.
http://amerithrax.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/anthrax-and-al-qaeda-the-big-picture-125-3-draft-beta/screen-shot-2012-12-05-at-12-48-07-pm-2/
DXer said
The DARPA program at USAMRIID in Building 1412 involving Joany Jackman, the assistant of FBI’s expert, John Ezzell — whose lab threw out Ivins’ February 2002 sample — involved both live virulent Ames (from Ivins Flask 1029) and the use of microencapsulated agents and subtilis. Senator Leahy’s anger on these issues is fully justified.
Personally, I think the live agents were microencapsulated at Southern Research Institute — though both Battelle and Dugway remain logical possibilities. (I cannot rule out, for example, Aberdeen or even Building 1412 at USAMRIID)
Note there is a specific email by Ivins that he had heard about weaponized anthrax that had been sent to USAMRIID and had gone missing.
How do you think Amerithrax would have unfolded if anthrax microencapsulated at SRI was sent over to USAMRIID, also located in Frederick, and then went missing?
Wouldn’t it unfold exactly the way that it did?
First, there was a delay in getting off the ground (put off on the difficulty of obtaining a refrigerator) that really involved an attempt to resolve conflict of interest issues.
Then there was focus by the FBI Director and others on Dr. Hatfill who was located in Building 1412 at the time the 98 vials of Ames from Flask 1029 were used up — with no contemporaneous records kept and available to be provided pursuant to the subpoena.
Then when the FBI becomes exhausted pursuing the Hatfill Theory, they switch to an Ivins Theory. USA Lieber attempted to make a silk purse out of sow’s ear, spinning what she had to work with.– with US Attorney Taylor’s assertions contradicted by the record.
Conflict of interest may be more commonly focused on in the legal field, but the conflicts in this case resulted in any Ivins Theory being dead on arrival. Much of the spin hinged on what happened in Room 212 of Building 1412 — the lab at USAMRIID associated with the FBI’s hazmat unit since 1996.
Everything the FBI about the Ames being in 1425 and not 1412 was known by the FBI to be a crock. The FBI’s anthrax expert at USAMRIID kept the genetically matching virulent Ames in his unlocked refrigerator.
The 98 vials that were used up can be assumed to have no fewer than the three morphs than the sample taken from Rm. 212 in Bulding 1412. See FBIR 053-070
Note that Dugway may be a poorer choice because of the stable isotope analysis discussed by NAS. Moreover, although it would take the Utah professor to confirm, but I don’t think the stable isotope analysis (to the extent deemed reliable) rules out Yazid Sufaat’s lab Kandahar that repeatedly tested positive for Ames-specific DNA.
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
Source:
Donlon, Mildred and Joany Jackman. “DARPA Integrated Chemical and Biological Detection System.” Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, September 1999, v. 20, no. 3, p. 320-325.
Click to access donlon.pdf
The bio in the linked article that you cite in the footnote of the 2012 article explains:
“Since 1997, Dr. Jackman has been an IPA with the Special Pathogens Branch of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. She is involved with the testing of biosensors and their component parts against live biological threat agents as part of the DARPA Biosensor Program.”
Her work included spent material and microencapsulation with silica.
“As pointed out, chemical building blocks making up bacteria and viruses can be measured by mass spectrometry. In addition, the broadband mass spectrometer can be used to measure contaminants (spent media, encapsulation materials, and other cofactors of weaponization) that are present in weaponized biological materials.”
DXer said
Intelligence and Surprise Attack: Failure and Success from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 and Beyond.
By Erik J. Dahl (2013 George University Press).
The Blind Sheik’s group in Brooklyn is discussed at page 112-117. Then the treatise turns to what intelligence had been available at the strategic levels.
If we don’t learn from history, we are bound to repeat it.
The sentencing of the lawyer for the blind sheik Stanley L. Cohen in Syracuse has been reset at 11/14/2014 at 11:30 before Senior Judge Norman A. Mordue. Counsel jointly had requested to adjourn sentencing again to review recent filings submitted in support of the defendant.
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
Ayman Zawahiri, Anwar Awlaki, Anthrax, and Amerithrax: The Infiltration Of US Biodefense
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/ayman-zawahiri-anwar-awlaki-anthrax-and-amerithrax-the-infiltration-of-us-biodefense/
DXer said
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
Ayman Zawahiri, Anwar Awlaki, Anthrax, and Amerithrax: The Infiltration Of US Biodefense
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/ayman-zawahiri-anwar-awlaki-anthrax-and-amerithrax-the-infiltration-of-us-biodefense/
DXer said
In a court filing, Dr. Ali Al-Timimi’s lawyer explained that his client, a computational biologist who had worked in the building housing the “Center for Biodefense” funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (”DARPA”), was “considered an anthrax weapons suspect.”
Al-Timimi shared a suite with two Battelle consultants who were Ames anthrax researchers. The two researchers had the largest biodefense DARPA contract in history for their work with the Ames strain of anthrax.
Alibek’s company had its work with virulent Ames done in downtown Frederick, Maryland at Southern Research Institute (“SRI”).
SRI’s Vice President was David Franz. David Franz was the Colonel and Commander who had signed the JHU-APL Memorandum Of Agreement, requiring that virulent pathogens be given as directed by JHU-APL and its contractors under the DARPA project.
DARPA was one of SRI’s clients.
Dr. Al-Timimi’s distinguished counsel summarizes:
“we know Dr. Al-Timimi:
* was interviewed in 1994 by the FBI and Secret Service regarding his ties to the perpetrators of the first World Trade Center bombing;
* was referenced in the August 6, 2001 Presidential Daily Briefing (”Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US”) as one of seventy individuals regarding whom the FBI is conducting full field investigations on a national basis;
* was described to his brother by the FBI within days of the 9-11 attacks as an immediate suspect in the Al Qaeda conspiracy;
* was contacted by the FBI only nine days after 9-11 and asked about the attacks and its perpetrators;
* was considered an anthrax weapons suspect;
[redacted]
* was described during his trial by FBI agent John Wyman as having “extensive ties” with the “broader al-Qaeda network”;
* was described in the indictment and superseding indictment as being associated with terrorists seeking harm to the United States;
* was a participant in dozens of international overseas calls to individuals known to have been under suspicion of Al-Qaeda ties like Al-Hawali; and
* was associated with the long investigation of the Virginia Jihad Group.
***
The conversation with Al-Hawali on September 19, 2001 was central to the indictment and raised at trial. Al-Timimi called Dr. Hawali after the dinner with Kwon on September 16, 2001 and just two hours before he met with Kwon and Hassan for the last time on September 19, 2001.
[911 imam] Anwar Al-Aulaqi goes directly to Dr. Al-Timimi’s state of mind and his role in the alleged conspiracy. The 9-11 Report indicates that Special Agent Ammerman interviewed Al-Aulaqi just before or shortly after his October 2002 visit to Dr. Al-Timimi’s home to discuss the attacks and his efforts to reach out to the U.S. government.
[IANA head] Bassem Khafagi was questioned about Dr. Al-Timimi before 9-11 in Jordan, purportedly at the behest of American intelligence. [redacted ] He was specifically asked about Dr. Al-Timimi’s connection to Bin Laden prior to Dr. Al-Timimi’s arrest. He was later interviewed by the FBI about Dr. Al-Timimi. Clearly, such early investigations go directly to the allegations of Dr. Al-Timimi’s connections to terrorists and Bin Laden — [redacted]”
The letter by Al-Timimi’s counsel attached as an exhibit is equally meaty. An example of an additional detail is that in March 2002, Dr. Al-Timimi spoke with Dr. Al-Hawali (Bin Laden’s sheik who was the subject of OBL’s “Declaration of War”) about assisting Moussaoui in his defense.
The filing and the letter exhibit each copy defense co-counsel, the daughter of the lead prosecutor in Amerithrax. That prosecutor has pled the Fifth Amendment concerning all the leaks hyping a “POI” of the other Amerithrax squad, Dr. Steve Hatfill.
In an e-mail obtained by FOX News written by Bruce Ivins to Patricia Fellows titled “HOT News”, Ivins reported to his former Fort Detrick colleague a colleague’s report that the anthrax powder they were asked to analyze after the attacks was nearly identical to that made by one of their colleagues.
“Then he said he had to look at a lot of samples that the FBI had prepared … to duplicate the letter material.” “Then the bombshell. He said that the best duplication of the material was the stuff made by [name redacted]. He said that it was almost exactly the same — his knees got shaky and he sputtered, ‘But I told the General we didn’t make spore powder!’”
FOX News reports:
“The FBI has narrowed its focus to ‘about four’ suspects in the 6 1/2-year investigation of the deadly anthrax attacks of 2001, and at least three of those suspects are linked to the Army’s bioweapons research facility at Fort Detrick in Maryland, FOX News has learned.
Among the pool of suspects are three scientists — a former deputy commander, a leading anthrax scientist and a microbiologist — linked to the research facility, known as USAMRIID.”
I submit to you that regardless of the much heralded reports about sorority panty raids and the like, the FBI suspected that it was more than a happy coincidence for Ayman Zawahiri and Mohammed Islambouli that an active supporter of the Taliban and supporter of jihad was a US biodefense insider. Just get FBI Special Agent Wade Ammerman to open up.
Al-Timimi worked in the same building as famed Russian bioweapons scientist Ken Alibek and former USAMRIID Deputy Commander and Acting Commander Charles Bailey, who would publish a lot of research with the “Ames strain” of anthrax.
Al-Timimi was a current associate and former student of Bin Laden’s spiritual advisor, dissident Saudi Sheik al-Hawali. Ali would speak along with the blind sheik’s son at charity conferences — the blind sheik’s son served on Al Qaeda’s WMD committee. Al-Timimi’s mentor Bilal Philips was known for recruiting members of the military to jihad. He was a good friend of Adnan El-Shukrijumah’s father, who was a translator for the Blind Sheik Abdel-Rahman in Brooklyn.
The first week after 9/11, FBI agents questioned Al-Timimi. He was a microbiology graduate student in a program jointly run by George Mason University and the American Type Culture Collection (”ATCC”). Ali, according to his lawyer, had been questioned by an FBI agent and Secret Service agent in 1994 after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He had a high security clearance for work for the Navy in he late 1990s and in 1996 for two months had worked for the White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card. As time off from his university studies permitted, Ali was an active speaker with the charity Islamic Assembly of North America.
Folks like Vahid Majidi who assume that Al-Timimi and his colleagues would have claimed responsibility are not taking into account that Bin Laden denied responsibility for 911 initially until it became beyond denying. Zawahiri thinks that war is deception. Heck, why would Adnan El-Shukrijumah get his family in trouble? The FBI says that Adnan entered the country after September 1, 2001. He had been living with anthrax planner KSM where anthrax Al Qaeda lab director Yazid Sufaat also stayed.
Yazid Sufaat, in written correspondence with me, did not deny being the processor for the anthrax mailings. For his trouble, he was thrown in jail. It should illustrate to Vahid Majidi that it sometimes pays for Al Qaeda members and operatives to lie. Duh.
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
USAMRIID uploaded a June 28, 2005 email titled “Hot News!” that says in part:
“Hi, ___
______ party was fun last night. A lot of people showed up. _________ also had a party (for the same reason) at _________, and they had to leave because they were being too rowdy, so they came over to _____ Anyway, __________ was giving his opinion of ______________ and others, and he started talking about when he had to examine all of the letter spore powder samples. He said, like ____ (who was also there) that the stuff flew all over the place. Then he said he had to look at a lot of samples that the FBI had prepared (by Dugway, I guess) to duplicate the letter material. Then the bombshell. He said the best duplication was the stuff made by ____ He said that it was almost exactly the same. He also talked about looking at the material under the Electron microscope and _____ coming in and asking about it. When ____ told him it was powdered made by _____ almost keel over. ____ said his knees got shaky and he sputtered, ” But I told the ______ we didn’t make spore powder!” ___ has a very strong suspicion that ____ was involved in some way in the letter incident, and that ___ could well have been also. The way he was telling it was actually funny. The sentences were quite replete with “f*** sh****” and “son of a b*****”” and other spicy words and phrases. ____ siad that ______ was the worst ______ since he’s been here. It was all a VERY interesting spiel, believe me! I had heard that __ had made Ames spore powder (I’ve got his email admitting it), but that was the first I’ve heard that ____ either knew about it or was behind it and that it was virtually identical to the spore powder in the letters.
I’ve heard that _________ big supporters and lapdogs are now quaking in their boots!
Bruce Ivins
Melvin said
June 2001, Pentagon’s “Operation Dark Winter”???
I would ask Ed, but unable to get through via email. Is his email Blacklisted?
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-pentagons-operation-dark-winter-june-2001-bioterror-exercise-foreshadowed-911-and-anthrax-attacks/5407575
DXer said
Hi!
Offhand, I don’t know who you mean by “Ed”. But as for Graeme MacQuean’s book “Anthrax Deception,” I will let Barry or Meryl or Graeme or Hamas lawyer Frances or blogger “Washington” address the issue in the forum of their choice.
In his book, Graeme comes close to venturing Tara O’Toole as responsible, which is just about as stupid a suggestion I can imagine — second only to the theory of the guy who posits a first grade boy as the writer of the Fall 2001 anthrax letters.
In contrast, I venture Yazid Sufaat as the processor and Adnan El-Shukrijumah as the mailer — suggestions Graeme doesn’t address because he is all about politics and news articles and not obtaining and reading the underlying documents.
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
I think Graeme’s suggestion is pretty uninformed. The letters scenario was presented by Dr. Hatfill in powerpoints and was pretty widely briefed throughout the USG in biodefense circles.
Indeed, as widely reported, the letters scenario was formally studied by Canadian biodefense folks, with a simulant made at a Wisconsin dairy farmer and tweaked at Dugway. Prior to 9/11 and their publication, I believe 19 had been informally briefed by the Canadians on their formal study using the simulant. It would be interesting to see it established who they briefed.
The Canadian investigators mailed the CDC investigator report showing that the anthrax immediately left the envelope and travelled across the room, but the investigator didn’t open it.
Neither the learned Frances nor the learned Meryl, they tell me, have the time to address the documents. (I particularly adore the thoughtful Meryl — it’s just that people have other obligations).
Activist Barry, a trained and articulate attorney who successfully obtained an important document being withheld relating to silica — now hopefully will turn to the documents under FOIA. But in approaching a mystery, it is important to leave politics behind while getting questions get answered. Ideally, with some coaxing, Barry will seek the reports submitted annually pursuant to the JHU-APL MOA so we can who the contractors were. Or maybe the Frederick News-Post or other newspaper could submit a FOIA. FNP once noted that the effort to learn what happened is a marathon not a sprint.
Specifically, who were the contractors, subcontractors and collaborators under the JHU-APL MOA? (There were annual reports). David Franz signed it so he can be asked. Joany Jackman worked under it so she can be asked. John Ezzell and Terry Abshire also worked on it. They can be asked. Did Joseph Farchaus work on it as a Battelle contractor? (I have no idea).
What pathogens were provided under the MOA? We know virulent Ames was provided.
To whom was virulent Ames provided besides the JHU-APL researchers?
There seems to be no contemporaneous evidence that supports the claim of irradiation, with it all having been destroyed along with the 98 vials.
That destruction of documents is a dramatic violation of the principles explained by John Ezzell in his chapter in MICROBIAL FORENSICS (ed. Budowie et al).
When people destroy or fail to preserve documents, under spoliation doctrine, decision-makers should not rush to make inferences in the favor of the person failing to preserve the documents. … even if it is the FBI’s own scientist that destroyed the documents and evidence.
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
The threat by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad/ Al Qaeda to use mailed anthrax was described to President Bush by the CIA in a PDB in early February 2001 that is still classified. See 911 Commission Report.
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/dxer-if-we-knew-what-president-bush-knew-in-february-2001-amerithrax-would-be-seen-with-entirely-different-eyes/
So it is pretty silly to get confused and sidetracked when the US biodefense makes an effort to research the threat and study the threat of anthrax in mailed letters.
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA399955
That anthrax was made at a Wisconsin dairy processor and then merely tweaked at Dugway. Source: Matsumoto, Science.
As Alibek always has said, relatively simple methods can result in a sophisticated product. And as many others have said, know-how travels in the head of a single individual.
After a January 2001 anthrax threat, a Canadian research team undertook to assess the risk. The report titled “Risk Assessment of Anthrax Threat Letters” issued September 2001. The Canadian study found considerable exposure to those in the room resulted when such a letter was opened. Bacillus globigii spores (in dry powder form) were donated by the US Department of Defense (Dugway Proving Ground, Utah). Stock concentration powder was -1 x 10 11 cfu/gm. The anthrax sent to the Senators had a smaller particle size –tending toward a uniform 1 micron, subject to clumping that easily broke apart. Bacillus globigii (BG) spores are routinely used as a simulant for Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) spores. “The letter was prepared by putting BG spores in the center of a sheet of paper, folding it over into thirds, placing the folded sheet into the envelope and sealing using the adhesive present on the envelope. The envelope was then shaken to mimic the handling and tumbling that would occur during its passage through the postal system.” The aerosol, produced by opening the BG spore containing envelope, was not confined to the area of the desk but spread throughout the chamber. Values were almost as high at the opposite end of the chamber, shortly after opening the envelopes. 99% of the particles collected were in the 2.5 to 10 µm size range. The report explained: “In addition, the aerosol would quickly spread throughout the room so that other workers, depending on their exact locations and the directional air flow within the office, would likely inhale lethal doses. Envelopes with the open corners not specifically sealed could also pose a threat to individuals in the mail handling system.”
More than 80% of the B anthracis particles collected on stationary monitors were within an alveolar respirable size range of 0.95 to 3.5 µm. Thus, the simulant performed very well. The CIA and CSIS apparently feared that the Vanguards of Conquest would use the good stuff. Al Qaeda anthrax lab director, Yazid Sufaat, before being charged recently with terrorism, told me on Facebook that he could perform magic.
The CIA knew EIJ intended to use anthrax — from the proclamations of Jaballah’s friend, the captured military commander Mabruk and Jaballah’s brother-in-law’s former law partner al-Zayat. Authorities knew Al Qaeda was getting technical assistance from scientists — and that many of the senior Egyptian leaders had advanced or technical degrees. The specifications provided by Dugway perhaps involved treated fumed silica and a spraydryer (with a last critical step reserved to be done at Dugway) may have been based on what Al Qaeda might send with a little help from their friends.
Canadian officials explained they e-mailed the study to the CDC soon after reports of the discovery of anthrax at the American Media Inc. headquarters in Florida. The e-mail, however, was never opened, reports the lead CDC anthrax investigator, who regrets that he never read the email. “It is certainly relevant data, but I don’t think it would have altered the decisions that we made.” At one point, about 2,000 CDC employees were working on the anthrax matter. This Canadian report was perhaps the single most important scientific data point for the CDC to take into account. It certainly was one of the most important reports for the FBI to take into account.
Bail was denied by decision on October 5, 2001. Then highly potent anthrax was sent the next day just as had been promised. But Ayman apparently had returned to the target of his greatest interest — rather than a Canadian immigration minister, he and Shehata and their colleagues targeted the minister who oversaw the Department of Justice and appropriations to Egypt and Israel, and who gave his name (”the Leahy Law”) to the law that permits continuing appropriations to Egypt in the face of allegations of torture. Zawahiri never makes a threat he doesn’t intend to try to keep.
Bill Patrick, who often worked with George Mason University students in northern Virginia, had written a report in 1999 for a consultant SAIC at the request of Dr. Steve Hatfill. As one bioterrorism expert commented about the report: “Anytime you pick something up like this, and it seems to layout the whole story for you months or years before the fact, your immediate response is to step back and say ‘whoa, something may be going on here. “Our attacker may very well have used this report as something of a — if not a template, then certainly as a rule of thumb.”
The Canadian experiments in 2001 showed that if anthrax spores were finely powdered, a letter could release thousands of lethal doses of the bacteria within minutes of being opened. Furthermore, large amounts of material leaked out of sealed envelopes even before they were opened. By then, more than two dozen federal government employees knew of the Canadian studies, which showed that a real anthrax threat letter was a far more dangerous weapon than anyone had believed. Within days, a dozen more people were informed of the now highly relevant experimental findings. Over the course of the next decade, one FBI investigative squad was focused on people who may have known of the study — such as William Patrick’s friend, Dr. Steve Hatfill. Another squad would be focused on the usual suspects and their friends. For the next seven years, the investigation would be shrouded in great secrecy.
Then the FBI tired of the hunt and screwed the pooch — and the pooch liked it.
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
In a Harvard report, the former CIA head said that Ayman Zawahiri used a parallell cells, which did not know of the existence of the other, and that the cells were compartmentalized at the highest level. The document titled “Cocktail” on Ali Mohammed’s computer said that not even cell members would know the identity of the other members in the particular cell and each would have a cover (e.g., student etc).
Ali Mohammed, the head of intelligence for Egyptian Islamic Jihad who had a document on his computer seized by the FBI that outlined principles of cell security that would be followed, trained Dahab, a Cairo medical drop-out, to make deadly letters. Who does Ali think is responsible
The Al Hayat letter bombs involved lethal letters sent to newspapers in NYC and DC and symbolic targets relating to the WTC 1993 plotters. Were the Al Hayat letter bombs the model for the Amerithrax letters? Were the same people responsible?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on November 25, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/11/25/the-al-hayat-letter-bombs-involved-lethal-letters-sent-to-newspapers-in-nyc-and-dc-and-symbolic-targets-relating-to-the-wtc-1993-plotters-were-the-al-hayat-letter-bombs-the-model-for-the-amerithra/
Zawahiri and Mohammed Islambouli (brother of Sadat’s assassin) personally visited Adnan El-Shukrijumah’s Brooklyn, NY mosque, Al-Farouq
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 7, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/zawahiri-and-mohammed-islambouli-brother-of-sadats-assassination-personally-visited-adnan-el-shukrijumahs-brooklyn-ny-mosque-al-farouq/
In February 2003, the FBI announced that “Jafar the Pilot” (aka Adnan El-Shukrijumah) had entered the country sometime after September 1, 2001
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 26, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/in-february-2003-the-fbi-announced-that-jafar-the-pilot-aka-adnan-el-shukrijumah-had-entered-the-country-sometime-after-september-1-2001/
Given the CIA analyst reports Adnan El-Shukrijumah was at McMasters on a WMD mission, Graeme (who taught at McMasters for decades and has a project in Afghanistan) should address whether Shukrijumah was ever at McMasters as has been claimed.
DXer said
The treatise author above asks: “What questions and techniques from counterintelligence investigations might be helpful in resolving the case?”
Well, let’s see. How about using a fake website to act as a honey trap collecting IPs? Although Vince Cannistraro’s effort in 2002 was a bust, maybe that is because he didn’t include fun official movie trailers.
“Law enforcement uses social media for fighting crime, connecting,” Frederick News-Post, October 28, 2014
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/crime_and_justice/law-enforcement-uses-social-media-for-fighting-crime-connecting/article_b9e22c88-d3b6-5d2a-8a5d-c8838dbd49f3.html
Four out of five law enforcement personnel use social media for investigative purposes, according to a 2012 Lexis Nexis survey that included 1,221 federal, state and local agencies.
Sites such as Facebook and Twitter also help agencies find leads on suspects.
***
Although it is no secret that law enforcement use social media for criminal investigations, agencies also communicate on social media to educate the public, said Lt. Clark Pennington, spokesman for the Frederick Police Department.
“Social media allows us to (have) daily, even instantaneous interaction with the community,” he said.
…
“We’re certainly using social media as a way to help identify suspects …
Comment:
Now the thing to do, for example, might be to plant a story in the Frederick News-Post about Amerithrax with an embedded link to the mysterious and hard-to-identify document uploaded yesterday under FOIA — hoping that the perp currently using an anonymizer will click on it.
Click to access Enclosure%201_Simulants%20Project%20Redacted_Redacted.pdf
Trouble is: Adnan El-Shukrijumah’s momma didn’t raise no fool. And Ayman Zawahiri literally wrote the book on “Covert Operations.”
DXer says: Adnan El-Shukrijumah is the anthrax mailer … on or about 9/13/2001, he phoned from KSM’s house [ or en route ] to tell his mom he was coming to the US
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 6, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/dxer-adnan-el-shukrijumah-is-the-anthrax-mailer-on-9132001-he-phoned-from-ksms-house-to-tell-his-mom-he-was-coming-to-the-us/
In February 2003, the FBI announced that “Jafar the Pilot” (aka Adnan El-Shukrijumah) had entered the country sometime after September 1, 2001
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 26, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/in-february-2003-the-fbi-announced-that-jafar-the-pilot-aka-adnan-el-shukrijumah-had-entered-the-country-sometime-after-september-1-2001/
In Sarasota investigation, who was the person associated with the hijackers’ flight school who was discovered to have re-entered the country after 9/11?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 21, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/09/21/in-sarasota-investigation-who-was-the-person-associated-with-the-hijackers-flight-school-who-was-discovered-to-have-re-entered-the-country-after-911/
DXer said
Originally published October 27, 2014 at 7:43 PM | Page modified October 27, 2014 at 11:03 PM
FBI created fake Seattle Times Web page to nab bomb-threat suspect
The FBI created a fake news story on a bogus Seattle Times Web page to plant software in the computer of a suspect in a series of bomb threats to Timberline High School in 2007, documents reveal.
By Mike Carter
Seattle Times staff reporter
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024888170_fbinewspaper1xml.html
Comment:
I’ve always said that my graphics were done by a federal undercover and so there cannot be any complaints.
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
Who ever even imagined that Columbo sometimes carried a gun?
“Undercover”
DXer said
Originally published October 28, 2014 at 4:11 PM | Page modified October 28, 2014 at 9:47 PM
FBI confirms it used fake story, denies bogus Times Web link
The FBI is confirming it faked an Associated Press story to catch a suspect in a school bomb threat in 2007, but says it did not use a bogus Seattle Times Web link to do it.
By Mike Carter
Seattle Times staff reporter
The FBI in Seattle has acknowledged it created a fake Associated Press news article to lure a suspect in a series of high-school bomb threats in 2007 into downloading secret software onto his computer, but says it did not use a bogus Seattle Times Web link to do it.
***
On Tuesday, after reviewing the case files, Montoya said that the use of The Seattle Times’ name was only a “suggestion.’’
Asked if the use of the Times’ name was a subject of the internal review, he said: “I will say yes. … It was looked at in the review process,’’ Montoya said.
He added the FBI does have a review process on cases that might touch on the First Amendment. Although he wasn’t in the Seattle office at the time, his review of the case file shows “there was plenty of discussion’’ between the Seattle office and headquarters regarding the case agent’s decision to use a bogus news story to plant the software.
Dietrich-Williams did not provide a copy of the link that was used in the investigation, but said it included the word “article” but nowhere mentioned The Seattle Times or any other news organization.
***
“Do they regularly falsify news articles and impersonate media websites for their hacking targets? What other news organizations have they pretended to be? And how do they prevent innocent readers from clicking on these links?”
The software, called a Computer and Internet Protocol Address Verifier (CIPAV) was successfully downloaded onto the suspect’s computer in the Timberline bomb-threats case, and agents made an arrest within days.
Comment:
I’m too big a fan of law enforcement and methods that work in solving mysteries to complain about what they did. But AP’s outside lawyers, as we speak, are likely briefing the FBI’s liability under Section 1983.
The FBI as an instituion cannot intentionally violate constitutional rights without potential exposure to huge punitive damage awards under Section 1983. Senator Leahy may recall the protracted landmark litigation in the Second Circuit when the Connecticut Troopers routinely taped the defendants’ telephone phone calls with their attorneys.
Do not ever interfere with the First Amendment right of expression (impersonation is an abridgement) or the right to legal counsel.
I’ve seen egregious constitutional violations related to Amerithrax. But I’m way too big a fan of FBI and law enforcement to complain of their missteps, where well-intentioned and in good faith, even if serioiusly misguided or counterproductive.
If the FBI wanted to catch that teen they should have sent him some fake celebrity porn from some website — like the website from the fellow who thinks a First Grade boy wrote the anthrax letters.
Fake nude celebrity photos are mainly viewed by underage horny teens — and so I think it would have been just as likely to result in a click-through.
I guess that would be illegal for other reasons — never mind. No one said the FBI had an easy job.
But there are lots of ways and innocuous to get people to click without involving the First Amendment. Phishing scammers do it all the time.
DXer said
Here is document uploaded today to the USAMRIID Electronic Reading Room about the Dugway Spores, and the requirement that USAMRIID provide not just the 100 vials of powderized Ames (after irradiation) but also active biological agents as required by JHU-APL and its subcontractors (e.g.,, virulent Ames).
Note that of the powderized Ames, 98 vials was missing — as well as almost all documents and contemporaneous paperwork.
Click to access Enclosure%201_Simulants%20Project%20Redacted_Redacted.pdf
The uploaded documents was the first enclosure to USAMRIID’s response to the FBI’s subpoena — provided pursuant to FOIA.
So I guess the next question is: Who were the subcontractors and what active bacteriological agents were provided? If they didn’t keep the documents, perhaps they could at least address the issue now as a sign of good faith and accountability.
Was SRI one of the contractors? Battelle? Alibek’s Hadron? GMU’s Center for Biodefense? SRA International? Ann Arbor’s NanoBio (which tested its decontamination agent with JHU-APL)?
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US BIodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
University of Maryland’s highly-regarded and well-published expert, Dr. Fenselau, collaborated on the project in regard to the identification of simulant and pathogen biomarkers. She worked on mass spec for years at JHU-APL and early in her career worked with Nobel Laureate Melvin Calvin)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Clarke_Fenselau
Excerpt:
Amerithrax Sample Status and Benefit Analysis for 6/27/2002
“University of Maryland
INITIATIVE: Dr. Catherine Fenselau, The Department of Chemistry, University of Maryland is recognized world wide as a leading authority on the analytical chemistry of biological organisms. Her current efforts involve validating a method to detect if spores have been grown on agar or by fermentation.
STATUS: Analyses performed on surrogate samples grown on Agar were initially positive. Subsequent analyses failed to detect Agar in the same surrogate samples. …”
Comment:
Dr. Fenselau thanked John Ezzell in connection with the DARPA research for which he made a dried powder using Ames supplied by Bruce Ivins from Flask 1029. The research related to testing the effects of a sonicator and corona plasma discharge on Ames spores. John Ezzell’s former assistant, Joany Jackman, did additional research at Johns-Hopkins where the former Zawahiri associate also tested his decontamination agent (in addition to Dugway, LSU, USAMRIID, and Edgewood). Dr. Jackman would be a key interview — for example, she could explain the facilities built to do the DARPA research at USAMRIID.
The conflict of interest — perhaps of no one’s making — in Amerithrax was massive and wide-ranging. Dr. Fenselau’s Bayesian approach and published articles on Amerithrax are very interesting and readable.
The FBI’s anthrax expert made dried powder for DARPA-funded researchers who were examining the effect of corona plasma discharge on the Ames spores
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 25, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/the-fbis-anthrax-expert-made-dried-powder-for-darpa-funded-researchers-who-were-examining-the-effect-of-corona-plasma-discharge-on-the-ames-spores/
DXer said
My friend knows a DARPA Program Manager who in Fall 2001 told him that the authorities even thought they knew what machine the mailed anthrax was made on. Over a decade ago, my friend was the first to explain to me what a corona plasma discharge was. Putting aside the reliability of the fourth-hand report and/or speculation about a corona plasma discharge (which would make the spores self-repelling), it’s pretty ridiculous that in making its disclosures about Amerithrax the FBI did not disclose that its scientist couldn’t account for 98 vials whose origin was Flask 1029.
DXer said
Note that the JHU/APL Memorandum of Agreement with DSD-USAMRIID — expressly provides also for the provision of active biological materials to JHU/APL and its subcontractors as required – not just irradiated powder from Flask 1029 (the 1997 Dugway spores) in the 100 vials, with 98 missing.
See enclosure 1 to the USAMRIID response to the February 2002 subpoena.
Flask 1029 — the “Dugway Spores” is thought by the FBI to be the origin of the murder weapon). The FBI has concluded that the mailed anthrax was not taken directly out of Flask 1029 but was grown from something taken out of that Flask 1029 (the Dugway Spores). Yet, It was the same people who made a dried powder out of those spores that threw out Dr. Ivins’ sample from Flask 1029 — with that then blamed on him and used as evidence against him.
GAO, despite the presumed good faith of all the parties, this situation IMO constituted an acute of conflict of interest that was not solved by the compartmentalization that the FBI Director, in good faith, sought to impose — dividing the Task Force into AMX1, AMX2 and AMX3.
Those working on the project, including the USAMRIID employees listed on the enclosure, were two DARPA contractors.
See enclosure 1 to the USAMRIID response to the February 2002 subpoena.
When Dr. Ezzell appeared at the UCLA conference and answered my questions about the project, he did not mention that USAMRIID was also required to provide active biological agents as required by JHU/APL and its subcontractors. Then the filmed questioning was called short when a wise senior panel member perceived that John was showing signs of physical distress. He was taken away by ambulance. So while JE’s courage is to be commended, the documentary evidence is the best guide to a fuller understanding of the project and what the MOA required. The employees and contractors involved can now provide a fuller account of events.
One vial of the powder was then given to Ivins to compare against the Leahy and Daschle mailed anthrax — it was the so-called “Iraq sample” and it was mislabeled I-1.
DXer said
Bruce Ivins thought it was an “incredible coverup” that he was not allowed to swab the Diagnostic Services Division at the same time he swabbed his lab and offices
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 10, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/bruce-ivins-thought-it-was-an-incredible-coverup-that-he-was-not-allowed-to-swab-the-diagnostic-services-division-at-the-same-time-he-swabbed-his-lab-and-offices-2/
DXer said
UCLA’s Michael Intriligator Says FBI either incompetent or corrupt in anthrax investigation.
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
Ayman Zawahiri, Anwar Awlaki, Anthrax, and Amerithrax: The Infiltration Of US Biodefense
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/ayman-zawahiri-anwar-awlaki-anthrax-and-amerithrax-the-infiltration-of-us-biodefense/
Stop the Shredder!
DXer said
Forgive my oversight but I don’t believe the Enclosure to the USAMRIID response to the February 2002 subpoena has been uploaded yet to the USAMRIID Electronic Reading Room.
I am optimistic that it will be uploaded today under the heading “Miscellaneous.”
http://mrmc.amedd.army.mil/index.cfm?pageid=foia_reading_room.overview#
DXer said
One question I’ve had is the origin of the so-called “Iraq sample” that the scientist at USAMRIID working for the FBI provided Bruce Ivins — with it being mislabeled and then apparently lost or taken back.
Well, based on a new production of documents — the second page of this Information Paper — it turns out that it was from the DARPA project that involved JHL-APL and USAMRIID.
USAMRIID today produced an “Information Paper” explaining production of gamma-irradiation sterilized dried Ames anthrax spores pre-9/11
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 26, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/07/26/usamriid-today-produced-an-information-paper-explaining-production-of-gamma-irradiation-sterilized-dried-ames-anthrax-spores-pre-911/comment-page-1/#comment-35849
In a January 2002 memo that was an enclosure to USAMRIID’s response to the subpoena, John Ezzel writes:
“The procedure above is all the [sic] has been found to date. All the B. anthracis dried spores were destroyed over a year ago due to lack of quality assurance documentation. Two vials were retained, one of which was used to compare to the spores from the Senator Daschle and Senator Leahy letters and the second has remained unopened, at the request of the FBI, for future analysis.”
So 98 vials were (reported) destroyed. 2 were retained. And Ivins was given it by JE (apparently) with a false label – as I recall, it was I-1.
The Agar medium used for spore production is provided by JE.
What is the contemporary evidence that the 98 vials were destroyed rather than put to some unknown use?
Was the sample that Dr. Ivins says he was told was from Iraq — but wasn’t — actually from the dried aerosol project that had been launched at USAMRIID unbeknownst to Dr. Ivins? Who brought it to him? Where did it come from?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 14, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/was-the-sample-that-dr-ivins-says-he-was-told-was-from-iraq-but-wasnt-actually-from-the-dried-aerosol-project-that-had-been-launched-at-usamriid-unbeknownst-to-dr-ivins-who-brought-it-to/
GAO: Did Patricia Fellows Ever Find the Missing “National Security” Sample That Dr. Ivins Was (Apparently Falsely) Told Was From Iraq Before Moving On To SRI That Summer? Was There An Emailed Response(s) To Dr. Ivins’ Question? Her Deposition Should Not Be Shredded.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 14, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/gao-did-patricia-fellows-ever-find-the-missing-national-security-sample-that-dr-ivins-was-apparently-falsely-told-was-from-iraq-before-moving-on-to-sri-that-summer-was-there-an-emailed-resp/
GAO: Why are the so-called “Iraq sample” and Battelle discussed under the heading about IVINS’ knowledge of reported proposals to start conducting animal challenges at USAMRIID with dried Ames anthrax powder? What consulting did the DARPA-funded researchers at GMU’s Center for Biodefense who came to share a suite with Ali Al-Timimi do for Battelle in 1999? What work with virulent Ames did SRI in Frederick, MD do for those researchers?
Posted on December 14, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/gao-why-are-the-so-called-iraq-sample-and-battelle-discussed-under-the-heading-about-ivins-knowledge-of-reported-proposals-to-start-conducting-animal-challenges-at-usamriid-with-dried-ames-a/
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
The author of the treatise on intelligence analysis writes:
“What else would an analyst need to know to formulate and assess a range of alternative hypotheses?”
I would want to understand the silicon signature. Crediting the Michaels and Kotula research on the silicon signature (putting aside the conclusions they draw that go beyond their data), as I do — I would want to know whether the silicon signature is nonetheless useful clue.
Unlike FBI Director Comey, I am not knowledgeable about chemistry. (The Director majored in chemistry undergraduate.)
If I say, “Silicon is a single atom; silica is a molecule, which is an oxide of silicon,” it is because I googled and came up with that sentence.
If I write the sentence “Silica is used primarily in the production of glass for windows, drinking glasses, beverage bottles, and many other uses,” it is because I cut-and-pasted from Wikipedia.
So clearly in understanding the Silicon Signature — or is it the Silica Signature — I would want to ask an expert.
I notice that Joseph Farchaus filed a patent on glassified biological reagents, “mixing a glass forming filler material with the buffered reagent solution to form a mixture wherein the concentration of the filler material is sufficient to facilitate formation of a glassy, porous composition; dispensing the mixture in the form of substantially uniform droplets into wells of a multi-well container, wherein a single droplet is dispensed into each well;”
That is a familiar name. As I recall, Joseph Farchaus was on the patent with Friedlander, Fellows, Worsham and Ivins discussed by Old Atlantic in his post about the fermenter.
Dr. Farchaus lived not far from where the anthrax letters were mailed in Fall 2001. His parents lived not far from Ottilie Lundgren in Connecticut — in a nearby community. For years, communicating with him was difficult because I was informed he was represented by counsel.
More recently, I used a dated email (if correctly typed) that bounced.
Crediting for the sake of argument that the learned Vahid Majidi advises us that Al Qaeda’s anthrax program was “not productive” — but appreciating that his case against Bruce Ivins is a crock based on numerous mistaken factual premises — I think we should turn to this silicon signature to see if it is probative.
What does Dr. Farchaus think of the silicon signature?
Turmoil In A Perilous Place
Angry Scientists Allege Racism At Biowarfare Lab
by Lynne Tuohy And Jack Dolan
The Hartford Courant
December 19, 2001
In addition to questioning current Fort Detrick employees, FBI agents have looked for former Army scientists as well. Joseph Farchaus, who co-authored a paper on inhalation anthrax before he left his job at Fort Detrick in 1999, said two agents visited him at his house outside Trenton, N.J., just after Christmas and seemed to be working from a prepared list of questions.
Farchaus said he would have been surprised if the FBI had not paid him a visit, given his expertise and where he lives, not far from where the anthrax letters were mailed. When the agents finished questioning him, they asked if they could have a look around his house and yard, presumably to check for signs of a do-it-yourself anthrax lab, he said.
http://www.google.co.in/patents/WO2008036544A1?cl=en
Preparation of glassified biological reagents
WO 2008036544 A1
ABSTRACT
The invention related to a method of making a dried reagent preparation, comprising the steps of: providing an aqueous solution of at least one buffered biological reagent; mixing a glass forming filler material with the buffered reagent solution to form a mixture wherein the concentration of the filler material is sufficient to facilitate formation of a glassy, porous composition; dispensing the mixture in the form of substantially uniform droplets into wells of a multi-well container, wherein a single droplet is dispensed into each well; drying the droplets in the container to form the reagent preparation. The reagent preparation is water soluble and has a Tg sufficient for room temperature stability.
DXer said
The FBI used his pointing to a colleague, JF, who lived not far from Trenton, New Jersey in support of its Ivins Theory. So I guess the idea is that the FBI asks for help and then use that as evidence against you. No good deed goes unpunished, I suppose.
“In private conversations with investigators, Ivins told a different story. Beginning with his first formal interview with the FBI, on November 19, 2001, Ivins implicated a departed colleague, biochemist Joseph Farchaus. Along with Ivins, Farchaus was one of several co-inventors of the next-generation anthrax vaccine.
Ivins pointed out that his ex-colleague lived not far from Trenton, New Jersey, where the anthrax-laced letters were postmarked. To hear Ivins tell it, Farchaus had bullied him while at USAMRIID, once giving him “noogies.” Ivins statements prompted the investigators to thoroughly scrutinize Farchause and they found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Farchaus also told them that he could not recall ever having sharp words with Ivins, let alone a physical clash.”
The Mirage Man: Bruce Ivins, the Anthrax Attacks, and America’s … – Google Books Result
books.google.com/books?isbn=0345530217
David Willman – 2011 – Political Science
Bruce Ivins, the Anthrax Attacks, and America’s Rush to War David Willman.
[Montooth:] It showed us that this mailbox wasn’t a random mailbox, that there was significance to it for multiple reasons. … We think [it was] not only because of KKG, but [also] its proximity to somebody that he had a great disdain for, somebody that he absolutely implicated multiple times as being responsible for the mailing. That meant a lot to us.
[Interviewer:] Who was that?
[Montooth:] I’m not going to name the individual, but … from within the first month or two of the mailing, when it was obvious that a mailing had occurred, [Ivins] was telling [us]: “Oh, yeah, look at this person. He has the skill. He lives in the area. He’s somebody that his personality is such that he’s difficult to work with. He would do something like this.”
With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, instead of the (not unreasonable) psychological theorizing, the FBI instead should have focused harder on obtaining and preserving contemporaneous documents from September and October 2001 — to include record of computer “surfing”, which serves to establish whereabouts. The FBI should also have obtained the documents relating to the experiment with the 52 rabbits — which fully explain his time in the lab.
DXer summarizes the documentary evidence relating to Dr. Ivins work with rabbits (nowhere mentioned by the DOJ) which demolishes the FBI’s claim that Dr. Ivins had no reason to be in the lab
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 3, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/dxer-summarizes-the-documentary-evidence-which-demolishes-the-fbis-ivins-theory/
For example, in October 2001 the laptop in the B3 should have been cloned given what was apparently the largest known repository of virulent Ames was stored there. (Truth be told, the 4 morph analysis did not narrow things much — say from 700-1000 all over with access to “up to 377” (just at USAMRIID). The FBI’s focus on the 4 morph analysis is like a shell game. Keep your eye on the shell even though the Queen isn’t under any of them.
What do Dr. Ivins’ lab assistants and colleagues say about the Apple laptop computer that turned up missing — which had been connected in the hot suite? Who used it and what was it used for in the privacy of the hot suite?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 14, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/what-do-dr-ivins-lab-assistants-and-colleagues-say-about-the-apple-laptop-computer-that-turned-up-missing-which-had-been-connected-in-the-hot-suite-who-used-it-and-what-was-it-used-for-in-th/
Dr. Farchaus seems to lack the means, motive and opportunity (putting aside geographic proximity combined with likely past access to the genetically matching virulent Ames). For a former Ames researcher to mail Ames from near his house would be very stupid. Instead, Dr. Farchaus merely would be an excellent source of insights as to the siliconization issues lurking at the side of the petri dish under the various hypotheses, including the Al Qaeda theory below.
Ali Al-TImimis suitemates invented a patent in March 2001 for putting siica in the medium used to grow the anthrax. The learned Dr. Majidi agrees that the silica could have been in the medium used to grow the anthrax.
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/from-dxer-infiltration-of-u-s-biodefense-floor-plan-of-george-mason-university-discovery-hall-in-2001/
Piqued at the thought that Ivins was venturing him as a possibility, perhaps JF taunted Bruce a bit — not evidence of a guilty man in my estimation. I’ve seen mention of a picture of a Hyatt hotel post card postmarked from Trenton NJ with a four line address box on the front side, and a somewhat short cryptic message on the reverse side that says something that implies that it’s a gift from unnamed person at “Princeton”. But I haven’t yet relocated the card online.
And I believe mention was made of such a postcard in one of the civil depositions in the Stevens litigation but I don’t see it yet from a quick google at the USMRMRC Electronic Reading Room.
DXer said
“Is there another hypothesis, besides Ivins, that would better fit the disparate evidence? What else would an analyst need to know to formulate and assess a range of alternative hypotheses?”
Hypothesis No. 1: Al Qaeda’s anthrax lab director Yazid Sufaat, assisted by two lab technicians, processed the virulent anthrax into the powder used in the Fall 2001 anthrax mailings.
Yazid Sufaat claimed to be working with virulent anthrax. See Tenet’s book. Like Adnan El-Shukrijuman, Yazid Sufaat had the means, motive and opportunity to participate in the crime.
Links:
If Yazid Sufaat and his assistants had not been working with virulent anthrax at the Kandahar lab, there would have been no reason for them to have been vaccinated
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 22, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/if-yazid-sufaat-and-his-assistants-had-not-been-working-with-virulent-anthrax-at-the-kandahar-lab-there-would-have-been-no-reason-for-them-to-have-been-vaccinated/
Before his recent arrest, Yazid Sufaat declined to tell DXer the strain of the “anthrax spore concentrate” harvested July 4, 2001
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 29, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/before-his-recent-arrest-yazid-sufaat-declined-to-tell-dxer-the-strain-of-the-anthrax-spore-concentrate-harvested-july-4-2001/
Hank Crumpton Says Yazid Sufaat’s “mission was bio-attacks against American targets”
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 14, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/hank-crumpton-says-yazid-sufaats-mission-was-bio-attacks-against-american-targets/
Yazid Sufaat was happy with the anthrax work when he stayed with KSM for 6 days in 2001 and when he reported to Dr. Ayman on the results of his research with virulent anthrax in August 2001 with Hambali; in his correspondence with DXer, he seems happy today also (and very much in love).
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 1, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/yazid-sufaat-reported-he-was-happy-with-the-anthrax-work-when-he-stayed-with-ksm-for-6-days-in-august-2001-at-the-time-he-reported-to-dr-ayman-on-the-results-of-his-research-with-virulent-anthrax/
DXer said
Additional background links “a”:
One of the men who set up Yazid Sufaat’s anthrax lab in Kandahar in May 2001 acknowledged association with Jaffar al-Tayyar aka (Adnan al-Shukrijumah) but apparently the interrogator was confused by the multiple aliases
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 22, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/one-of-the-men-who-set-up-yazid-sufaats-anthrax-lab-in-kandahar-in-may-2001-acknowledged-association-with-jaffar-al-tayyar-aka-adnan-al-shukrijumah-but-apparently-the-interrogator-was-confused/
DXer … It’s naive and uninformed to think that Al Qaeda could not have obtained Ames just because it tended to be in labs associated with or funded by the US military. … The reality is that a lab technician, researcher, or other person similarly situated might simply have walked out of some lab that had it.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 29, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/dxer-its-naive-and-uninformed-to-think-that-al-qaeda-could-not-have-obtained-ames-just-because-it-tended-to-be-in-labs-associated-with-or-funded-by-the-us-military-the-realit/
Abdur Rauf’s “I have successfully achieved” letter to Ayman al-Zawahiri
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 4, 2009
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/abdur-raufs-i-have-successfully-achieved-letter-to-ayman-al-zawahiri-what-justification-is-there-for-not-removing-the-redactions/
In Have We “Met the Enemy”?, Science 3 February 2012: Vol. 335 no. 6068 pp. 540-541, Dr. David Relman, who had been vice-chairman of the NAS Committee, explains:
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 5, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/in-have-we-met-the-enemy-science-3-february-2012-vol-335-no-6068-pp-540-541-dr-david-relman-who-had-been-vice-chairman-of-the-nas-committee-explains/
DXer said
Additional background links “b”
2014 Straits Times report : Into what weapons did Yazid Sufaat attempt to load anthrax?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 23, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/2014-straits-times-report-into-what-weapons-did-yazid-sufaat-attempt-to-load-anthrax/
Al Qaeda anthrax lab director Yazid Sufaat’s former assistant indicted in Israel for holding biological weapons
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 5, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/al-qaeda-anthrax-lab-director-yazid-sufaats-former-assistant-indicted-in-israel-for-holding-biological-weapons/
Amerithrax: In February 2002, the FBI Failed To Take Custody of Al Qaeda Anthrax Scientists Rauf Ahmad and Yazid Sufaat
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 14, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/amerithrax-in-february-2002-the-fbi-failed-to-take-custody-of-al-qaeda-anthrax-scientists-rauf-ahmad-and-yazid-sufaat/
GAO Should Obtain A Copy Of Rauf Ahmad’s Signed Written Statement Voluntarily Provided FBI Agent Borelli
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 14, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/gao-should-obtain-a-copy-of-rauf-ahmads-signed-written-statement-voluntarily-provided-fbi-agent-borelli/
DXer said
Additional background links “c”
Long Before The FBI Focused Instead On Stained Panties, Ambassador-At-Large Hank Crumpton Explained That The CIA Had Uncovered Some Al Qaeda Anthrax Laboratories In Afghanistan
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 14, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/long-before-the-fbi-focused-instead-on-stained-panties-ambassador-at-large-hank-crumpton-explained-that-the-cia-had-uncovered-some-al-qaeda-anthrax-laboratories-in-afghanistan/
Al Qaeda anthrax lab tech says he had been part of Malaysian Armed Forces biological weapons program
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 23, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/al-qaeda-anthrax-lab-tech-says-he-had-been-part-of-malaysian-armed-forces-biological-weapons-program/
Al Qaeda lab lingers in anthrax story
Posted by Lew Weinstein on October 3, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/al-qaeda-lab-lingers-in-anthrax-story/
What did Al Qaeda anthrax lab head Yazid Sufaat discuss at the meeting in Kandahar with Adnan El-Shukrijumah and KSM before Adnan set off to return to the United States shortly after 9/11?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 7, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/what-did-al-qaeda-anthrax-lab-head-yazid-sufaat-discuss-at-the-meeting-in-kandahar-with-adnan-el-shukrijumah-and-ksm-before-adnan-set-off-to-return-to-the-united-states-shortly-after-911/
DXer said
Additional background links “d”
In today’s installment of a continuing series, Al Qaeda anthrax lab technician Yazid Sufaat defends his decision to go to Afghanistan to work on his “anthrax project” for Al Qaeda
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 20, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/interview-yazid-sufaat-released-in-november-2008-says-he-met-osama/
Does this document seized in Afghanistan point to infiltration of US biodefense?
Ayman Zawahiri’s correspondence with infiltrating scientist Rauf Ahmad
Ayman’s recruiting network for his anthrax planning and the announcement of his plans in March 1999
DXer said
capture of Mustafa Hawsawi and laptop with anthrax spray drying documents
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 18, 2010
In the indictment announced today of KSM, Al-Hawsawi and the others, the indictment mentions experiments in the use of biological weapons. What experiments in the use of bioweapons were conducted?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 4, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/in-the-indictment-announced-today-of-ksm-al-hawsawi-and-the-others-the-indictment-mentions-experiments-in-the-use-of-biological-weapons-what-experiments-in-the-use-of-bioweapons-were-conducted/
GAO: What strain of anthrax was this anthrax powder reportedly in possession of detainee who had been in Kandahar?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 10, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/gao-what-strain-of-anthrax-was-this-anthrax-powder-reportedly-in-possession-of-detainee-who-had-been-in-kandahar/
Marwan Hadid al-Suri, who was assisting Yazid Sufaat at Omar Hospital in May 2001 and then helped set up the anthrax lab in Kandahar later that month, was killed in 2006 in northwestern Pakistan. Marwan al-Suri, 38, was said to be a close aide of al-Qaida No. 2 Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 15, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/05/15/marwan-hadid-al-suri-who-was-assisting-yazid-sufaat-at-omar-hospital-in-may-2001-and-then-helped-set-up-the-anthrax-lab-in-kandahar-later-that-month-was-killed-in-2006-in-northwestern-pakistan-m/
DXer said
DXer said
Additional sources about the hijacker with the leg lesion who had just come from Kandahar, where Yazid Sufaat’s anthrax lab was located.
DXer … questions about 911 hijacker’s anthrax leg lesion
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 10, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/dxer-questions-about-hijackers-leg-lesion/
Is the Flight 93 Hijacker discussed in the NAS report the same fellow who had the leg lesion Homeland Security biosecurity head Tara O’Toole thought consistent with anthrax?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 18, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/is-the-flight-93-hijacker-discussed-in-the-nas-report-the-same-fellow-who-had-the-leg-lesion-homeland-security-biosecurity-head-tara-otoole-thought-consistent-with-anthrax/
NAS: FBI believes positive finding in hijacker remains from Flight 93 was due to laboratory contamination
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 15, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/nas-fbi-believes-positive-finding-in-hijacker-remains-from-flight-93-was-due-to-laboratory-contamination/
The Bioterrorist Attacks on America, by Yuril V. Ezepchuk (Director of Biological Sciences, University of Colorado) … hypothesis: the hijacker Ahmed Alhaznawi had been infected with the skin form of anthrax
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 4, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/the-bioterrorist-attacks-on-america-by-yuril-v-ezepchuk-director-of-biological-sciences-university-of-colorado/
DXer said
In a new article, Yazid Sufaat and his wife’s religious teacher, Halimah Hussein, are said to have also targeted female university and school students in their recruitment drive.
Zak Ephrahim, son of a terrorist (see his Ted Talk below) has a bright future shedding light on how to find happiness and meaning in a life where we come under such powerful influences at a young, impressionable age.
“In February last year, an Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee, Yazid Sufaat; a housewife, Halimah Hussein; and one Mohd Hilmi Hasim were detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
The suspects aged between 30 and 50s, were believed to have masterminded the recruitment of Malaysian individuals for terrorism-related activities.
Meanwhile, the group had also targeted female university and school students in their recruitment drive.”
– See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/cops-say-13-of-40-suspected-terrorists-have-been-prosecuted-bernama#sthash.Hty005Xn.dpuf
DXer said
DHS increases security at federal buildings over terror concerns
A law enforcement source familiar with the terror threat chatter told Fox News that Johnson’s latest decision was a “CYA move” since the threats from the Islamic State and other groups have been alarming for some time.
Published October 29, 2014FoxNews.com
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/10/29/dhs-increases-security-at-federal-building-over-terror-concerns/
CYA in the “being prepared” Boy Scout sense is good, not bad.
When Yazid Sufaat’s gracious and thoughtful daughter urged on October 27 that marriage must not wait when the right candidate is found, being prepared might involve writing love poetry by the right candidate.
Circumstances, of course, vary on the facts and the facts are hard to know.
https://twitter.com/sorayaanur
DXer said
Al Qaeda Yazid Sufaat, although a diligent student, in my opinion has misread and overlooked the hadiths that exalt the protection of innocents. He can reclaim the high road by being forthright about Dr. Ayman’s anthrax program.
When the former FBI WMD head Vahid Majidi suggests that in his opinion that Al Qaeda’s anthrax program was unproductive, he is basically saying that it is his interpretation of the evidence collected by the IC that Yazid Sufaat was a “no talent,” which has long been the DIA’s view of Rauf Ahmad.
(Vahid curiously assumes Al Qaeda would not lie and overlooks that evidence can be destroyed and decontaminated).
The FBI’s position is that even with preparations extending back to 1999 in parallel compartmentalized operations — and active lab work with virulent anthrax beginning at least in May 2001 — Yazid Sufaat didn’t have what it took to make the anthrax in the letters — and has nothing to put on his resume in that regard.
For his part, Yazid tells me only that he could work “magic” — invoking the Fifth Amendment as to particularized factual questions.
Sufaat will not be able to address the death of the elderly woman, Ottilie Lundgren — the ultimate innocent — unless and until there is square ownership of the issue. Absent ownership, his soul is lost forever. Absent ownership, there can be no forgiveness.
http://ask.fm/sorayaanur
Q What was the last movie that made you think?
A Thor: The Dark World. Thinking who actually died, must not be Loki right?
12 months ago
Q What would be the perfect gift for you?
A A book. Any kind! Novels or notebook or anything!
12 months ago
Q What will you never do?
A I never know
12 months ago
Q Soraya, I post under the screen name “DXer”. A couple years ago, he and your mom were very gracious in fielding substantive questions I had. It is a great testament to the character to forthrightly answer questions – declining to answer rather than speak an untruth.
A Who are you actually, DXer?
12 months ago
Q Open your heart too much, and you’ll leave it vulnerable. But if you dont open up at all, you’ll end up hurting those close to you. This is my dilemma. Out of fear of losing them, I prevent myself from showing the people i care about just how much i care about them. Am i doing the right thing?
A What makes you think that if you show your care to them, you will lose them?
My advice, don’t be too vulnerable or don’t be too closed up. Be in the middle.
12 months ago
Q What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
a a movie i guess
12 months ago
DXer said
M’sian woman trying to marry Islamic State member charged
TODAYonline – 7 hours ago
http://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/msian-woman-trying-marry-islamic-state-member-charged
KUALA LUMPUR — A Malaysian woman who tried to join the outlawed Islamic State movement by marrying one of its militants was charged in court yesterday with supporting terrorism.
Ummi Kalsom Bahak was charged before the Sepang Sessions Court for allegedly offering to support the Islamic State by attempting to board an Istanbul-bound AirAsia flight at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Oct 5 to marry one of its members, Aqif Huessin Rahaizat, and become part of the group.
The 25-year-old assistant credit controller also faces an alternative charge of attempting to enter Syria to support the Islamic State by marrying Mr Aqif. She was alleged to have committed the offence at the same place and time.
***
It is understood that Ummi is the first woman in Malaysia to be charged in connection with the Islamic State, but is not the first woman to be arrested under Sosma.
That dubious distinction goes to Halimah Hussein, 52, who, with former Internal Security Act detainee Yazid Sufaat and cafeteria worker Muhammad Hilmi …
Comment:
Personally, I don’t fully understand why it is a crime to go abroad to fight for your religion — given the right to travel, the right to marry etc. But I am very uninformed even about why people are fighting there in Syria. The Constitutional issues can be litigated in Court in connection with this arrest.
I was watching the Brad Pitt movie FURY last week and was near the end of the movie — which involved a dramatic fight at a crossroads. But I needed to leave to make a club meeting. I figured it didn’t really matter because I didn’t need to see how it turned out — no one wins in war.
I do understand the crime of providing material support to a designated terrorist organization. For that, it would seem that a person needs to simply leave their country and renounce their citizenship before providing any such support. Just because you were born a citizen of some particular country doesn’t mean that you cannot leave the country and turn in your membership card. In other words, if you don’t like the United States, by all means, you are free to leave. Just don’t expect to be able to come back.
I believe the Quran and hadiths contemplate similar rules. If you are allowed to live in a country, you are forbidden under the Quran and hadiths to attack it. It’s considered bad manners on the part of the guest. Those who follow the rules of some old book risk losing their soul if they violate the rules. It’s like touching a piece and taking your hand off in a chess tournament. You may very well lose your Queen.
DXer said
Sufaat’s co-defendant, Chomel’s religious teacher, long ago jumped bail and is in the wind.
Malaysian woman charged with supporting terrorism
OCTOBER 31, 2014UPDATED: OCTOBER 31, 2014 06:39 PM
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/malaysian-woman-charged-with-supporting-terrorism#sthash.6jfIqs25.dpuf
“Halimah, however, has since jumped bail and police have yet to locate her whereabouts.”
DXer said
Did Al-Hadrami provide Sharqawi the information about the anthrax attacks including the “individuals suspected of being responsible for the 2001 anthrax attacks?” (They reportedly were the two main facilitators in Pakistan). If Al-Hadrami (in charge of operations in Lahore) did tell Sharqawi the identity of the “individuals suspected of being responsible for the 2001 anthrax attacks” in the US, what did he say?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 8, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/did-al-hadrami-provide-sharqawi-the-information-about-the-anthrax-attacks-including-the-individuals-suspected-of-being-responsible-for-the-2001-anthrax-attacks-they-reportedly-were-the-two-main/
Mohammed Ahmad Rabbani was one of two who Khalid Mohammed (KSM) used to help Atef and Sufaat moving a roomful of crates purchased in Pakistan to Kandahar for the Al Qaeda anthrax program. KSM’s assistance had been sought by Abu Harith al-Masri.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 6, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/mohammed-ahmad-rabbani-was-one-of-two-who-khalid-mohammed-ksm-used-to-help-atef-and-sufaat-moving-a-roomful-of-crates-purchased-in-pakistan-to-kandahar-for-the-al-qaeda-anthrax-program-ksms-as/
Paracha Detainee Assessment: Al-Balucchi (PK-10018) consulted with Aafia Siddiqui “about Pakistan’s biological weapons lab in Karachi”
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 26, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/paracha-detainee-assessment-who-consulted-with-aafia-siddiqui-about-pakistans-biological-weapons-lab-in-karachi-who-is-pk-10018/
what BL-3 lab did Abdur Rauf visit?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 29, 2009
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/what-bl-3-lab-did-abdur-rauf-visit/
DXer said
GAO: What genetic strain was the anthrax reportedly sent to Prime Minister Gilani? Did guinea pigs die when exposed to it so as to rule out possibility of a false positive? Was there a Silicon Signature?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 2, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/gao-what-genetic-strain-was-the-anthrax-reportedly-sent-to-prime-minister-gilani-did-guinea-pigs-die-when-exposed-to-it-so-as-to-rule-out-possibility-of-a-false-positive-was-there-a-silicon-signa/
Al Qaeda anthrax lab technician tells DXer that he realizes that by addressing these issues he may “jack myself up” but says that the “plan is on the way” — what does he mean when he says the “plan is on the way”?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 1, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/al-qaeda-anthrax-lab-technician-tells-dxer-by-chat-that-he-realizes-that-by-addressing-these-issues-he-may-jack-myself-up-but-says-that-the-plan-is-on-the-way-what-does-he-mean-when-he-s/
Fox News adds to the growing snowball: Doubts Persist About FBI’s Anthrax Investigation 10 Years Later Amid New Bio-Terror Concerns … Senator Susan Collins: the new head of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has the right background to wage a biological attack in the coming years.
Posted on October 19, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/fox-news-doubts-persist-about-fbis-anthrax-investigation-10-years-later-amid-new-bio-terror-concerns-senator-susan-collins-the-new-head-of-al-qaeda-ayman-al-zawahiri-has-the-right-backgrou/
Tara O’Toole, the undersecretary for biosecurity at Homeland Security Department, says that the FBI did not establish that the anthrax came from USAMRIID but that it was merely the FBI’s “working hypothesis” and a “supposition”
Posted by Lew Weinstein on October 13, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/tara-o’toole-the-undersecretary-for-biosecurity-at-homeland-security-department-says-that-the-fbi-did-not-establish-that-the-anthrax-came-from-usamriid-but-that-it-was-merely-the-fbis/
DXer said
911 Imam Awlaki’s Call From Grave: Attack With Bioweapons ; Awlaki Was Coordinating With Ali Al-TImimi Who Shared A Suite With the Leading DARPA-funded Ames Researchers
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 4, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/911-imam-awlakis-call-from-grave-attack-with-bioweapons-awlaki-was-coordinating-with-ali-al-timimi-who-shared-a-suite-with-the-leading-darpa-funded-ames-researchers/
The head of the Amerithrax prosecution Daniel Seikaly pled the Fifth Amendment about leaking the hyped Hatfill stories that derailed the Amerithrax investigation for 7 years. His daughter later came to represent “anthrax weapons suspect” (to borrow defense counsel’s phrase) Ali Al-Timimi pro bono. GAO: Was an apparent conflict of interest avoided on the grounds that her representation began after her father left DOJ? Or was there a continuing appearance of a conflict of interest?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 3, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/the-head-of-the-amerithrax-prosecution-daniel-seikaly-pled-the-fifth-amendment-about-leaking-the-hyped-hatfill-stories-that-derailed-the-amerithrax-investigation-for-7-years-his-daughter-later-ca/
Catherine Herridge’s NEXT WAVE: Anwar Awlaki, Ali Al-Timimi and why FBI Agent Wade Ammerman wanted to allow Anwar Awlaki to meet with Ali Al-Timimi in October 2002
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 21, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/catherine-herridges-next-wave-anwar-awlaki-ali-al-timimi-and-why-fbi-agent-wade-ammerman-wanted-to-allow-anwar-awlaki-to-meet-with-ali-al-timimi-in-october-2002/
While US government focuses on Anwar Al-Aulaqi, the media continues to overlook Aulaqi’s connection to fellow Falls Church imam, “anthrax weapons suspect” Ali Al-Timimi
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 25, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/while-us-government-focuses-on-anwar-al-aulaqi-the-media-continues-to-overlook-aulaqis-connection-to-fellow-falls-church-imam-anthrax-weapons-suspect-ali-al-timimi/
DXer said
AQ/anthrax -misc.
an interview with David Relman, vice chair of the NAS review committee, reveals clearly that the science cannot prove that Dr. Bruce Ivins is the sole perpetrator or even involved … and, by the way, it seems Al Qaeda had Ames anthrax
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 25, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/an-interview-with-david-relman-vice-chair-of-the-nas-review-committee-reveals-clearly-how-that-the-fbi-botched-the-scientific-investigation-of-the-2001-anthrax-attacks-and-that-the-science-cannot/
TOP SECRET – 02/14/2001 – Bin Laden and his associates have experimented by crude means to make and deploy biological agents. Bin Laden has sought to acquire military-grade biological agents or weapons.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 27, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/top-secret-02142001-bin-laden-and-his-associates-have-experimented-by-crude-means-to-make-and-deploy-biological-agents-bin-laden-has-sought-to-acquire-military-grade-biological-agents-or-wea/
In a May 2003 brochure, the CIA explained that it believed that Al-Qaida has explored the possibility of using agricultural aircraft for large-area dissemination of biological warfare agents such as anthrax.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 23, 2012
Posted on May 29, 2009
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/in-a-may-2003-brochure-the-cia-explained-that-it-believed-that-al-qaida-has-explored-the-possibility-of-using-agricultural-aircraft-for-large-area-dissemination-of-biological-warfare-agents-such-as/
Bush admits torture to gain information regarding the anthrax attacks
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 29, 2009
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2009/05/29/bush-admits-torture-to-gain-information-regarding-the-anthrax-attacks-or-is-the-truth-really-torture-to-try-to-link-the-anthrax-attacks-to-saddam-hussein-to-try-to-justify-the-invasion-of-iraq/
DXer said
DUGWAY
from DXer … infiltration of U.S. Biodefense? … virulent Ames anthrax at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground in Utah?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 20, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/infiltration-of-u-s-biodefense-virulent-ames-anthrax-at-the-u-s-army-dugway-proving-ground-in-utah/
Dr. Bruce Ivins reported that in Fall 2001 that even USAMRIID Command had no idea that Dugway was working with powdered (virulent) spores
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 21, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/ivins-reported-that-in-fall-2001-that-even-usamriid-command-had-no-idea-that-dugway-was-working-with-powdered-virulent-spores/
Silicon Signature – what were samples 040030-2 and 040255-1 that showed Silicon Signature? If one was Flask 1030, what was the other? Dugway?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/silicon-signature-what-were-samples-040030-2-and-040255-1-that-showed-silicon-signature-if-one-was-flask-1030-what-was-the-other/
The only peer-reviewed article uploaded by the FBI under FOIA describes the DARPA research for which Dr. Ivins, Dr. Fellows and Dr. Linscott were among those who provided helpful suggestions in the performance of the initial anthrax studies
Posted by Lew Weinstein on November 14, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/the-only-peer-reviewed-article-uploaded-by-the-fbi-under-foia-describes-the-darpa-research-for-which-dr-ivins-dr-fellows-and-dr-linscott-were-among-those-who-provided-helpful-suggestions-in-the/
DXer said
AMES AT RIID
NPR’s John Dankowsky interviews Stephen Engleberg, Paul Keim and David Relman … RELMAN: the evidence linking the anthrax material in the letters to the material in the flask in Bruce Ivins’ lab was consistent with an association but was not conclusive or definitive … KEIM: there’s no scientific test that can prove that it came from Fort Detrick, Maryland.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on October 29, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/nprs-john-dankowsky-interviews-stephen-engleberg-paul-keim-and-david-relman-relman-the-evidence-linking-the-anthrax-material-in-the-letters-to-the-material-in-the-flask-in-bruce-ivins-lab/
The FBI’s review showed that 300 identifiable individuals entered rooms providing access to the Ames material used in the aerosol challenges. Another thirty (30) individuals utilized the access points but used non-identifiable badges or non-identifiable personal identification numbers; so that would make 330 individuals who needed to be eliminated in connection to that single building at USAMRIID — including 30 who were not identifiable.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on August 29, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/08/29/the-fbis-review-showed-that-300-identifiable-individuals-entered-rooms-providing-access-to-the-ames-material-used-in-the-aerosol-changes-another-thirty-30-individuals-utilized-the-access/
FBIR Sample 052-026 seized from Building 1425 was Dugway Ames (from Flask 1029) that had been given by Ivins to Susan Welkos, who reports that she didn’t typically share anthrax with other researchers.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 21, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/fbir-sample-052-026-seized-from-building-1425-was-dugway-ames-from-flask-1029-that-had-been-given-by-ivins-to-susan-welkos-who-reports-that-she-didnt-typically-share-anthrax-with-other-research/
2003 receipt for Ames received from USAMRIID from someone other than Bruce Ivins (from Building 1412, Room 210)
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 1, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/2003-receipt-for-ames-received-from-usamriid-from-someone-other-than-bruce-ivins-from-building-1412-room-210/
DXer said
AMES AT RIID: BUILDING 1412 VS. 1425
The Documentary Evidence Indicates That Flask 1029 Was Stored In Building 1412 In 1998-2000, Not In Building 1425 As The Prosecutors Claimed In Spinning The Theory That Bruce Ivins Was The Anthrax Processor And Mailer
Posted by Lew Weinstein on August 29, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/08/29/the-documentary-evidence-indicates-that-flask-1029-was-stored-in-building-1412-in-1998-2000-not-in-building-1425-as-the-prosecutors-claimed-in-spinning-the-theory-that-bruce-ivins-was-the-anthrax-p/
The genetically matching sample from CDC7738 was obtained from Building 1412, and not Building 1425 ; a key false premise of the FBI’s “Ivins Theory” Announced in early August 2008 was that only 100 at USAMRIID needed to be eliminated rather than up to 300 (and that was just considering those with access at USAMRIID)
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 19, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/the-genetically-matching-sample-from-cdc7738-was-obtained-from-building-1412-and-not-building-1425-a-key-false-premise-of-the-fbis-ivins-theory-announced-in-early-august-2008-was-that-only/
In the 5 February 2002 Response to subpoena produced today, USRMIID notes dry simulants of anthrax were produced and stored in room 212 of building 1412 (which was where FBI’s scientist was located and not building 1425 where Ivins was located)
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 22, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/in-the-5-february-2002-response-to-subpoena-produced-today-usrmiid-notes-dry-simulants-of-anthrax-were-produced-and-stored-in-room-212-of-building-1412-which-was-where-fbis-scientist-was-located/
Dr. Patricia Worsham in her civil deposition said that RMR 1029 had been stored previously in Bldg 1412 and that in Bldg 1425 foreign nationals would have been in the containment suite on an escorted basis
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 15, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/dr-patricia-worsham-in-her-civil-deposition-said-that-rmr-1029-had-been-stored-previously-in-bldg-1412-and-that-in-bldg-1425-foreign-nationals-would-have-been-in-the-containment-suite-on-an-escorte/
DXer said
AMES AT RIID: BUILDING 1412 VS. 1425 (cont).
How could US Attorney Taylor not have known that the matching anthrax was commonly in Building 1412?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 8, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/how-could-us-attorney-taylor-not-have-known-that-the-matching-anthrax-was-commonly-in-building-1412/
Was #7736 (from Building 1412) the source of the mailed anthrax?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 2, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/was-7736-from-building-1412-the-source-of-the-mailed-anthrax/
* RMR-1029 was registered as #7737 in Building 1412 ; what were particulars of #7736? Was it from same seed stock? Did it have a silicon signature?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 20, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/rmr-1029-was-registered-as-7737-in-building-1412-what-were-particulars-of-7736-was-it-from-same-seed-stock-did-it-have-a-silicon-signature/
Undiluted aliquots from RMR 1029 were transported from Building 1425 to Building 1412 on multiple occasions
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 17, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/undiluted-aliquots-from-rmr-1029-were-transported-from-building-1425-to-building-1412-on-multiple-occasions/
DXer said
LAX SECURITY
Jahrling deposition: Colonel Elliott from IG’s Office wrote scathing report that USAMRIID was not taking security seriously
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 9, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/ezzell-deposition-colonel-elliot-from-igs-office-wrote-scathing-report-that-usamriid-was-not-taking-security-seriously/
Records Were Not Kept Of Transfer Of Ames From RMR 1029 To Researchers At USAMRIID Prior To ’02 And It Is Mistaken Assumption That A Perpetrator (Or Innocent Accessory Before The Fact ) Would Keep A Sample To Submit To FBI ; They Would Be Highly Motivated To Throw Away Any Evidence That Would Trace Back
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 20, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/records-were-not-kept-of-transfer-of-ames-from-rmr-1029-to-researchers-at-usamriid-prior-to-02-and-it-is-mistaken-assumption-that-a-perpetrator-or-innocent-accessory-before-the-fact-would-keep/
USAMRIID (As Advised By JAG) Refuses To Identify Where It Shipped Virulent Ames Prior To 9/11
Posted by Lew Weinstein on August 24, 2014
AMES AT VA LAB USED BY FBIhttps://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/08/24/usamriid-as-advised-by-jag-refuses-to-identify-where-it-shipped-virulent-ames-prior-to-911/
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY: In November 2001, the IG inspected the three Army facilities that stored anthrax: USAMRIID, Dugway and Aberdeen
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 13, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/03/13/for-official-use-only-in-november-2001-the-ig-inspected-the-three-army-facilities-that-stored-anthrax-usamriid-dugway-and-aberdeen/
DXer said
BATTELLE
GAO: Why are the so-called “Iraq sample” and Battelle discussed under the heading about IVINS’ knowledge of reported proposals to start conducting animal challenges at USAMRIID with dried Ames anthrax powder? What consulting did the DARPA-funded researchers at GMU’s Center for Biodefense who came to share a suite with Ali Al-Timimi do for Battelle in 1999? What work with virulent Ames did SRI in Frederick, MD do for those researchers?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 14, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/gao-why-are-the-so-called-iraq-sample-and-battelle-discussed-under-the-heading-about-ivins-knowledge-of-reported-proposals-to-start-conducting-animal-challenges-at-usamriid-with-dried-ames-a/
September 2001 Battelle Arlington report by Dr. DeBell on “Particle Size and Organism Number: Impact on Bioaerosols”
Posted by Lew Weinstein on August 22, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/september-2001-battelle-arlington-report-by-dr-de-bell-on-particle-size-and-organism-number-impact-on-bioaerosols/
October 2001 BATTELLE REPORT TO DIA ON LETHAL INHALATION DOSE (provided to DXer today under FOIA)
Posted on August 19, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/october-2001-battelle-report-to-dia-on-lethal-inhalation-dose-provided-to-dxer-today-under-foia/
When Iyman Faris Visited With Majid Khan in mid-2001, Who Was He Driving For With Respect To Travelling To and Fro Maryland and Columbus, Ohio (down the street from Battelle Memorial Institute)? Dr. Ivins Shipped The Ames Spores From RMR 1029 To Battelle by Federal Express on or about June 18, 2001. What “U.S. Mail” Did Iyman Faris Deliver?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 16, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/when-iyman-faris-visited-with-majid-khan-in-mid-2001-who-was-he-driving-for-with-respect-to-travelling-to-and-fro-maryland-and-columbus-ohio-down-the-street-from-battelle-memorial-institute-dr/
DXer said
Were the Ames samples submitted by the DCLS/FBI to the Repository from Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services? What were the circumstances of the FBI having the Ames?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 7, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/were-the-ames-samples-submitted-by-the-dclsfbi-to-the-repository-from-virginia-division-of-consolidated-laboratory-services-what-were-the-circumstances-of-the-fbi-having-the-ames/
In 2001, FBI Kept Its Ames Anthrax In An Old Building In Virginia That Didn’t Have Secure Evidence Storage For Samples Before Or After Testing … Was it virulent?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 7, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/before-2001-fbi-kept-its-ames-anthrax-in-an-old-building-in-virginia-that-didnt-have-secure-evidence-storage-for-samples-before-or-after-testing/
In Trial Testimony, Dr. Basson of South Africa’s “Project Coast” Reports He Visited Both Porton Down and USAMRIID; GAO, Did The Project Coast Virulent Ames, Which Was Being Offered For Cash, Have 4 Morphs? Dr. Ivins Reports That The Former USAMRIID Scientist Who Went To Work For The CIA Had The Other Slant Of The Ames Strain Sent From Texas.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 26, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/in-trial-testimony-dr-basson-of-south-africas-project-coast-reports-he-visited-both-porton-down-and-usamriid-gao-did-the-project-coast-virulent-ames-reportedly-had-which-was-being-offer/
Where is the contemporaneous documentary evidence confirming that the seventh batch from Dugway in late 1997 not put into RMR 1029 was in fact autoclaved?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 6, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/where-is-the-contemporaneous-documentary-evidence-confirming-that-the-seventh-batch-from-dugway-in-late-1997-not-put-into-rmr-1029-was-in-fact-autoclaved/
DXer said
NANOBIO 1
The “visiting foreign scientist” from Egypt and Sudan was provided virulent Ames and Vollum 1B by Ivins in 1998
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 14, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/the-visiting-foreign-scientist-from-egypt-and-sudan-was-provided-virulent-ames-and-vollum-1b-by-ivins-in-1998/
Dr. Ivins in February 2005 told the FBI that Michigan researchers Hayes and Hamouda were “at each others throats”
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 14, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/dr-ivins-in-february-2005-told-the-fbi-that-michigan-researchers-hayes-and-hamouda-were-at-each-others-throats/
It Constitutes Investigative Incompetence For The FBI Not To Have Searched Keycard Access Records For the Zawahiri Associate Until February 2005 (Even Assuming University of Michigan and Ivins Withheld Subpoenaed Documents)
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/it-constitutes-investigative-incompetence-for-the-fbi-not-to-have-searched-keycard-access-records-for-the-zawahiri-associate-until-february-2005-even-assuming-university-of-michigan-and-ivins-withh/
Posted on January 11, 2012
Who gave the referenced tour to the University of Michigan researchers scheduled to be at USAMRIID from about April 27, 1998 – May 8, 1998?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 29, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/who-gave-the-referenced-tour-to-the-university-of-michigan-researchers-scheduled-to-be-at-usamriid-from-about-april-27-1998-may-8-1998/
DXer said
NANOBIO2
links? Dr. Bruce Ivins … University of Michigan researcher … Ayman Zawahiri
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 16, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/links-dr-bruce-ivins-university-of-michigan-researcher-ayman-zawahiri/
from DXer … documents related to interactions between Dr. Bruce Ivins and University of Michigan researchers
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 1, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/from-dxer-documents-related-to-university-of-michigan/
tracking Dr. Ivins’ RMR-1029 anthrax; more questions for UM and LSU researchers
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 28, 2009
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/tracking-dr-ivins’-rmr-1029-anthrax-more-questions-for-um-and-lsu-researchers/
Anthrax, Ayman Zawahiri and Al Qaeda: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
NANOBIO 3
The work with virulent Ames was done under Biolevel-3 and the University of Michigan researchers working with Dr. Ivins, Fellows and Linscott were required to receive anthrax and plague vaccinations in advance of the BL-3 work.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on November 14, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/the-work-with-virulent-ames-was-done-under-biolevel-3-and-the-university-of-michigan-researchers-working-with-dr-ivins-fellows-and-linscott-were-required-to-receive-anthrax-and-plague-vaccinations/
Were there ever future collaborative efforts between Dr. Ivins and the foreign scientist from Egypt who visited USAMRIID to work with Dr. Ivins? They “were able to block growth of both strains of B. anthracis (Vollum and Ames) with emulsion incorporated media.”
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/were-there-ever-future-collaborative-efforts-between-dr-ivins-and-the-foreign-scientist-from-egypt-who-visited-usamriid-to-work-with-dr-ivins-they-were-able-to-block-growth-of-both-strains-of-b/
December 23 USAMRIID FOIA Response: There was no key card access system in May 1998 that recorded access to the B3 with Ivins by the former Zawahiri associate supplied with Ames.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 23, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/december-23-usamriid-foia-response-there-was-no-key-card-access-system-in-may-1998-that-recorded-access-to-the-b3-with-ivins-by-the-former-zawahiri-associate-supplied-with-ames/
USAMRIID reports it cannot locate records relating to work by foreign Egyptian national with virulent Ames alongside Dr. Ivins in the BL-3 suite; friends of the scientist were recruited by Dr. ZAWAHIRI who planned to attack US with anthrax.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 29, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/usamriid-reports-it-cannot-locate-records-relating-to-work-by-foreign-egyptian-national-with-virulent-ames-alongside-dr-ivins-in-the-bl-3-suite-friends-of-the-scientist-were-recruited-by-dr-zawah/
DXer said
DRIED AEROSOL PROJECT
The person working with particle sizer in hot suite in 1412 in order to characterize particulates used Ames provided by Ivins but does not know whether sample provided pursuant to the 2002 subpoena; the notebook was transferred. This notebook should be obtained under FOIA.
Posted on January 1, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/the-person-working-with-particle-sizer-in-hot-suite-in-1412-in-order-to-characterize-particulates-used-ames-provided-by-ivins-but-does-not-know-whether-sample-provided-pursuant-to-the-2002-subpoena/
Who did this dried aerosol study at USAMRIID?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on November 27, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/who-did-this-dried-aerosol-study-at-usamriid/
Who worked alone on the dried aerosol project in Building 1412 and what does he or she say about the research? Was virulent Ames ever made into a dried powder in Maryland or Virginia?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 23, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/who-worked-alone-on-the-dried-aerosol-project-in-buildling-1412-and-what-does-he-or-she-say-about-the-research-was-virulent-ames-was-ever-made-into-a-dried-powder-in-maryland-or-virginia/
This is an interview of a scientist who had been working on the DARPA research while at USAMRIID; did Joany Jackman leave the remaining Ames from Flask 1029 with Terry Abshire or John Ezzell when she left?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/his-is-an-interview-of-a-scientist-who-had-been-working-on-the-darpa-research-while-at-usamriid-did-joany-jackman-leave-the-remaining-ames-from-flask-1029-with-terry-abshire-or-john-ezzell-when-she/
DXer said
DRIED AEROSOL PROJECT (cont).
USAMRIID today produced an “Information Paper” explaining production of gamma-irradiation sterilized dried Ames anthrax spores pre-9/11
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 26, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/07/26/usamriid-today-produced-an-information-paper-explaining-production-of-gamma-irradiation-sterilized-dried-ames-anthrax-spores-pre-911/
Who Was The Only Person In [Redacted] Spoke To About The Dried Aerosol Project? Was It Ivins Assistant, The Aerosol Expert Pat F.? It Was Not Ivins Because His Name Would Not Have Been Redacted.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 11, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/who-was-the-only-person-in-redacted-spoke-to-about-the-dried-aerosol-project-was-it-ivins-assistant-the-aerosol-expert-pat-f-it-was-not-ivins-because-his-name-would-not-have-been-redacted/
Details of researching in Building 1412 with particle sizer in order to characterize aerosolized particulate ; Ivins was not involved
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 19, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/details-of-researching-in-building-1412-with-particle-sizer-in-order-to-characterize-aerosolized-particulate-ivins-was-not-involved/
Dr. Ivins reports he had not known the FBI anthrax expert made a dried powder out of Ames from RMR 1029 for DARPA until after 9/11; did the FBI scientist and his assistants participate in the dried aerosol project at USAMRIID?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 13, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/dr-ivins-reports-he-had-not-known-the-fbi-anthrax-expert-made-a-dried-powder-out-of-ames-from-rmr-1029-for-darpa-until-after-911-did-the-fbi-scientist-and-his-assistants-participate-in-the-dried/
DXer said
MORE ON DRIED AEROSOL PROJECT
The dried aerosol work in Aerobiology did not continue because dried agents are difficult to contain and decontaminate and because dried agents have dual use implications
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 19, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/the-dried-aerosol-work-in-aerobiology-did-not-continue-becaused-dried-agents-are-difficult-to-contain-and-decontaminate-and-because-dried-agents-have-duel-use-implications/
More on dried aerosol project: Was it Southern Research Institute that was considered for the contract? Who thought he was above the investigation?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 19, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/more-on-dried-aerosol-project-was-it-southern-research-institute-that-was-considered-for-the-contract-who-thought-he-was-above-the-investigation/
The Dried Aerosol Project At USAMRIID Was to Determine The Breakthrough Point for the Recombinant Protective Antigen Vaccine; Equipment Was Purchased and Preliminary Experiments Were Performed : Dugway Was Considered As Supplier Of Dried Virulent Spores
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 1, 201
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/the-dried-aerosol-project-at-usamriid-was-to-determine-the-breakthrough-point-for-the-recombinant-protective-antigen-vaccine-equipment-was-purchased-and-preliminary-experiments-were-performed-dug/
The Ames that Dr. Ezzell’s lab used to make the dried powder was from Flask 1029. Was that the only time dried powder was made for the DARPA researchers out of Ames? [No]
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 10, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/the-ames-that-dr-ezzells-lab-used-to-make-the-dried-powder-was-from-flask-1029-was-that-the-only-time-dried-powder-was-made-for-the-darpa-researchers-out-of-ames/
DXer said
EZZELL
Terry Abshire in a document produced this week under FOIA explains that the genetically matching sample she had in her lab was not submitted in the initial set ; instead, wasn’t her lab provided genetically matching material in August 2000 for DARPA research in which Dr. Ezzell made a dried powder out of the Ames and gave it to the DARPA researchers?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on October 6, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/terry-abshire-in-a-document-produced-this-week-under-foia-explains-that-the-genetically-matching-sample-she-had-in-her-lab-was-not-submitted-in-the-initial-set-instead-wasnt-her-lab-provided-ge/
Who in Dr. Ezzell’s lab threw out Ivins’ February 2002 sample which contained the 4 morphs?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 22, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/who-in-dr-ezzells-lab-threw-out-ivins-february-2002-sample-which-contained-the-4-morphs/
DXer: John Ezzell forthrightly (to my way of thinking, heroically) answered all my questions relating to the DARPA research in which Flask 1029 (the “murder weapon” to borrow US Attorney Taylor’s term) was used to make a dried powder Ames aerosol.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 10, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/john-ezzell-forthrightly-to-my-way-of-thinking-heroically-answered-all-my-dxers-questions-relating-to-the-darpa-research-in-which-flask-1029-the-“murder-weapon”-to-borrow-us/
why did the FBI keep evidence of John Ezzell’s dried powder from the NAS?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 21, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/why-did-fbi-keep-evidence-of-john-ezzells-dried-powder-from-the-nas/
DXer said
NAS
In Have We “Met the Enemy”?, Science 3 February 2012: Vol. 335 no. 6068 pp. 540-541, Dr. David Relman, who had been vice-chairman of the NAS Committee, explains:
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 5, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/in-have-we-met-the-enemy-science-3-february-2012-vol-335-no-6068-pp-540-541-dr-david-relman-who-had-been-vice-chairman-of-the-nas-committee-explains/
NAS Panel Member Nancy D. Connell in new treatise: Amerithrax May Never Be Solved
Posted by Lew Weinstein on August 20, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/nas-panel-member-nancy-d-connell-in-new-treatise-amerithrax-may-never-be-solved/
NYT report … analysis by scientists Hugh-Jones, Rosenberg and Jacobsen disputes FBI closing of anthrax case … Dr. Alice Gast, the head of the NAS panel that reviewed the FBI’s scientific work in the anthrax investigation, says … the paper points out connections that deserve further consideration … the potential value of chemical signatures has not been fully explored … she urges a full review of classified government research on anthrax, which her panel never saw
Posted by Lew Weinstein on October 10, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/nyt-scientists’-analysis-disputes-f-b-i-closing-of-anthrax-case/
Dr. Patricia Worsham, a leading anthrax and genetics expert who testified before the NAS, was not persuaded by the FBI’s argument on the issue of “morphs” and sample submissions
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 14, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/dr-patricia-worsham-a-leading-anthrax-and-genetics-expert-who-testified-before-the-nas-was-not-persuaded-by-the-fbis-argument-on-the-issue-of-morphs-and-sample-submissions/
DXer said
IVINS THEORY
DXer summarizes the documentary evidence relating to Dr. Ivins work with rabbits (nowhere mentioned by the DOJ) which demolishes the FBI’s claim that Dr. Ivins had no reason to be in the lab
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 3, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/dxer-summarizes-the-documentary-evidence-which-demolishes-the-fbis-ivins-theory/
Former Amerithrax lead investigator Richard Lambert set to retire and become Senior Counterintelligence Officer at Oak Ridge National Lab; Agent Lambert advised FBI Director “compartmentalization within the Amerithrax task force would inhibit our ability to connect the dots … among the three squads investigating the case.”
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 22, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/former-amerithrax-lead-investigator-richard-lambert-set-to-retire-and-become-senior-counterintelligence-officer-at-oak-ridge-national-lab-agent-lambert-advised-fbi-director-compartmentaliz/
In 2004, USAMRIID Advised The FBI That It Could Not Locate The Documents, Laboratory Notes Or Other Papers Of A USAMRIID Laboratory Technician Who Participated In the “Biological Warfare Decontamination Efficacy Study”. Who Was The Laboratory Technician? What Research Involving The Efficacy Of A Decontamination Agent Was Done?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 5, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/in-2004-usamriid-advised-the-fbi-that-it-could-not-locate-the-documents-laboratory-notes-or-other-papers-of-a-usamriid-laboratory-technician-who-participated-in-the-biological-warfare-decontamin/
the material on the CASE CLOSED blog about Judith McLean (see prior posts linked below) is relevant to an evaluation of the validity of David Willman’s conclusions in his recently published “The Mirage Man” … because Willman himself, in his publicity blurb (see below), shows just how much he relied on the psychic who says … she was granted her abilities by an extraterrestrial being … got sick in 2001 from doing astral recovery work at Ground Zero and in Afghanistan after 9/11 … and was pursued by nasty Taliban entities
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/why-is-all-this-material-about-judith-mclean-relevant-to-an-evaluation-of-the-validity-of-david-willman’s-conclusions-in-his-recently-published-“the-mirage-man”-because/
DXer said
ALIBI
from DXer … Dr. Bruce Ivins had group therapy sessions scheduled on both September 17, 2001 and on October 8, 2001, the same dates the FBI says he was mailing the anthrax letters
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 9, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/09/from-dxer-dr-bruce-ivins-had-group-therapy-sessions-scheduled-on-both-september-17-2001-and-on-october-8-2001-the-same-dates-the-fbi-says-he-was-mailing-the-anthrax-letters/
It was only after Dr. Ivins’ death that the FBI acknowledged and confirmed he went to his group therapy session the evening of 9/17 on 10/8 — just as he had claimed. Why didn’t they corroroborate and acknowledge such a critical fact sooner?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 11, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/it-was-only-after-dr-ivins-death-that-the-fbi-acknowledged-and-confirmed-he-went-to-his-group-therapy-session-the-evening-of-917-on-108-just-as-he-had-claimed-why-didnt-they-corroroborate/
DXer: The big picture may seem complicated. But, most simply, Dr. Ivins in fact had an alibi on 9/17. That was when his group therapy met.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 22, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/dxer-the-big-picture-may-seem-complicated-but-most-simply-dr-ivins-in-fact-had-an-alibi-on-917-that-was-when-his-group-therapy-met/
Given the lyophilizer was B5 and not the B3 hot suite, all of the electronic records showing Dr. Ivins’ time in B3 working with the animals serves as an alibi rather than evidence of guilt
Posted on January 1, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/given-the-lyophilizer-was-b5-and-not-the-b3-hot-suite-all-of-the-electronic-records-showing-dr-ivins-time-in-b3-working-with-the-animals-serves-as-an-alibi-rather-than-evidence-of-guilt/
DXer said
FIRST COUNSELOR’S BREAK WITH REALITY
It was Dr. Ivins’ first counselor who says she was psychotic and experiencing a break from reality. Proponents of an Ivins Theory have not even read her book and yet continue to rely on her.
The Psychiatrists Are Selling A Report Relying On A Counselor Who Says She Was Granted Special Powers By An Alien Controlling Her By A Device Implanted In Her Butt, But The USG Has Taken Steps To Keep The DOJ’s Reliance On That Evidence Sealed For 5 Years
Posted by Lew Weinstein on November 15, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/the-psychiatrists-are-selling-a-report-relying-on-a-counselor-who-says-she-was-granted-special-powers-by-an-alien-controlling-her-by-a-device-implanted-in-her-butt-but-the-usg-has-taken-steps-to-ke/
DOJ has successfully avoided deposition of Amerithrax consultant Gregory Saathoff who extensively and uncritically relied on the Ivins’ accuser who claims she was granted her psychic abilities by an alien from another planet
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 13, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/doj-has-successfully-avoided-deposition-of-amerithrax-consultant-who-extensively-and-uncritically-relied-on-the-ivins-accuser-granted-her-psychic-abilities-by-an-alien-from-another-planet/
DXer’s email to Washington Post Ombudsman about its August 7, 2008 “Dark Side” poisoning story
Posted by Lew Weinstein on August 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/dxers-email-to-washington-post-ombudsman-about-its-august-7-2008-dark-side-poisoning-story/
Excerpts from David Willman’s key witness (from her book ASCENSION JOURNEY)
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 18, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/excerpts-from-david-willmans-key-witness-in-his-book-mirage-man/
DXer said
Federal Eagle Stamp
Records showed that the “Federal Eagle” envelope printed during the January 2001 to June 2002 run was sold by 45 offices in Virginia and Maryland — including Laurel, Maryland, where Atta and the hijackers had their need for postal supplies served by the Mail Boxes Etc. office in Laurel.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 25, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/records-showed-that-the-federal-eagle-envelope-printed-during-the-january-2001-to-june-2002-run-was-sold-by-45-offices-in-virginia-and-maryland-including-laurel-maryland-where-atta-and-the/
The United States Attorney Falsely Alleged That The Federal Eagle Stamp Was Uniquely Sold At Dr. Bruce Ivins’ Post Office And Then That Ran As An AP Headline. In fact, the envelopes with the printing defects are known to have been sold throughout Maryland and Virginia post offices (and that is where the hijackers were).
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 10, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/dxer-questions-about-the-federal-eagle-stamp-sold-at-the-post-office-used-by-dr-bruce-ivins/
Was the North Brunswick computer person Mazen Mokhtar who mirrored Al Qaeda’s website azzam.com (which explained the symbolism of the “green birds”) in contact with subtilis expert Walied Samarrai in 2001?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 8, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/was-the-north-brunswick-computer-person-mazen-mokhtar-who-mirrored-al-qaedas-website-azzam-com-which-explained-the-symbolism-of-the-green-birds-in-contact-with-subtilis-expert-walied-samarra/
Mailed anthrax letters used new ink and had transient printing defects
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 20, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/mailed-anthrax-letters-used-new-ink-and-had-transient-printing-defects/
DXer said
SOME OF THE MANY EDITORIALS
Frederick News Post: the FBI’s case against Dr. Bruce Ivins is in tatters … *LMW: we must support Congressman Holt’s call for a re-investigation … we must learn the truth
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 21, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/frederick-news-post-the-fbis-case-against-dr-bruce-ivins-is-in-tatters-lmw-we-must-support-congressman-holts-call-for-a-re-investigation-we-must-learn-the-truth/
Washington Post editorial calls for Congressional commission to probe all evidence in the anthrax case
Posted on February 18, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/washington-post-editorial-calls-for-congressional-commission-to-probe-all-evidence-in-the-anthrax-case/
Hartford Courant: Anthrax Attacks Still A Mystery After 10 Years … LMW: is it possible FBI Director Mueller, an intelligent man for sure, doesn’t know the FBI has failed to make a convincing evidence-based case against Dr. Ivins? … and what does it mean if he does know but won’t admit it?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on October 4, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/anthrax-attacks-still-a-mystery-after-10-years/
a NYT editorial, showing no confidence in the FBI’s unraveling case against Dr. Bruce Ivins, calls for an independent review of the FBI’s anthrax investigation to assure that the culprits are not still at large … LMW: it is long past time to hold Director Mueller accountable for the FBI’s investigative failures and for the FBI’s purposeful withholding of documents that are required to be released by FOIA
Posted on October 18, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/the-nyt-calls-for-an-independent-review-of-the-fbis-anthrax-investigation-lmw-it-is-long-past-time-to-hold-director-mueller-accountable-for-the-fbis-investigative-failures-and-for-the-fbi/
DXer said
MORE ON AL QAEDA ANTHRAX LABORATORY –
Abdul Rabbani Abu Rahman was the other fellow who KSM tasked to move the crates with biological equipment for Al Qaeda’s anthrax program
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 6, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/abdul-rabbani-abu-rahman-was-the-other-fellow-who-ksm-tasked-to-move-the-crates-with-biological-equipment-for-al-qaedas-anthrax-program/
What biological laboratory equipment did Atef ask KSM to move to the special laboratory near Tarnak Farm that KSM came to think was related to the anthrax development efforts?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 26, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/what-biological-laboratory-equipment-did-atef-ask-ksm-to-move-to-the-special-laboratory-near-tarnak-farm-that-ksm-came-to-think-was-related-to-the-anthrax-development-efforts/
Excerpt: FBI WFO [Washington Field Office] Report on Samples from an Overseas Site Identified by Intelligence: Were Zawahiri’s Plans To Decontaminate The Anthrax Lab Regularly With Insecticide Ineffective To Destroy Evidence of Ames?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on January 22, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/excerpt-fbi-wfo-washington-field-office-report-on-samples-from-an-overseas-site-identified-by-intelligence-were-zawahiris-plans-to-decontaminate-the-anthrax-lab-regularly-with-insecticide-in/
Technical requirements for liquid concentration and production of dry powder
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 20, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/technical-requirements-for-liquid-concentration-and-production-of-dry-powder/
DXer said
EQUIPMENT/ DRYING – IVINS
Susan Welkos testified at civil deposition that “We don’t have any way to produce the massive amount of material that would have been necessary to grow up and dry in a way that wouldn’t have killed everybody in the institute.”
Posted on December 15, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/susan-welkos-testified-at-civil-deposition-that-we-dont-have-any-way-to-produce-the-massive-amount-of-material-that-would-have-been-necessary-to-grow-up-and-dry-in-a-way-that-wouldnt-have-kill/
Deposition Excerpt of USAMRIID Scientist Stephen Little: Bruce Ivins would not have had skill, equipment, or ability to decontaminate equipment
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 16, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/deposition-excerpt-of-usamriid-scientist-stephen-little-bruce-ivins-would-not-have-had-skill-equipment-or-ability-to-decontaminate-equipment/
Deposition Excerpt of Patricia Worsham in Stevens v. United States: Product Could Not Have Been Made At USAMRIID With Equipment She Has Seen At USAMRIID
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 16, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/deposition-excerpt-of-patricia-worsham-in-stevens-v-united-states-product-could-not-have-been-made-at-usamriid-with-equipment-she-has-seen-at-usamriid/
International anthrax expert Dr. Hugh Martin-Jones challenges the government to test his team’s hypothesis in a lab instead of with “lawyer talk” … “I hope [the findings] will add to the pressure that the investigation be actively reopened.”
Posted on October 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/international-anthrax-expert-dr-hugh-martin-jones-challenges-the-government-to-test-his-teams-hypothesis-in-a-lab-instead-of-with-lawyer-talk/
DXer said
Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2014 Oct 9;7:177-87. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S56047. eCollection 2014.
The current state of bioterrorist attack surveillance and preparedness in the US.
Grundmann O.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25328421
NYT: Qaeda Trying to Harness Toxin for Bombs, U.S. Officials Fear
Posted by Lew Weinstein on August 13, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/08/13/nyt-qaeda-trying-to-harness-toxin-for-bombs-u-s-officials-fear/
U.S. Intel Officials Warn Wall Street Execs of Al Qaeda Plot … including potential anthrax attack
Posted by Lew Weinstein on February 1, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/u-s-intel-officials-warn-wall-street-execs-of-al-qaeda-plot/
911 Imam Awlaki’s Call From Grave: Attack With Bioweapons ; Awlaki Was Coordinating With Ali Al-TImimi Who Shared A Suite With the Leading DARPA-funded Ames Researchers
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 4, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/911-imam-awlakis-call-from-grave-attack-with-bioweapons-awlaki-was-coordinating-with-ali-al-timimi-who-shared-a-suite-with-the-leading-darpa-funded-ames-researchers/
DXer said
DXer said
Yazid Sufaat and his two assistants had sufficient time to grow the anthrax used beginning either in May 2001 when the lab was set up at Kandahar or beginning prior to that at Omar Hospital.
Liquid flask Ba spore production parameters discussed by this microbiologist
Click to access furmanski.pdf
Liquid Flask Ba spore Production Parameters:
At USAMRIID virulent Bacillus anthracis (Ba) spores were routinely produced by harvest from solid media or by liquid media in shaker flasks. For significant amounts, the shaker flask method was used because it produced a larger quantity of cleaner spores than solid medium.
The standard production run at USAMRIID was made with 2-liters of liquid Leighton and Doi medium, shaken in eight 250 ml aliquots in eight flasks. Good objective data on the yields of this method are available in documents recording the production of RMR1030, a batch of concentrated Ba spores used for aerosol challenge tests in the late 1990s, and produced by 2-liter liquid media batches at USAMRIID, in Ivins’ lab. Yields were variable and not predictable, with 10% to 20% unsatisfactory runs produced even by experienced technicians including Ivins himself18. Unsatisfactory runs were discarded. Some 2 liter flask runs yielded after gradient purification as much as ~ 3.5 to 4.0 (3.46,3.97) x 10^11 CFUs per 2 liter run, but based on a larger sample of ‘acceptable’ runs, (the yield of 13 individual runs that produced RMR1030), the average yield was 2.3 x 10^11 spores per 2 liter run.19
Based on these numbers, if the Senate letters originated from 2-liter liquid medium runs, it would take about 16 (sixteen) successful 2-liter runs. These runs would have required a total of 32 liters of starting medium, and would have taken 16 to 19 weeks at the usual rate of one run per week, depending on how many unsatisfactory runs occurred. After purification liquid flask produced spores could be concentrated to any desired volume, but they were typically stored in phenol in concentrations ~1.3 x 10^10 cfu/ml (ie RMR 1030)20. The Senate letters would have required 277 mls of purified, concentrated liquid flask produced spores, such as RMR 1030. RMR1030, the largest pool of liquid medium spores produced at USAMRIID, was originally only 250 ml in volume.
If the NYC/FL letters originated from 2-liter liquid medium runs, it would take one 2-liter run (~2.3 x 10^11 spores).
On several occasions Ivins addresses spore preparation and the requirements for the attack letters in interviews with the FBI. These are rough estimates, based on 2.0 to 2.5 grams per letter, and do not specifically address the 45-fold difference in concentration between the NYC/FL and the Senate letters. He concludes that it would take ~ 100 liters of liquid medium culture or ~ 300 ml of “Dugway material” (ie RMR1029) to fill the five letters21. These ‘ballpark’ estimates were echoed by another USAMRIID worker22.
DXer said
Alternatively, Yazid Sufaat and his two assistants could have used a fermenter.
The same microbiologist has this discussion of “Fermentor production of Ba spores.”
Click to access furmanski.pdf
Fermentor production of Ba spores:
Ba Spore production at Dugway Proving Grounds (DPG):
Dugway Proving Grounds (DPG) produces Ba spores by fermentor. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) sent to USAMRIID for RMR1029 indicated they were produced in a counter top fermentor 10 liters or less in capacity23. Ivins recalled that the DPG fermentors were 8-10 liter capacity24. The DOJ summary refers to “12 ten-liter fermentor grown lots.25” Ivins’ logs for the production of RMR 1029 are heavily redacted, but from the available data, each fermentor run at DPG could produce at least 3 x 10^12 total spores with some runs achieving 5 x 10^12 spores26 before processing at USAMRIID. Due to redactions, the yield after processing at USAMRIID is uncertain, but one 5 x 10 ^12 run apparently produced 3.8 x 10^12 cfu after processing (76% yield)27. The average yield per DPG run after processing cannot be determined because of the redactions.
Therefore enough Ba spores for the two Senate letters might have been produced by a single production run of a counter-top fermentor of the size used at Dugway.
Dugway spores were sent to USAMRIID to provide challenge material, beginning in 1997 for the creation of RMR 1029. Seven shipments transferring a total of 13 production runs were sent to USAMRIID. The final (7th) Dugway shipment, containing the single 13th production run was received at USAMRIID in 1997 but was not included in the final RMR1029 product because Ivins reported it could not be purified to an acceptable degree. Ivins reported he had ‘set it aside’ for destruction by autoclaving, but could not recall actually doing so, nor were records kept of such destruction28. It was apparently common practice to retain samples of spores indefinitely at USAMRIID, so is possible that this material might have been retained and been available in 2001.
It is doubtful that this final production run of spores from DPG could have been processed into the Senate letter attack material, even if, after having been found unsatisfactory for incorporation into RMR 1029, it could have been processed to the high concentration and purity of the Senate attack material. It is uncertain if would have had the polymorphic genetic signature of RMR1029, because it is not clear if this polymorphism was due to polymorphism in the seed culture used in the fermentors at DPG, or if (as seems more likely) it was the result of the admixing of multiple runs of DPG material with multiple single-colony origin 2-liter batches of Ba Ames grown at USAMRIID. It would have a Carbon-14 (C-14) profile older than that reported for the attack material, which was officially reported as placing the age of the attack material as within 2 years of late 200129 (ie it would have had to have been grown after late 1999). However, the ability of the C-14 data to exclude dates of production in the 1997-1999 range may not have been robust, because the C-14 data, known in late 2001, did not prevent the FBI investigation from pursuing the possibility that RMR1029 itself may have been directly diverted to constitute the attack material as late as mid 2004 , during a period when Steven Hatfill was suspected of diverting RMR1029 from the aerobiology building waste. It may also be significant that the 2010 DOJ Summary does not include the C-14 data in its scientific characterization of the attack materials. A clarification of the significance of the reported C-14 data should be undertaken. Although no sample of Ba spores yet reported had a silicon content as high as the attack material, the highest value reported was from a Dugway fermentation Ba product, so the 13th batch may have had a high silicon content.
Fermentor production of Ba at USAMRIID
USAMRIID had several fermentors in the Bacteriology Division labs in Building 1425, though the exact location is unclear because of redactions in the FBI documents and the lack of a floorplan for reference. It appears that they were located in or adjacent to the B3 suite BSL-3 containment facility31.
USAMRIID workers did not produce virulent Ba spores in these fermentors, because it was considered too dangerous in a metropolitan area32. These fermentors were used for producing attenuated strains of Ba and nonpathogenic organisms.
Although equipment records are apparently incomplete, there were several fermentors of varying sizes at USAMRIID in 2001, including 150-liter, 20-liter and 5-liter New Brunswick models. The 150-liter model occupied a dedicated room and was large, noisy, and could not have been operated in an unobtrusive fashion33. The 20-liter New Brunswick fermentor had been in use in 2000 in a vaccine project, which apparently did not involve Ivins34. Little other information on this 20-liter fermentor appears in the documents.
Considerable information is available regarding the 5-liter New Brunswick Bio-Flo 3000 fermentor. This Brunswick Bio-Flo 3000 was a unit that had been acquired by USAMRIID in Jan 1990 and was on Bruce Ivins’ personal ‘hand receipt’ indicating it was purchased for use by his laboratory team and was under his direct control35. This fermentor was used by Ivins in the 1990s to grow genetically modified organisms for the production of the Recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA) anthrax vaccine that was his major professional endeavor at USAMRIID. This fermentor is mentioned specifically in his patent for the
36 37 rPA vaccine . The patent specifies that antifoam C was added to the culture medium Antifoam C is a commercial antifoam agent manufactured by Dow Corning and contains silicone38. In the rPA vaccine work, Ivins did not use this fermentor to produce spores, since the genetically modified Sterne strain used to produce Protective Antigen (PA) for the rPA vaccine was non-sporogenic39.
However, an entry in one of Ivins’ laboratory notebooks seems to indicate he did use this fermentor to attempt to produce virulent Ba spores on at least one occasion 40. Prior to the 2001 anthrax attacks, Ivins was the technical representative to DPG for the project where DPG produced virulent Ba Ames spores for RMR102941, and Ivins received the protocols for production of virulent Ba Ames in small fermentors42.
The 5-liter Brunswick fermentor produced little noise when running, and standard operating procedures for fermentors at USAMRIID included the automatic addition of Mazu, an anti-foam agent into the fermentors43. Mazu is a silicon-containing anti-foam agent44.
The physical location of this 5-liter fermentor just prior to the 2001 letter attacks was investigated but due to extensive redactions in the available record, it is unclear what the FBI determined. It appears that Ivins reported he had lent the instrument to an entity whose identity is redacted (presumably another investigator at USAMRIID) on an undisclosed date45. It appears that the reported recipient of the instrument may have denied ever having possession of it46. The location of this fermentor, its condition, and its capability of producing the attack material in late 2001 should be clarified by a suitable examination of the unredacted FBI record.
Assuming that the final concentration that the 5-liter fermentor at USAMRIID could achieve was proportional to that of the 10 liter fermentors at DPG, it might produce ~ 1.9 x 10^12 spores per 5-liter run.
Therefore enough material for the Senate letters might have been produced in two runs of the 5.0 liter fermentor at USAMRIID.
DXer said
FERMENTER
In a 2007 interview, IVINS explained to the FBI that he had suggested the idea of setting up a trailer off-post [at a place not close to a metropolitan area] and utilizing a fermenter to grow Ames spores. Did DARPA accept his idea?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 17, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/in-a-2007-interview-ivins-explained-to-the-fbi-that-he-had-suggested-the-idea-of-setting-up-a-trailer-off-post-and-utilizing-a-fermenter-to-grow-ames-spores-did-darpa-accept-his-idea/
In Bruce Ivins’ opinion, the mailed anthrax spores looked fermenter-grown. In 2005, prior to later being told by the FBI that they had detected spores in one of the fermenters, Dr. Ivins had reported that to the best of his knowledge fermenters were never used to grow any select agents [because it would have been out of the question due to the potentallly catastrophic results of an an accidental spill of such a large quantity of anthrax]
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 17, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/in-bruce-ivins-opinion-the-mailed-anthrax-spores-looked-fermenter-grown-in-2005-prior-to-later-being-told-by-the-fbi-that-they-had-detected-spores-in-one-of-the-fermenters-dr-ivins-had-report/
* Dr. Henry Heine, former colleague of Dr. Bruce Ivins, freed of the gag order, interviewed on his last day at USAMRIID
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 7, 2010
– He says the mailed anthrax was 1, 000, 000, 000, 000 per gram. (He posits an 8 rather than 7 letters; suggests the possibility of one shredded in the machinery at Brentwood explaining the contamination). He says “We still need to get 4 more powers of ten beyond what Dr. Ivins could do.” It would take a fermenter run. Problem with a fermenter run you still need to get rid of the liquid. None of these things were available at USAMRIID, he says.
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/dr-henry-heine-former-colleague-of-dr-bruce-ivins-freed-of-the-gag-order-interviewed-on-his-last-day-at-usamriid/
Jim White … the silicon evidence raises serious doubts that Dr. Bruce Ivins could have worked alone as the FBI continues to assert
Posted by Lew Weinstein on March 21, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/jim-white-the-silicon-evidence-raises-serious-doubts-that-dr-bruce-ivins-could-have-worked-alone-as-the-fbi-continues-to-assert/
DXer said
Bruce Ivins did not have a fermenter available to use and thus was very seriously constrained as to volume.FN
My one-time Facebook Friend Yazid Sufaat, however, DID have a fermenter in his lab.
See ABC News, “Evidence of Anthrax Labs Near Kandahar, March 25, 2002 (“Among the iterms found [was] ” a fermenter, where cultured organisms multiply; and a dryer, used to get the substance ready for packaging”)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=80052
Yazid Sufaat pled the Fifth to me as to all questions relating to the Fall 2001 anthrax.
A stubborn but affable and gracious fellow, in a filmed interview, Yazid said that the CIA was not going to hear it from his mouth.
The FBI did not submit the testing of the samples from 2002 or 2003 to the NAS. The FBI instead submitted testing of samples from 2004 and 2005. They refused to provide the NAS with any information that was classified.
On whose fermentor at USAMRIID did the FBI find spores?
FN
• Dr. Gerard Andrews, Chief of Bacteriology, testified at deposition that …
caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/…/dr-gerard-andrews-chief-of- bacteriology-testified-at-deposition-that-lots-of-scientists-worked-aft…
Dec 15, 2013 … 6 Responses to “* Dr. Gerard Andrews, Chief of Bacteriology, testified … Bruce Ivins did not have a fermenter available to use and thus was very …
• http://www.fredericknewspost.com/…/article_f791e81b-1735-54a7-9258- 922edc1dcbdc.html?…
Jul 29, 2013 … At USAMRIID, Gerard Andrews, Jeffrey Adamovicz and Henry Heine all worked with Ivins. … USAMRIID didn’t have a fermenter that could have handled that amount, and the one the lab did have was broken, he said.
DXer said
FERMENTER
Blogger Old Atlantic has a thorough treatment of these issues. He discusses Bruce Ivins’ earlier use of the fermenter using delta Sterne (a non-pathogenic veterinary strain used in vaccine research).
Old Atlantic Lighthouse, “Bruce Ivins Anthrax Vaccine Patent 6387665 shows couldn’t do it as FBI says,” March 7, 2010
http://oldatlanticlighthouse.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/bruce-ivins-anthrax-vaccine-patent-6387665-shows-couldnt-do-it-as-fbi-says/
“[Book author] Eric Nadler Says of Old Blogger’s analysis:
March 8, 2010 at 9:12 am
Wow! Nicely done. The truth is out there. And this helps. Make sure you let us know if serious people question your argument.”
Eric Nadler has travelled the world on these issues, interviewing the likes of the experts at Dugway in Utah and Ken Alibek abroad.
Dr. Welkos, Dr. Friedlander and Dr. Worsham — co-authors on the patent — all were deposed on these issues. Dr. Farchaus was interviewed by the FBI on these issues but was not a deponent in the litigation brought by Maureen Stevens.
DXer said
DR. MAJIDI at the August 18, 2008 press conference on the science summarized:
“You know we really — we really don’t have the — we don’t really have any answers for what process was used to grow additional spores or what methodology was used to dry them.”
AUSA Lieber apparently did not realize or disagrees with the Dr. Andrews report that the only fermenter available to Ivins was disabled with its motor removed.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/anthrax-files/transcript-10/
AUSA Lieber in a filmed interview:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/anthrax-files/rachel-lieber-the-case-against-dr-bruce-ivins/
“There were fermenters in there. … A fermenter is a way to grow a large quantity of spores in a very short period of time. We have e-mails from Dr. Ivins that show that he wanted to use fermenters to grow spores when he was actually creating 1029 back in 1997. There are shake flasks, another way to grow a large quantity of spores in a shorter period of time.
So these are all different ways within B-3, within the suite that was where Dr. Ivins worked, where 1029 was housed, where he was capable of growing a large quantity of spores.
In addition, there were just vial after vial after vial of Ames strain anthrax that the FBI discovered in Dr. Ivins’ walk-in refrigerator that were unaccounted for. So his ability to grow and house spores unbeknownst to other people clearly was there. …”
(Note that key vials came from Building 1412 rather than Building 1425).
AUSA Lieber presumes to be more familiar with the suite than Patricia Worsham who worked in the suite regularly and had an office there.
Dr. Worsham was both expert, and working for the FBI and actually working regularly in that very suite.
There were as many as a half dozen or so fermenters of varying sizes at USAMRIID including “Big Bertha.” But according to the uncontradicted sworn testimony by Dr. Andrews, there was only the one inoperable fermenter in Ivins hot suite and AUSA Lieber and Dr. Majidi have never shown otherwise.
New Evidence Adds Doubt to FBI’s Case Against Anthrax Suspect
… the fermenter, which Andrews described as “indefinitely disabled,” with its motor removed.
http://www.propublica.org/article/new-evidence-disputes-case-against-bruce-e-ivins
AUSA Lieber continued:
“So the folks who have never tried, folks who don’t work with dried Bacillus, they can have their opinions. But in fact, our scientists did it. …”
Umm… yes, indeed… it was a scientist working for the FBI who was working with the anthrax from Flask 1029 to make a dried powder. And the FBI hid that fact from the NAS and that FBI consulting scientist and his lab failed to submit a sample to the repository in 2002. It was that scientist or his assistant who threw out Ivins February 2002 sample.
It was just about the most acute conflict of interest one can imagine.
For the actual hand receipt involving the 5 ML fermenter, see
Click to access 847545.PDF
“08 APR 92.”
” as of 92099″
It seems that the GAO might fruitfully confirm the details of the 5 ML fermenter — the only one in the suite — to include when it was transferred to SBI, whether it was operable in September/October 2001 — or even still on his hand receipt in September/October 2001 timeframe — and the basis for Andrews, Ivins’ boss, for saying it was missing its motor in Fall 2001.
(I believe Dr. Andrews told me its motor had seized). But perhaps there are work orders. Judging from the hand receipt, I believe cost $27,000 when purchased years earlier. A chief of bacteriology has reason to know when expensive pieces of equipment are inoperable.
On the other hand, there is no indication, that Yazid Sufaat’s newly installed fermenter was inoperable. It had just been installed at the lab in Kandahar and was for the purpose of making anthrax to use as a weapon against US targets.
Indeed, a hijacker coming from Kandahar, where the lab was, developed a blackened lesion associated with exposure to anthrax.
DXer said
DXer said
Dr. Ayman Zawahiri’s infiltrating scientist Rauf Ahmad, who was attending the Porton Down-sponsored conferences on anthrax, had acquired or arranged to purchase a fermenter by September 1999.
Wash Po –
Suspect and A Setback In Al-Qaeda Anthrax Case
• Posted on October 31, 2006
https://hydrablog.csusm.edu/2006/10/suspect-and-a-setback-in-alqae.html
He ticked off a list of items he had acquired or arranged to purchase, including respirators, a fermenter used for growing bacteria and vaccines to protect lab workers against accidental exposure.
DXer said
Similarly, Yazid Sufaat had a dryer available to him to use. It had been purchased to aid in his mission of developing anthrax for use against US targets.
See ABC News, “Evidence of Anthrax Labs Near Kandahar, March 25, 2002 (“Among the iterms found [was] ” a fermenter, where cultured organisms multiply; and a dryer, used to get the substance ready for packaging”)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=80052
But Bruce Ivins did not. In his August 8, 2008 press conference, US Attorney Taylor misakenly thought — and expressly premised his Ivins Theory on — the claim that the lyhophilizer was in Ivins hot suite but was in an uncontained area, only ever used for nonpathogenic material.
Taylor said:
“The affidavits allege that, not only did Dr. Ivins create and maintain the spore batch used in the mailings, but he also had access to and experience using a lyophilizer. A lyophilizer is a sophisticated machine that is used to dry pathogens, and can be used to dry anthrax. We know others in Dr. Ivins’ lab consulted him when they needed to use this machine.”
Given the lyophilizer was B5 and not the B3 hot suite, all of the electronic records showing Dr. Ivins’ time in B3 working with the animals serves as an alibi rather than evidence of guilt
Posted on January 1, 2012
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/given-the-lyophilizer-was-b5-and-not-the-b3-hot-suite-all-of-the-electronic-records-showing-dr-ivins-time-in-b3-working-with-the-animals-serves-as-an-alibi-rather-than-evidence-of-guilt/
Deposition Excerpt of USAMRIID Scientist Stephen Little: Bruce Ivins would not have had skill, equipment, or ability to decontaminate equipment
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 16, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/deposition-excerpt-of-usamriid-scientist-stephen-little-bruce-ivins-would-not-have-had-skill-equipment-or-ability-to-decontaminate-equipment/
Deposition Excerpt of Patricia Worsham in Stevens v. United States: Product Could Not Have Been Made At USAMRIID With Equipment She Has Seen At USAMRIID
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 16, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/deposition-excerpt-of-patricia-worsham-in-stevens-v-united-states-product-could-not-have-been-made-at-usamriid-with-equipment-she-has-seen-at-usamriid/
DXer said
LYOPHILIZER – additional sources
In early 2003, Dr. Ivins explained that the lyophilizer was NEVER out of B5; he explained that he used to make MPL PA vaccine; how could the FBI and US Attorney Taylor have been so confused to suggest that the lyophilizer was in B3 given its large size?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 13, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/in-early-2003-dr-ivins-explained-that-the-lyophilizer-was-never-out-of-b5-he-explained-that-he-used-to-make-mpl-pa-vaccine-how-could-the-fbi-and-us-attorney-taylor-have-been-so-confused-to-sugge/
Before Bruce Ivins’ suicide in July 2008, the US Army was preventing Dr. Ivins’ co-workers from communicating with his attorney; key DOJ misapprehensions of the facts (e.g., lyophilizer) could have been avoided had communication been allowed
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 7, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/before-bruce-ivins-suicide-in-july-2008-the-us-army-was-preventing-dr-ivins-co-workers-from-communicating-with-his-attorney-key-doj-misapprehensions-of-the-facts-e-g-lyophilizer-could-ha/
In a Sept 23, 2011 letter to Senator Grassley, the DOJ says that Dr. Ivins made the dried powder in B5 using the lyophilizer even though the DOJ has proved he was in B3 tending to the rabbits, not B5 (the BL-2 lab), at the time the DOJ alleges he made the dried powder. THAT is the contradiction.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on December 16, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/in-a-sept-23-2011-letter-to-senator-grassley-the-doj-says-that-dr-ivins-made-the-dried-powder-in-b5-using-the-lyophilizer-even-though-the-doj-has-proved-he-was-in-b3-tending-to-the-rabbits-not-b/
DXer said
Dr. Majidi in his e-book writes:
“The FBI did investigate and interviewed everyone that had come into contact with the hijackers and this inquiry did not result in identification of an accomplice mailer.”
Dr. Majidi’s claim that the FBI interviewed everyone who had come into contact with the hijackers is flat out untrue. When the FBI went looking for Adnan Shukrijumah, he had already left the country. Same with Jdey.
I suspect Dr. Majidi knows that the FBI did not interview El-Shukrijumah. But someone should ask him and get him on record.
And if he didn’t know that his statement above was grossly untrue when he wrote it, wow.
That would illustrate the dangers of compartmentalization of information.
Alternatively, it might mean he was very unsuited for a job involving intelligence analysis rather than chemistry — because Adnan El-Shukrijumah was the WMD guy on the other side.
I was so bowled over when I read Vahid’s incredibly false claim above, that I must have made 15 typos in first posting this message a few minutes ago. I set a new personal record.
Game on.
DXer said
DISTRIBUTION OF AMES – JHU/and testing of Dr. Hamouda’s DARPA-funded decontamination agent at JHU
USAMRIID provided Johns Hopkins Ames. The people helping JHU with the Ames from Flask 1029 — the scientists working for the FBI — were the same ones who threw out Ivins sample. That’s not right to then blame the destruction of the sample on Ivins.
I obtained under FOIA a copy of a “A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY AND THE DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEMS DIVISION OF THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES:
SUBJECT: USAMRIID Interaction with DARPA Funded Projects at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.”
A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY AND THE DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEMS DIVISION OF THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES:
SUBJECT: USAMRIID Interaction with DARPA Funded Projects at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.”
The first document dated January 22, 2002 is titled “Inactivated Dried Biological Threat Agents.” That refers to irradiated Ames.
“As per request, the following information is supplied concerning lyophilized materials that were produced in accordance wiht a Memorandum of Agreement with DARPA established in FY 97.”
“Two vials of gamma-irradiated killed Bacillus anthracis strain spores was remaining from less than 100 vials produced in 1997 by [redacted] for use in meeting DARPA requirements. (See included MOA). One of the two remaining vials was provided by the understigned to _______ for comparison with other spore materials using electron microscopy.
Other inactivated dried materials include
Bacillus anthracis (Ames) spores 30 Jul 97
3.26 x 10 (8)/ vial QTY – 1 vial
Bacillus anthracis (Ames) vegetative cells
1.8 x 10 (7) vial QTY – 98 vials
But then the accompanying MOA gets into the supply of virulent anthrax.
A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY AND THE DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEMS DIVISION OF THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES:
SUBJECT: USAMRIID Interaction with DARPA Funded Projects at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.”
V. DSD-USAMRIID will as its DOD mission obligation permits:
“b… Active biological materials that can be safely handled at the BL-1 and BL-2 biosafety levels will be supplied to JHU/APL and its subcontractors as required.” [anthrax pre-911 was a BL-2 pathogen in its liquid form]
***
c. “Based on the investigational work
plan initiated by JHU/APL and approved by USAMRIID, provided facilities to accommodate a bench top mass spectrometer within a Biosafety Level-3 (BL-3 containment lab to allow work with active biological threat agents and provide a mechanism for transfer of spectral data to JHU/APL.”
d. When required and in accordance with all applicable regulations, will vaccinate, provide apparel and respiratory protection as needed, guide and train APL investigators and staff on the nadling of biological agents that require high levels of containment.”
It was signed by someone who was a Colonel ,Veterinary Corps Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease.
Is Southern Research Institute the phrase that fits in front of laboratory in regard to the location that aerosol work for DARPA was done? Was it Johns-Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory? Or instead were the special facilities built at USAMRIID. The research involved the FBI’s anthrax expert John Ezzell and his assistant Joany Jackman.
Posted by Lew Weinstein on July 21, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/is-southern-research-institute-the-phrase-that-fits-in-front-of-laboratory-in-regard-to-the-location-that-aerosol-work-for-darpa-was-done-or-was-it-johns-hopkins-university-applied-physics-labora/
When (prior to 9/11) did USAMRIID’s John Ezzell, the FBI’s anthrax expert, send the dried spores to Johns-Hopkins Applied Physics he had made at the request of DARPA? Did those spores show a silicon signature?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 14, 2010
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/when-prior-to-911-did-usamriids-john-ezzell-the-fbis-anthrax-expert-send-the-dried-spores-to-johns-hopkins-applied-physics-he-had-made-at-the-request-of-darpa-did-those-spores-show-a-sili/
This is an interview of a scientist who had been working on the DARPA research while at USAMRIID; did Joany Jackman leave the remaining Ames from Flask 1029 with Terry Abshire or John Ezzell when she left?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/his-is-an-interview-of-a-scientist-who-had-been-working-on-the-darpa-research-while-at-usamriid-did-joany-jackman-leave-the-remaining-ames-from-flask-1029-with-terry-abshire-or-john-ezzell-when-she/
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration OF US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
DXer said
Hypothesis 2: Adnan El-Shukrijumah, the current head of Al Qaeda operations against targets North America, was the anthrax mailer.
Links:
DXer says: Adnan El-Shukrijumah is the anthrax mailer … on or about 9/13/2001, he phoned from KSM’s house [ or en route ] to tell his mom he was coming to the US
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 6, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/dxer-adnan-el-shukrijumah-is-the-anthrax-mailer-on-9132001-he-phoned-from-ksms-house-to-tell-his-mom-he-was-coming-to-the-us/
In February 2003, the FBI announced that “Jafar the Pilot” (aka Adnan El-Shukrijumah) had entered the country sometime after September 1, 2001
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 26, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/in-february-2003-the-fbi-announced-that-jafar-the-pilot-aka-adnan-el-shukrijumah-had-entered-the-country-sometime-after-september-1-2001/
In terms of undercovers, I would send an undercover as part of a “red cell” (See Tenet’s book about red cells operating from an entirely different zipcode) to assist in the dissemination of components of the intelligence analysis countering the FBI’s conclusion.
Then I would distribute the information to professionals, including even former FBI scientists writing on the subject, so that they could see the alternative hypothesis developed. This might break down the compartmentalization that led to 911. It might help people get “on the same page” and overcome the bureaucratic inertia associated with inside-the-beltway CYA instincts. FOIA might be a useful tool in developing material that can be openly sourced.
To the extent of USG resources are involved, it can be done on a quasi transparent but deniable basis only after the official closing of the Amerithrax investigation beginning in February 2010. See legal memo on subject.
Authority for wiretapping can be done under the authority of the $5 million BOLO for Shukrijumah and the existing Shukrijumah Task Force rather than the disbanded Amerithrax Task Force.
Ayman Zawahiri, Anwar Awlaki, Anthrax, and Amerithrax: The Infiltration Of US Biodefense
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 12, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/ayman-zawahiri-anwar-awlaki-anthrax-and-amerithrax-the-infiltration-of-us-biodefense/
Anthrax, Al Qaeda and Ayman Zawahiri: The Infiltration of US Biodefense
http://www.amerithrax.wordpress.com
As for documentary analysis that might be helpful in resolving the hypothesis, the following should be obtained:
All documents from any US agency or cooperating non-US agency relating to Adnan El-Shukrijumah, including but not limited to:
1 statements taken from Yazid Sufaat (to include but not limited to from Malaysia), Sufaat’s lab assistant Samer Al-Barq (to include but not limited to from Jordan and Israel), KSM, Hambali, Hawsawi, Abu Zubaydah, Aafia Siddiqui, Abu Ghaith, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Al-Timimi, Muklis Yunos, Saaed Mohammed, Batarfi, and the fellow who set up the anthrax lab who was closely associated with Shukrijumah.
2 relating to Al Qaeda’s anthrax program, to include all documents taken from Ayman Zawahiri’s possessions, including those still classified.
3 the documents seized from Atef’s laptop which the CIA claimed to WSJ’s Cullison had been successfully wiped clean but actually were recoverable.
4 the documents relating to the FBI’s claim that Jafar the Pilot travelled to the US after September 1, 2001.
5 the hard drive of any computer seized of the search of his home.
6 all available samples of Adnan El-Shukrijumah’s handwriting.
7 all available samples of Mohammed Atta’s handwriting, including last page of his will that had the word “R O O M’ doodled in association with the caduceus, a symbol for medicine.
8 all available samples of anything written by El-Shukrijumah, including typed form and emails.
9 All original samples of documents written in ink and paper and photocopies for the purpose of forensic testing.
10 all documents relating to the location of Shukrijumah’s fingerprints in Kandahar, Afghanistan to include the fingerprints on the whiteboard at the anthrax training seminar and on the documents found there.
11 all documents relating to Shukrijumah’s casing of targets in NYC and DC in 2000 and 2001, including where he and Al-Hindi stayed in New Jersey and Virginia and the documents relating to his Amtrak travel, and the 302s from Al-Hindi’s aunt, cousin and cousin’s husband in New Jersey.
12 all documents from any agency related to Shukrijumah’s time in Kandahar, Afghanistan in the summer of 2001 and Karachi, Pakistan in February 2002, including documents relating to his stay at KSM’s house in Kandahar in 2001 and at the two safehouses with Al-Hawsawi from Feb- April 2002.
13 all documents from any agency including New York State and New York City agencies related to Shukrijumah’s time in Brooklyn in the 1990s, to include all his known associates (to include photographic images).
14 all documents from any agency related to Shukrijumah in any manner prior to 2002.
15 all documents from any agency related to Shukrijumah’s association with KSM, Hambali, Atef, Zawahiri, Aafia Siddiqui, Yazid Sufaat, Zacarias Moussaoui, Abderrauf Jdey, or Blind Sheik Abdel-Rahman Ramzi Yousef, Nosair or Walied Al-Samarrai.
16 all documents from any agency related to Shukrijumah’s association and any of the Blind Sheik’s lawyers or associates, including Montasser Al-Zayat, Ali Mohammed , Khaled Dahab, Nosair or any of the WTC 1993 bombing participants.
17 all documents from any agency related to Shukrijumah’s association with the Egyptian of Islamic Jihad or Egyptian Islamic Group or Vanguards of Conquest.
18 all documents relating to Shukrijumah’s father’s translation for Blind Sheik Abdel-Rahman.
19 all intercepts from the wiretap 1995 that collected 300,000 phone calls under FISA of a Florida supporter of the Blind Sheik Abdel-Rahman, Adham Hassoun, that involve El-Shukrijumah as a participant or mention him.
20 all documents from the Task Force set up in Miami to capture El-Shukrijumah.
21 all communications between him and his family members from January 2000 onward, to include any visit to his sister in New Mexico in March 2014.
22 all documents relating to his association with Mohammed Atta.
23 all travel documents for Shukrijuman and his aliases.
24 all traffic records for Shukrijumah.
25 a results from labs in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to include the labs from Kabul at Omar Hospital, the lab in Kandahar from near the airport, the lab at Tora Bora, and the lab in Karachi.
26 all documents relating to the azzam.com website’s discussion of the meaning of “green birds” as referring to what is inside.
27 all documents relating the Al Hayat letter bombs in 1997 and its perceived connection to the Brooklyn-based Blind Sheik Abdel-Rahman.
DXer said
DXer said
Born in 1975, Adnan was 15-ish when Nosair killed radical rabbi Meir Kahane in New York City. Nosair was the Blind Sheik’s bodyguard. Adnan’s father had translated for the Blind Sheik.
Nosair’s son was recently interviewed on NPR about his days in Brooklyn and his thoughtful memoir, “The Terrorist’s Son.” When Zak Ebrahim was 7 years old, his father, El Sayyid Nosair, assassinated Meir Kahane, the militant ultra-Orthodox, anti-Arab rabbi who founded the Jewish Defense League.
In 1990, Zak was 7 and Adnan was 15 — but they travelled in the some of the same circles. Then, from prison, Nosair helped plot the 1993 World Trade Center bombing — and was later convicted as one of the conspirators.
What can Zak tell us about Adnan El-Shukrijumah as a 14 and 15 year-old? He knew him, right?
NPR:
“For most of his life, Ebrahim lied to people about who his father was. But a few years ago, he decided to go public with his story and offer himself as an example of someone who was raised by a fanatic yet came to embrace nonviolence.
***
Interview Highlights
On going to hear the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Omar Abdel-Rahman, known as “the blind sheik,” preach at a mosque in Jersey City
It was very scary for a kid that age [7]. You could see very clearly — even though he spoke in Arabic, and at the time I only understood about every third word that he was saying, [I] could just see the emotion on his face and the way he spoke … that he spoke with this very passionate anger.
When my father tried to take me to the front after the sheik was done with his sermon, I remember my apprehension at even shaking his hand.
On how his family found out about the assassination of Rabbi Meir Kahane
On Nov. 5, 1990, [my mom] was sitting in the living room watching television, and her program was interrupted by breaking news. And it said that Rabbi Meir Kahane had been shot, and they cut to a video of my father lying in a pool of blood on the street. And that was essentially her introduction into this radical ideology. …
***
On his father’s involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and how that changed things
I believe that from his prison cell he would often get visitors and have phone calls with many of the men who would eventually be involved in the World Trade Center bombing, and involved in planning the attack.
When my father first went to prison [for the assassination of Meir Kahane], although he had maintained his innocence, there were certain people who thought he had done what he had done, namely because Kahane was seen as a very evil figure, in particular in the Muslim community. …
I suppose I thought to myself that even if he was guilty that that was some sort of justification. It wasn’t until after the World Trade Center that it was very apparent that innocent people were being attacked — that even as a child I knew that was wrong, and that I couldn’t accept any excuse for that. It was also when I realized that our family would no longer ever be together again.
***
It was one thing to try and justify this action that my father had taken in assassinating Meir Kahane as this terrorist killing another terrorist, and that was it. But I realized that even that, later on, couldn’t be a justification because things were only made worse by trying to use violence to solve our problems.
***
GROSS: Another extremist that your father became close to was Abdullah Azzam, who was actually one of the founders of al-Qaida.
EBRAHIM: Yes.
GROSS: And he was preaching at the mosque in New Jersey. What was your father’s connection to him?
EBRAHIM: Well, just because my father had been so involved in this movement with these group of men, that essentially when Abdullah Azzam came to visit, you know, my father had an opportunity to interact with him.
Note:
Was the North Brunswick computer person Mazen Mokhtar who mirrored Al Qaeda’s website azzam.com (which explained the symbolism of the “green birds”) in contact with subtilis expert Walied Samarrai in 2001?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 8, 2011
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/was-the-north-brunswick-computer-person-mazen-mokhtar-who-mirrored-al-qaedas-website-azzam-com-which-explained-the-symbolism-of-the-green-birds-in-contact-with-subtilis-expert-walied-samarra/
GROSS: And it sounded like Azzam became almost like a mentor.
EBRAHIM: Yes, very much so. My father pretty much hung on his every word.
GROSS: Is that one of the reasons why your father wanted to go to Afghanistan?
EBRAHIM: Yeah, absolutely. I think he saw many men around him who were going over there to fight, and, you know, I believe he was looking for some sort of outlet for these frustrations that he’d had. And once that outlet had been taken away from him, you know, he found ulterior means.
GROSS: So one of your last outings with your father before he assassinated Meir Kahane was to a shooting range. Your father took you there with some of his friends who turned out to be some of the other people behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. And you’re there with pistols and AK-47s shooting at targets. And you were 7?
EBRAHIM: That’s right.
GROSS: And you participated in the shooting.
EBRAHIM: I did.
http://boisestatepublicradio.org/post/long-scary-journey-terrorists-son-peace-activist
DXer said
March 2014 Ted Talk – Zak Ephrahim (over 1.8 million views)
DXer said
Additional links relating to anthrax letters mailing suspect El-Shukrijumah:
In Sarasota investigation, who was the person associated with the hijackers’ flight school who was discovered to have re-entered the country after 9/11?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on September 21, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/09/21/in-sarasota-investigation-who-was-the-person-associated-with-the-hijackers-flight-school-who-was-discovered-to-have-re-entered-the-country-after-911/
Will the FBI produce long withheld documents about DXer’s anthrax mailing suspect Adnan El-Shukrijumah?
Posted by Lew Weinstein on April 19, 2014
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/will-the-fbi-produce-long-withheld-documents-about-dxers-anthrax-mailing-suspect-adnan-el-shukrijumah/
Zawahiri and Mohammed Islambouli (brother of Sadat’s assassin) personally visited Adnan El-Shukrijumah’s Brooklyn, NY mosque, Al-Farouq
Posted by Lew Weinstein on June 7, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/zawahiri-and-mohammed-islambouli-brother-of-sadats-assassination-personally-visited-adnan-el-shukrijumahs-brooklyn-ny-mosque-al-farouq/
FBI’s Undercover Informant Asaad Is Frustrated That He And FBI Missed Opportunity To Thwart Mohammed Atta and Anthrax Letter Suspect Adnan El-Shukrijumah, Al Qaeda’s Current Head Of External Operations
Posted by Lew Weinstein on May 26, 2013
https://caseclosedbylewweinstein.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/fbis-undercover-informant-asaad-is-frustrated-that-he-and-fbi-missed-opportunity-to-thwart-mohammed-atta-and-anthrax-letter-suspect-adnan-el-shukrijumah-al-qaedas-current-head-of-external-opera/