FBI Drains Pond as Part Anthrax Probe (Assorted New and Semi-New Info from Brian Ross)

ABC News ^ | June 9, 2003 | Brian Ross

[Lucy Lake]

Ping.

[Shermy]

He normally worked with anthrax. Wouldn't you take Cipro?

He didn't work with anthrax. He worked with viruses. Also, the original profile assumed the perp had valid anthrax innoculations. Hatfill pointed out he didn't. Saying he was taking Cipro (time uncertain), is a way around this fact...or is true. Which is interesting.

[RLK]

Or Clorox? Seems to be what the Iraqis used to disinfect those two mobile labs.

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Clorox is the unversal disinfectant. It is used by most militaries of the world to counter biological warfare..

[Consort]

Drain the pond and put a 24/7 Pond Webcam on it with lights so that we can all watch it. Sell advertising time to pay for the project.

[Shermy]

More on Ocala... from Hatfill's statement

"...Nevertheless, I agreed to the FBI's request without hesitation. I also volunteered to have the FBI search my car and a small, unrefrigerated storage area in Florida where I keep some books, a few paintings and some other personal effects.

The FBI agents promised me that the search would be quiet, private and very low-key. It did not turn out that way.

Within minutes of my signing the release to have my residence and property searched, television cameras, satellite TV trucks, overhead helicopters were all swarming around my apartment block. The FBI agents arrived in a huge truck with hazardous-materials technicians fully garbed in protective space suits. In fact, I had previously helped train one of the FBI agents who searched my apartment..."

[John H K]

You are right of course, it does not sound like a minnow bucket. It sounds like a part of a homemade "Minnow Trap". They are often made of clear plastic, and have holes at each end for the funnels, which are made of plastic or wire mesh, usually.

My apologies, believe it or not just before I posted this I was on a FISHING board, www.pierandsurf.com, and posting on a thread discussing minnow BUCKETS, I posted, and had them on my mind. :-) I have both a minnow trap, and a minnow bucket.

But, as I've pointed out ad nauseam, Minnow Traps HAVE SIDE HOLES AN INCH OR LESS WIDE. An infant would have trouble fitting their hands in one.

The problem with the whole minnow trap speculation business is that the people who invented that speculation got so incredibly proud of their own genius and cleverness they started posting a million pics of them to each other and are totally oblivious to the fact that even a genuinely retarded or brain-damaged FBI agent would note there's no physical way one could be used for a glove box.

And eventually oblivious to the fact that the minnow trap business actually has no connection to anyone who knows anything about the case or has seen what the FBI actually pulled from the pond.

[Calpernia]

Pardon then! Thank you for correcting that. I have not followed this lead as closely as another one having to deal with the same issue. Maybe a connect? I'm actually hoping. I fear this is a false lead. I hope I'm wrong. I will hope for the connection.

[RLK]

Naturally we aren't given a list of all the items found in the lake since it might just prove that - a dumping ground.

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The larges number of items that will be found in the reservoilr will be beer cans. The army personnel and their girlfriends fromm Hood College used to go there to party, and probably still do.

[Shermy]

I fear this is a false lead.

Experience proves this a valid assumption.

[RLK]

He normally worked with anthrax. Wouldn't you take Cipro?

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If he was working at Detrick in the hot areas he was probably on the "shot list" where workers are given preventative vaccines.

[John H K]

Remember that the "fibbies" claim their hounds found Hatfil's odor in the area. Remember that the USPS would like to wrap this thing up quick and not investigate leftwing groups that may continue to have a grudge against them, particularly some of the executive level people who dabbled in SDS, YPSL and anti-Viet Nam War demonstration groups 30 years ago.

OK, so it's a left-wing group, so the ONLY people in government attacked are two left-wing Senators, and then they fake the letters to make it look like Muslim terrorists were responsible?

Gotcha. Yeah, That makes sense.

[bvw]

It's important to get a good baseline sample of pond junk circa 2003. Might come in handy to other investigations in the future. Who knows? The ratio of beer cans to baby strollers might be a key piece of evidence in some trial.

[John H K]

BTW, the anthrax letters didn't mention Cipro but "Penacilin". Also, I think it turned out the Cipro isn't the best drug for Anthrax - De-something or other is.

The real question is why if it's "Atta and friends" (and it's currently non-existent or unidentified "friends" since there's no evidence any of the letters were sent prior to September 18) they're helpfully pointing out to people they've been sent anthrax and advising antibiotics at the same time they're plotting a surprise flying of airplanes into buildings full of thousands of people.

Everything about the anthrax attacks sounds like someone who was trying to give a REAL scare, but not to kill. Does this sound like AQ to you? The postal worker and cross-contamination deaths may well have been unintended or unforseen.

[Calpernia]

Like this? http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze43v8m/

[muawiyah]

Now, now, keep the story straight. Hatfil NEVER worked with Anthrax. However, he worked in a place where he came in regular contact with people who did work with Anthrax, and with things far worse!

It is NORMAL to take Cipro and keep caught up on one's innoculations under those conditions.

[muawiyah]

Now, as far as 230 miles being close to something else, Washington DC is 250 miles from New York City.

[Shermy]

Your right about the "left wing" idea.

As for the terrorist angle, fear is a big part of their psychological makeup. I often read AQ and other arab groups talking about the "fear" we should feel, as they do. It's part of there psych make-up, so I don't find it unusual.

The first letters (the media ones) only said "take penacilin." Would Hatfill, etc. think this was warning enough to an American, or just be dismissed as crack pot stuff. The next set of letters, to Leahy and Daschle, added "We have this Anthrax". That, after the first letters didn't have the desired effect, and after the AMI attack, got people thinking.

They don't want total anonymity, they want to let us know, somehow, generally.

For example, the past week's Belgium poison letters. They included posions and notes of vague Islamic claims. Same as the anthrax letters.

I don't discount your ideas, certainly. Daschle I can see picked out because of his fame...but why Leahy? Why not Kennedy? Poker has interesting ideas about Leahy and support of Israel, I'd add maybe the perp has a connection to Vermont.

[Calpernia]

Like I've said, I haven't followed this angle too closely. I followed this one: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze43v8m/ I live this one. NOW, if they are related...great. But I fear this is rope being given to people hired during a 'dark era'.

But thanks for pointing out the cipro indirect contact vs. direct contact part.

[muawiyah]

AMI was attacked, and so was New York Post.

The only reason anyone would want to keep focusing on the US Senators involved is to throw analysts off the trail.

[Calpernia]

Excellent points. I want to expand on something, my theory only.

You excerpted:

>>>Daschle I can see picked out because of his fame...but why Leahy? Why not Kennedy? Poker has interesting ideas about Leahy and support of Israel, I'd add maybe the perp has a connection to Vermont.

My theory is the anthrax was sent as a warning. To sympathizers in power.

Remember the file boxes? Remember how some of the letters that were found stated, 'people sympathic to our cause'?

I've head these words before from a First Ranked.