Anthrax Fears Prompt Federal (Canadian) Interest in Bio-Sniffers for Ports

Canadian Press ^ | December 17, 2003 | JIM BRONSKILL

[Shermy]

OTTAWA (CP) - Fear of a terrorist attack involving anthrax-laced cargo has prompted the federal government to explore the purchase of custom-tailored biological agent detectors.

The contraband detection section of Canada's customs agency has invited companies to pitch products capable of screening containers and other shipments for toxic biological substances.

A notice posted by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency says the portable equipment would preferably weigh less than 28 kilograms, work in extreme temperatures and be able to quickly extract air samples from containers, packages and vehicle trunks.

The aim of the $10,000 pilot project is to evaluate various models next year with an eye toward purchasing the one best-suited to detect hazardous biological agents entering Canada through marine ports, international airports or land border crossings, said Katherine de Vos, a customs agency spokeswoman.

The effort underscores concern in federal circles about the potentially devastating human and economic consequences of a toxic shipment going unnoticed.

Money for the project will come from the hefty security budget allocated to departments following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network has claimed responsibility for smashing planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

In the days that followed, several Americans died from inhaling anthrax slipped into envelopes, though the perpetrators have not been caught.

There have been repeated suggestions al-Qaida is interested in using biological agents as weapons of terror.

Prior to the 9-11 attacks, there were many kinds of biological agent detectors "but these products had never been tested before in a customs environment," De Vos said.

Since 2001, the customs agency has been toiling in the lab to set out specifications for the detector required by Canada.

If the purchase proceeds, advance intelligence will be used to select the small percentage of containers to be examined with the bio-agent detectors.

Customs personnel can't possibly examine every piece of cargo, De Vos conceded. "But we want to make sure we look at the right ones. And we examine the ones that we consider to be risks."

Gary LeRoux, spokesman for the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, welcomed the initiative.

"This would certainly add to that ongoing vigilance that's required for seaport security," LeRoux said Wednesday. "We've been arguing in the past that more in that vein needs to be done."

Four Canadian seaports - Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver and Saint John, N.B. - have large X-ray machines for viewing the contents of marine containers.

The federal government has also purchased radiation detectors for selected ports to help zero in on a crude nuclear device that might be packed into cargo.

[Shermy]

Anthrax...a ship...Canada...

Sound familiar guys???

[okie01]

Somebody is obviously concerned about something.

And I rather doubt it has anything to do with Dr. Stephen Hatfill...

[Calpernia]

Ping

[Shermy]

Remember the Egyptian sailor Ibrahim Saed Ibrahim?

Died in Brazil, his Egyptian ship proceeded to Nova Scotia where it was quarantined?

Brazil first reported he died of Anthrax. A second examination said "no", but couldn't determine the cause, and little reported, the doctor said effectively it was hard to tell because of deterioration.

Or something like that. I don't think the CDC ever released any findings.

I archived some stories here on FR. Click the keyword "canadaanthrax" above if you're interested.

[Peach]

Very interesting. I think more and more countries are finally waking up to a few facts about terrorism and are going to get on board the Bush train.

[Shermy]

Some speculation on this thread. Apparently, (and info is hard to get), the Brazilian docs said it might have bee a different species of Bacillus, but that's hard to determine. There also was deterioration of the analyzed tissue, which may have effected the second finding.

Brazilian police curious about mystery bag (sailor didn't die of anthrax, but questions remain)

Anyway, if it wasn't anthrax, it would be interesting to doctors anyway, given the way the Egyptian died.

[Shermy]

An April 29, 2003 story

Anthrax suspected in death on ship

"...Luiz Malcher, head of Renato Chavez Forensic Sciences Center in Belem, Brazil, said an autopsy found that bacteria had destroyed Ibrahim's organs. "The bacteria colonies were similar to anthrax," he said. "If it isn't anthrax, it is an extremely virulent bacteria."..."

[Calpernia]

I remember that article. I actually posted some supportive material concerning that incident on that LONG running terror thread we have. It was a Maritime article if I remember correctly. I also posted quite a bit on the OBL Navy.

[JustPiper]

Hey I've got a list they can start volunteering as "Sniffer's"

[Calpernia]

Be nice JP!

^-^

Adds to JP's list!

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1011527/posts
"South Korea on alert for possible Al Qaeda ship"
Khaleej Times via Al Jazeera ^ | Oct. 30, 2003 | Agence France Presse
Posted on 10/30/2003 11:45:39 AM PST by FairOpinion


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1004431/posts
"G2: What al-Qaida could do with 'terror navy'"
World Net Daily ^ | October 20, 2003 | Joseph Farrah
Posted on 10/20/2003 9:11:49 AM PDT by Bon mots


"International hunt continues for Osama's 15-ship 'navy'"

[Quix]

UHHHHH, I thought

EXPERT SNIFFERS

came in excellent models labeled

D O G!!!!???

---

IN TERMS OF SHIPS--I caught Manseur sp? on Fox earlier talking about AlQaeda highjacking fuel cargo ships and tug boats and learning to drive them . . . along with AQ personnel learning to deep sea dive.

Sobering.

Where's our satellite surveilance in all this! Why aren't these ships immediately overtaken by Sailors in our wonderful Navy???

[Mitchell]

Anthrax...a ship...Canada...
Sound familiar guys???

It sure does.

By the way, the article says:

The contraband detection section of Canada's customs agency has invited companies to pitch products capable of screening containers and other shipments for toxic biological substances.

What companies would be likely to bid on this? I don't think there are many commercial products available for anthrax screening.

[JustPiper]

Happy to ;)

[Alamo-Girl]

Indeed. Thanks for the ping!

[flying Elvis]

We think alike. The first thing that popped into my head after seeing "bio sniffer" was my weenie dog snooping in the trash. lol

[Shermy]

I recollect that the US Postal Office is using some "sniffing" devices...remember the little brouhaha a month or so ago in D.C. where a machine, at first, sensed a positive?

[Quix]

They sure have the equipment and love to work for us.

But then, I think, in some obnoxious, dangerous Islamic countries, using pigs would be great!