'Very Nasty’ Potential Bomb Plot Involved Deadly Chemical [UK]

ABCNEWS.com ^ | April 5, 2004 | Brian Ross and Christopher Isham

[aculeus]

Aril 5— British authorities believe terror suspects arrested last week were planning to make a bomb that would include a highly toxic, easily obtained chemical called osmium tetroxide, ABCNEWS has learned.

Used primarily in laboratories for research, osmium tetroxide is known to attack soft human tissue and could blind or kill anyone who breathed its fumes. According to the New Jersey Department of Health, it is a colorless to pale yellow solid with a strong, unpleasant odor.

"It's a nasty piece of work," said Dave Siegrist, a bioterrorism expert at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Arlington, Va. "It irritates the eyes, lungs, nose and throat. It leads to an asthma-like death, what we call a 'dry-land drowning.' "

Scientists say if, for example, the bomb used in the 1993 World Trade Center attack had produced such fumes, they would have wiped out the first police and rescue workers on the scene.

"They become overwhelmed by fumes," said Jerry Hauer, an expert on biological and chemical terrorism and director of public health preparedness at the Department of Health and Human Services, describing what could have happened. "They can go blind. This is not a benign chemical. It is very nasty."

Eight British citizens of Pakistani descent were arrested and taken into custody when 700 police raided 24 locations in and around London on March 30. Investigators say British authorities moved in when they learned from electronic intercepts the dangerous chemical was involved in the plot. They had been the tracking group's activities for several months.

According to sources, there was some indication the group in custody was targeting Gatwick airport, the British public transportation system and enclosed shopping areas. British authorities feared it had the potential to be one of the worst attacks ever against the United Kingdom.

Even though the arrests were made in the United Kingdom, authorities say the operation was being run out of Pakistan by a suspected al Qaeda figure.

"They are creative in their planning," said Hauer. "They continue to work around our systems."

New Terror Link

This is the first time osmium tetroxide has been linked to possible terror use. It's sold, with few questions asked, on Internet sites, as are many industrial chemicals that could be equally as potent.

"You never see the supplier and the supplier never sees you," said Siegrist. "A package arrives on the doorstep a few days later."

U.S. officials say the likelihood of a chemical bomb is much greater than a biological and radiological one. Yet the United States has still not settled how to tighten restrictions on what are known as toxic industrial chemicals, which are well-known to al Qaeda bomb-makers and still easily available.

ABCNEWS' David Scott and Madeleine Sauer contributed to this report.

[japaneseghost]

"PS: My Lexus LX470 gets 12 mpg easy."

My 1991 VW Golf gets 23 mpg in stop-and-go city traffic, with the cheapest gas.

[river rat]

"At the very minimum, shouldn't we at least be sending them all home by now, and suspending immigration?

Even before that....

All communities should resist or FORBID the issuance of any additional building/occupation permits for Mosques.

Most especially, Mosques where the House of Saud has the power to designate a Wahhabi lunatic as the attending cleric..

NO MORE MOSQUES -- until we can all be taught to distinguish the "Peace Loving Muslims" from the murderous sonsofbitches..

To permit the continuation of this insanity - is in itself, insane..

Semper Fi

[Ciexyz]

Fairly scary scenario.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Ping

[Joe Hadenuf]

Are our borders still wide open?

[Sender]

I recently drove about 1K miles of interstate highway to visit my folks, and I was amazed at the masses of trucks hauling hazmat chemicals out there on I-75. I wrote down some of the numbers on the trucks and looked them up and it's scary stuff. I vote to arm truckers (if they aren't already).

[Boot Hill]

Reposted from here:

"The news reported today the British Osmium Tetraoxide plot was masterminded from Pakistan."

"Masterminded" might be a bit of an overstatement. In fact, it is way overstated! Osmium Tetroxide, OsO4, is probably one of the most impractical compounds that could ever be selected for use as a chemical weapon component of a terrorist bomb.

First, a mere 100 grams of OsO4 would cost between $5,000 and $6,000. Osmium is roughly about 10 times more valuable than gold!

Second, the vapor concentration needed to cause death, in any reasonable time frame, would be too high to make it a practical mass weapon. The safety levels specified in "Material Safety Data Sheets" are just that: safety data and don't reflect the reality of the compound when used as a weapon to cause death.

Third, the blindness is usually recovered spontaneously and completely within 24 hours.

Fourth, virtually its only commercial use is in the field of scanning electron microscopy. This makes it much easier to track down the perps, as the material was likely stolen, not purchased. And given the very high price and low usage rate of OsO4, stocks on hand will be very small.

So what clues can be gleaned from any intended use of OsO4 by terrorists? Look for someone with very little common sense (a polite way of saying "stupid as a box of rocks") and who works around scanning electron microscopes.

--Boot Hill

[finnman69]

This stuff would be perfect to use in a subway attack. Scary.

[finnman69]

It may be very expensive, but if you stole it, it would be free.

[river rat]

I thought I would update you, with the list of current PC approved terms to express one's suspicion of another's stupidity...

A few clowns short of a circus.

A few fries short of a Happy Meal.

An experiment in Artificial Stupidity.

A few beers short of a six-pack.

Dumber than a box of hair.

A few peas short of a casserole.

Doesn't have all her cornflakes in one box.

The wheel's spinning, but the hamster's dead.

One Fruit Loop shy of a full bowl.

One taco short of a combination plate.

A few feathers short of a whole duck.

All foam, no beer.

The cheese slid off her cracker.

Body by Fisher, brains by Mattel.

Couldn't pour water (he original was piss) out of a boot with instructions
on the heel.

He fell out of the Stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down.

An intellect rivaled only by garden tools.

As smart as bait.

Chimney's clogged.

Doesn't have all his dogs on one leash.

Doesn't know much but leads the league in nostril hair.

Elevator doesn't go all the way to the top floor.

Her sewing machine's out of thread.

His antenna doesn't pick up all the channels.

His belt doesn't go through all the loops.

If she had another brain, it would be lonely.

Missing a few buttons on his remote control.

No grain in the silo.

Proof that evolution CAN go in reverse.

Receiver is off the hook.

Several nuts short of a full pouch.

Skylight leaks a little.

Slinky's kinked.

Surfing in Nebraska.

Too much yardage between the goal posts.

Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

The lights are on, but nobody's home.

24 cents short of a quarter.

Semper Fi

[panaxanax]

Yep, Joe, the borders still remain virtually unchecked. I don't get it. I shudder to think what it will take for Mr. Bush to wake up and protect us from southern (and northern) invasions. The Mexican vote can't be so important that he would risk the lives and safety of Americans.

"Are our borders still wide open?"

You notice how the die-hard Bush supporters never respond with a credible answer to this question?

Isn't there someone out there that can come up with a reasonable answer as to why Mr. Bush refuses to guard our borders? Please, I'm begging for an answer. And please don't answer by calling me a liberal or saying how bad it would be if Ketchup-boy gets elected. Just tell me why he won't enforce the existing laws and close the damn borders!!!!!!

[Boot Hill]

"It may be very expensive, but if you stole it, it would be free."

1. Acquiring their supply through theft would limit their supply to only a few, easily identifiable sources.

2. Because OsO4 is so expensive, the places that do keep OsO4 on hand, would keep it under lock and key, restrict access and inventory frequently.

3. Because OsO4 is so expensive and the usage rate so low, stocks kept in a laboratory are going to be miniscule.

Bottom line, this is not a practical component of a chemical weapon anywhere, except in a Hollywood movie.

--Boot Hill

[Boot Hill]

LOL, that list gets bookmarked! Thanks.

--Boot Hill

[Nebr FAL owner]

The Democrats will want to surrender the everyday folks will want mushroom clouds to start sprouting all over the middle east as for the practitioners of the religeon of peace in this country they would find themselves the guest of honor at a hemp/necktie party .It would get that ugly & it would happen faster than the politicians could stop it.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Please, I'm begging for an answer. And please don't answer by calling me a liberal or saying how bad it would be if Ketchup-boy gets elected.

LOL......

[Joe Hadenuf]

You notice how the die-hard Bush supporters never respond with a credible answer to this question?

Why yes I have.

It needs to be asked. It's like the 600 pound mountain lion laying on the couch. Everyone seems happily standing.

[tracer]

I have used osmium tetroxide for years as a "negative stain" in electron microscopy. It is very expensive and is only volatile and accordingly available for tissue deposition under a strong vacuum.

This sounds like yet another panic attack on the part of "experts" who never have used this chemical agent and read too much with little comprehension.

Idle brains are the media's and the Devil's workshop......

[tracer]

Well.wo of us with real-deal experience in the purchase and use of osmium tetroxide is better than the entire world wetting itself over science fiction.

I've worked with stuff that makes osmium tetroxide look like donut sprinkles and know that its theoretical hazardous properties as set forth in NIOSH bulletins and real-life potential as a WMD genrally bears little if any resemblance -- unless you decide to enter a vacuum chamber and remain inside for hours at a time.........

[kanawa]

I would like to dream...

They would need to be given a 'sign' that their moon god is not all powerful.

My favorite dream is to see a lunar mission that would spray paint the moon with large letters saying, 'Islam Sucks".

[Boot Hill]

"I've worked with stuff that makes osmium tetroxide look like donut sprinkles..."

Ditto and I'll bet you've also had a few "aw shucks" from them, too!

--Boot Hill