Cyanide Salt Block/Zarqawi Safe House Found in Iraq, Fox

2/3/04 | Laurie Mylroie

[carton253]

Tuesday, February 03, 2004

WASHINGTON - A 7-pound block of cyanide salt was discovered by U.S. troops in Baghdad at the end of January, officials confirmed to Fox News.

The potentially lethal compound was located in what was believed to be the safe house of Abu Musab Zarqawi, a poisons specialist described by some U.S. intelligence officials as having been a key link between deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and the Al Qaeda terror network.

Cyanides salts are extremely toxic. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, exposure to even a small amount through contact or inhalation can cause immediate death.

Zarqawi, believed to have been operating in Iraq before March's invasion, was still being sought by coalition forces. It was not clear if anyone had been apprehended in connection with last month's find.

Early last year, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell detailed Zarqawi's significance in an appearance before the U.N. Security Council.

"Iraq today harbors a deadly terrorist network headed by Abu Musab Zarqawi, an associate and collaborator of Usama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda lieutenants," Powell said.

Zarqawi was described as a poisons expert with strong ties to the former Iraqi regime and the terrorist groups Al Qaeda and Ansar al-Islam. A Palestinian born in Jordan who fought in Afghanistan more than a decade ago, Zarqawi returned to Afghanistan in 2000 to oversee terrorist training camps, Powell told the Security Council.

"One of his specialties at the camp was poisons," Powell said. "When our coalition ousted the Taliban, the Zarqawi network helped establish another poison and explosives training center."

Zarqawi is believed to have begun establishing terror cells in and around Baghdad prior to the start of the war last March, and is thought by U.S. officials to still be in the country.

U.S. officials, who said they were getting new intelligence in the hunt for Zarqawi, also believe he had been attempting to produce large quantities of the toxin ricin in northern Iraq.

Fox News' Bret Baier and Ian McCaleb contributed to this report.

[carton253]

I received this email this morning from Dr. Laurie Mylroie.

[Peach]

I do so wish she would respond to Kay's report that "we were all wrong" and that he doesn't believe there were WMD in Iraq since the early 90's.

She's so bright and I find it impossible to believe ALL the intelligence agencies in the world were wrong.

[Tijeras_Slim]

A poison salt lick... what are they trying to do, wipeout livestock?

[Old Grumpy]

I agree with you; I also find it hard to believe they were all wrong.

[carton253]

I don't think it was a salt lick... (at least not by my definition of a salt lick)

[Liberty Valance]

I hope this gets notice as well Peach. The problem seems to be there's no catchy 3 second "sound bite" for perky Katie Couric or DNC spokesman Dan Rather. This of course is Bush's fault :o) The silence will be deafening.

Best regards,
Liberty

W'04

[Peach]

Considering how far along Libya was in their nuclear program without our knowledge, I think it was reasonable to go after Iraq considering their stated intentions (to destroy America) and their refusal to allow the UN inspectors to do their jobs.

The leftists seem to prefer to wait until a country is nuclear armed in order to severely reduce our military options. Perhaps that is their gameplan - no more war ever, for any reason.

[carton253]

The leftists seem to prefer to wait until a country is nuclear armed in order to severely reduce our military options. Perhaps that is their game plan - no more war ever, for any reason.

As I sit and listen to the pontifications of college professors and their pocket students... I wonder if they will ever find the will to defend themselves against anything.

Listening to them make their case of cultural relativism and how even the Nazi culture could not be declared evil, I am appalled.

Evil white man subjugating the world to his capitalist greed seems to the gist of their teaching.

I don't believe the left will ever go to war again... because the left has no enemy... (or worse, the left actually believes that America and the West deserves what ever the poor and oppressed freedom fighters are willing to dish out. It's penance for all our evil ways and sins) I do not have to tell you my reaction to such tripe!

[Peach]

You don't have to tell me your reaction to such tripe and mine is the same.

The left never met a dictator they didn't like.

[Liberty Valance]

I think you're right Peach. The left would only allow us to defend ourselves with American troops under UN command. I'm reminded of the words of a great American, "We don't need a permission slip to defend our country".

[Dilbert56]

Evil white man subjugating the world to his capitalist greed seems to the gist of their teaching.

You nailed it - everyone else gets a pass even if their "culture" endorses slavery & genital mutilation, denigrates women, and kills people with "unapproved" religions. They can't be condemmed but somehow we are the root of all evil.

[carton253]

The left would only allow us to defend ourselves with American troops under UN command.

But only up to a point... we could defend ourselves in the immediate situation. Battle after skirmish after altercation..., but they would never allow us to win the war. After all, those people desiring to kill us... well, their point of view is just as relevant as our point of view.

[Peach]

Yes and I forgot to mention - what really scares me about the left - our enemy has noticed their lack of will as well, which will embolden all our enemies!

[Liberty Valance]

Bump

[carton253]

Not only a lack of will, but a lack to stand up and fight (until this President).

Saddam Hussein believed that he didn't have to win the war... all he had to do was keep up a steady bleeding of us (what is occurring now), and we would run away.

What prompted such a strategy. Why... Vietnam, Beirut, Somalia, etc.

In the 1990's, our response was negligible at best. It didn't prove American strength, but American weakness. I don't believe Bin Laden expected GWB to do anything about 9/11... and I don't believe Saddam truly believed the coalition of the willing would depose him. 12 years of dealing with America had taught the opposite lesson.

[carton253]

If you think this article would be a good one for your ping list... could you ping them for me. Thanks!

[carton253]

Could you please delete this thread. It is a duplicate. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[hallbrain]

Why isn't this all over the news? I only found it at FOX. no Drudge, no CNN, no CBS, no USAToday. Is it real?