Posted on 07/01/2007 8:58:07 AM PDT by TrebleRebel
WASHINGTON — In the fall of 1992, Kanatjan Alibekov defected from Russia to the United States, bringing detailed, and chilling, descriptions of his role in making biological weapons for the former Soviet Union.
----------- Officials still value his seminal depictions of the Soviet program. But recent events have propelled questions about Alibek's reliability:
No biological weapon of mass destruction has been found in Iraq. His most sensational research findings, with U.S. colleagues, have not withstood peer review by scientific specialists. His promotion of nonprescription pills — sold in his name over the Internet and claiming to bolster the immune system — was ridiculed by some scientists. He resigned as executive director of a Virginia university's biodefense center 10 months ago while facing internal strife over his stewardship.
And, as Alibek raised fear of bioterrorism in the United States, he also has sought to profit from that fear.
By his count, Alibek has won about $28 million in federal grants or contracts for himself or entities that hired him.
The Los Angeles Times explored Alibek's public pronouncements, research and business activities as part of a series that will examine companies and government officials central to the U.S. war on terrorism -----------------------
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
A London charity, JIMAS, at whose conferences, Ali would speak published the translation of the al-Khaliq’s book.
He would give talks such as “Our Need for a Fiqh Suitable to Our Time and Place” at the 1997 conference in London.
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:reB0t6cl01MJ:www.jimas.org/fiqhtime.pdf+Timimi+JIMAS&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
Or his “Cure for the Cancer” at the 2001 JIMAS conference.
The UK Islamic charity published the book calling on Muslims worldwide to “overthrow” peace treaties between Arab states and Israel.
Sheikh Abdur Rahman Abdul Khaliq’s book published by JIMAS, The Islamic Ruling on The Peace Process, that “the Jews are the enemies of the Islamic ummah (nation).”
I sense based on what Jamestown Foundation article said today it was translated by Ali who has given a lecture based on the book.
The US government’s National Commission for investigating the 9/11 attacks listed the book as one of a number of texts “espousing violence and hatred towards the west and reinforcing the victimization of Muslims as the hands of the infidels.”
“The Jews have been the enemies of the Islamic ummah since the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, began his call to Allah; and their hostility to this ummah will continue till the Day of Resurrection,” the National Commission’s website quoted from the book. “…War or Jihad is an obligatory duty which remains in force till the Day of Resurrection.
According to another version of the book made available by a separate jihadist website (currently offline), Muslims are completely prohibited from making peace with non-Muslims “except when the kafir (infidel) is humbled and surrenders.” The jihadi website said its book “was translated by our brothers at JIMAS,” providing a link to the charity’s homepage.
Any peace made by Muslim countries with Israel contravenes the Quran and must be reversed, the text says.
“Their (the Jews) hostility to the Muslims continues, so much so that stones and trees call out to the Muslims saying: ‘O Muslim, here is a Jew behind you, so fight him,’” a chapter in the book declared, based on an Islamic hadith (reported saying of Islam’s prophet, Muhammad).
The author commands Muslims to “firmly believe in the invalidity” of peace agreements with Israel , and calls on them “to work towards overthrowing these treaties.”
The first round of letters was sent to ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Post, and the publisher of the National Enquirer and Sun. Letters were sent to Senators Daschle and Leahy in a second batch, using a much more highly refined product. The letters to the news organizations were mailed — coincidentally or not — on September 17 or September 18, either the day the Camp David Accord was signed in 1978 or the next day when it was approved by the Israeli knesset. Abdel-Rahman, the blind sheik, in the early 1980s, said: “We reject Camp David and we regret the normalization of relations with Israel. We also reject all the commitments that were made by the traitor Sadat, who deviated from Islam.” He continued: “As long as the Camp David Agreement stands, this conflict between us and the government will continue.”
At the time of the anthrax mailings, the Camp David Accord still dominated Zawahiri’s thinking. In Knights Under the Banner of the Prophet, Al-Zawahiri argued in the Fall of 2001 that the Camp David Accord sought to turn Sinai into a disarmed area to serve as a buffer zone between Egypt and Israel. He cites the peace treaty between the two countries, particularly issues related to the armament of the Egyptian Army inside Sinai. He claims that Egypt has restored Sinai formally but it remains in the hands of Israel militarily. Al-Zawahiri cites many examples about the US flagrant support for Israel, including the US pressure on Egypt to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty at a time when Israel publicly declares that it will not sign the treaty because of its special circumstances.
Despite this, Zawahiri says, the United States sympathizes with Israel and overlooks its actions. This means that the United States has deliberately left the nuclear weapons in the hands of Israel to threaten its Arab neighbors. Al-Zawahiri argues in his book that the western states have considered Israel’s presence in the region a basic guarantee for serving the Western interests.
Taking into account the fact that there was no mail postmarked with a Trenton postmark on Columbus Day, October 8, the letter to Senator Tom Daschle postmarked October 9 may actually have been mailed October 6. (The FBI, of course, may know the date it was mailed based on information that has not been disclosed.) (Some press reports, however, suggest that they are considering that the mailing may have been at anytime during the October 6-October 9 period). October 6 was the day Anwar Sadat was assassinated for his role in the Camp David Accord. President Sadat was assassinated on the national holiday called “Armed Forces Day.” He was killed during an annual holiday parade which marks the day, October 6, 1973, that Egypt made a critical successful surprise attack on Israel during the 1973 war.
“Death to Pharoah!” the young Army officer shouted. He and his confederates jumped off the truck shot into the reviewing stand where Sadat had been watching the annual parade. Sadat’s detention of Muhammad Shawqi al-Islambouli had spurred his brother, Khalid, to seize an opportunity presented on short notice to assassinate Anwar Sadat. Kamal Habib, founder of Egyptian Islamic Jihad and writer for the IANA quarterly magazine, who spent 10 years in prison in connection with the assassination, told academic Fawaz Gerges: “It was not a well-coordinated operation, and it succeeded by a miracle.” After leaving Egypt in the mid-1980s, Muhammad Islambouli operated in Pakistan recruiting Egyptian fighters for the war in Afghanistan, and headed a branch of Bin Laden’s Maktab al-Khidmat (‘Bureau of Services’) in Peshawar. Muhammad Islambouli was the subject of the December 4, 1998 Presidential Daily Brief titled “Bin Ladin Preparing to Hijack US Aircraft and Other Attacks” explaining that Bin Laden planned an attack on the US involving airplanes and that the motvation was to free the blind sheik and imprisonment of a Saudi dissident sheik.
In his Fall 2001 Knights Under the Banner of the Prophet, Zawahiri explained that the US support for Israel (at Egypt’s expense) was well-illustrated by the historic 33-day airlift to Israel after this October 6 attack. He argues that the US support for Israel made the difference between success or failure for Egypt. Al-Zawahiri describes how the United States shipped weapons, ammunition, and tanks to Israel for 33 days, with the goal being to compensate Israel for its war losses and to swiftly upgrade the combat capabilities.
He explained in his Fall 2001 book: “The animosity to Israel and America in the hearts of islamists is indivisible. It is an animosity that has provided the ‘al-Qa’dia’ and the epic of jihad in Afghanistan with a continuous flow of ‘Arab Afghans.’” Regarding the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, Zawahiri adds: “Whoever examines the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty will realize that it was intended to be a permanent treaty from which Egypt could not break loose. It was concluded in an attempt to establish on the ground, by force and coercion, a situation whereby it would be difficult to change by any government hostile to Israel that comes after Al-Sadat.”
After 9/11, a young Egyptian woman came to live with my family. She was the daughter of a senior Egyptian official who worked at the UN. I don’t know much about foreign relations. But given that peace seems a good thing, as we walked along a local duck pond, we discussed how Sadat was a hero of historical proportion. Now I don’t know enough about foreign relations or history to know whether that is right or not. But in profiling Amerithrax, and having watched the tv detective Columbo for many years, I know when a motive seems to fit a person of interest and when the facts seem to point to the motive.
When Ed Lake wrote that Senator Leahy had no role in foreign relations, he apparently was just unaware that he had the single most important role in appropriations to Egypt and Israel as head of a Senate subcommittee.
The recent terrorism indictment issued against a California man shows links between a Philippine insurgent group and Islamic extremists tied to al-Qaida.
This is not the first connection we’ve seen between Philippine insurgent group and Northern California. The last involved an employee at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and had top access to labs there.
According to the evidence from a trial in Egypt in 1999, Bin Laden first arranged to purchase anthrax through the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (”MILF”) in 1997 (from a supplier in North Korea). In light of the detention by Philippine authorities of the former heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (”HVAC”) technician with top-level security clearance from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California — and because of the alleged contacts with MILF leaders — authorities needed to address whether the lab had virulent Ames and whether the individual had access to it.
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency launched anthrax research at the Livermore lab in 1998 precisely because of the Bin Laden anthrax threat. Research at the lab included, for example, work relating to biodetector sensors and decontaminating gels, as well as later work on the genetic sequencing of the Ames strain.
Philippine authorities announced at a press conference in December 2003 that the former Livermore employee, Michael Ray Stubbs, 55, and his brother, James Stubbs, 56, had been detained and were being deported to the US because they met with charity groups believed to be fronts for Al Qaeda.
The brothers were arrested December 13 in a Manila suburb. Authorities said they violated immigration rules by soliciting charitable funds while having only a tourist visa. They reportedly were in the Philippines visiting their wives, who are Filipina. Mujahid, a Muslim convert and a former teacher in California, had been in the country since February 2003. Immigration Commissioner and the Philippine Navy flag officer in command announced that African America brothers were arrested by a joint military and immigration team.
“Actually Mujahid’s name has been coming up in a lot of intelligence reports way back and he has been on the alert list since September 11 and this is based from international intelligence information as well as our local information. Surveillance shows that they [Stubbses] have been meeting with MILF and ASG [Abu Sayyaf Group] members,” said Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo.
“In fact, only recently, he has been in constant communication through cellular phone with a known ASG member detained in Muntinlupa, Ibrahim Sali, and he has been monitored as saying that he was a classmate of bin Laden in a theological seminary in Saudi Arabia, and they are so close that he even named his son Osama,” said Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Teodosio, Marines commandant. As for the MILF personalities allegedly met by the two, authorities refused to reveal their identities, saying there is an ongoing follow-up operation.
James Carl Stubbs Jr., who adopted the name Mujahid, was a teacher in California before traveling to Sudan, where he studied Arabic and converted to Islam. Intelligence officers alleged that in May 2003, Mujahid met with several leaders believed to be fronts of the al-Qaeda network in the country that were founded by bin Laden’s brother-in-law.
The fronts were reportedly being used as conduits to channel funds to terrorists cells allied with al-Qaeda in the Philippines. Mujahid said he met with various private organizations here to set up financing from US-based Muslim groups to build schools, homes and improve farms in Muslim communities in Mindanao. A solicitation letter and letters of endorsements for solicitation of funds were found on Mujahid.
Michael Ray Stubbs and James Stubbs denied any wrongdoing when they appeared at a news conference in handcuffs. James Stubbs, who became a Black Panther in the 1960s, called out that the allegations were a fabrication and noted his brother was not even muslim.
The brothers attended high school in Indianapolis before moving to California in the early 1980s. Their sister, Pamela Thornton, of Indianapolis, told The Indianapolis Star that her brother James has radical political ideas, but that neither of the brothers is a terrorist. Intelligence officers reportedly claim Stubbs is a computer expert who maintains suspiciously substantial bank deposits. For what charities was Michael Ray Stubbs and his brother soliciting?
Michael Ray Stubbs was a HVAC technician at Lawrence Livermore near San Francisco until March 2000. Since 1998 Lawrence Livermore scientists have participated in the Department of Energy’s program to improve response capability to biological (as well as chemical) attacks on the civilian population. A 1999 Internal Livermore communication (available on-line at the LLNL website) discussed the anthrax threat posed by Bin Laden and the program that had been launched at Livermore to combat the threat.
Did that lab have the virulent Ames strain that was used in the anthrax attacks in the Fall of 2001? In October 2001, Lawrence Livermore scientist explained on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” that they tested their decontamination method using the simulant BG in field tests conducted at Dugway.
Mr. Stubbs left the lab on medical leave with a back problem in March 2000. According to an Environmental Assessment relating to a proposed BL-3 lab being constructed there, the lab has worked with “a number” of different strains since the Spring of 2000. One on-line account, quoting a “Frequently Asked Questions” list reportedly faxed by the lab’s communications department, says that the lab had used “25 different strains.” Was one of those strains from the Spring of 2000 the US Army “Ames” strain that was used in the attacks? If so, was it avirulent or virulent (an avirulent strain has a key plasmid removed) Dead (irradiated) or alive? Was it obtained from the same Northern Arizona University lab that later sent the Ames strain to the University of California-run facility at Los Alamos in October 2001? (The shipment included a small number of live spores). The Lawrence Livermore lab worked on the genetic sequencing of the Ames strain with that Northern Arizona University lab. The Northern Arizona University lab helped the FBI in the genetic signature of the strain.
The DOE standard badge is the key to the complex. The standard badges in 2000 were blue for Q-cleared employees, yellow for L-cleared employees and gray for uncleared employees. Foreign nationals with Q- and L-clearances had a red strip on their badges behind their names, while uncleared foreign nationals had red badges. Michael Ray reportedly had the high security clearance — “Q level” — and a blue badge.
Why post after lengthy post to yourself?
We’ve had trolls do that, quite often.
One known as Jimmy Clyde.
Because Amerithrax is the most complex investigation in law enforcement history and the casual webposter is not in a position to intelligently respond or contribute (because they are not familiar with the details or even the thread). Admin is always free to delete all of ZacandPook posts if he tires of exploring an Al Qaeda theory relating to Amerithrax, particularly in the context of the developments in the day’s headlines.
For example, the newest fascinating twist in the Goldman Sachs threat letter case (which purported to be from AQ USA) is that the writer says that 6 parents and 3 teens are now all horrified that a childish prank has gone awry.
(Mention of furniture polish to remove fingerprints apparently squares with forensic tests and so it appears to have been written by the original sender of the 70 threat letters).
http://gothamist.com/2007/08/06/goldman_sachs_t_1.php
See also Al Qaeda manual specifically instructed to wipe the envelope with a silicone sealant — containing up to one-third treated fumed silica — so as to not kill the mailman.
But I’m not buying it — 3 teenagers sending out 70 letters because some boss treated one of their parents badly? Maybe on Law and Order episode but not in the real world.
It’s hard enough to get a teenager to make up their bed. And we know from any Law and Order episode involving 6 parents and 3 teenagers that someone always talks.
Ed now will rush off (as he should) to find out whether furniture polishes have silicone in them (such as silicone sealants do). (And they most certainly do).
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&q=%22furniture+polish%22++silicone&btnG=Google+Search
That would explain (in my mind) the detection of silicone in the EDX. I have previously suggested silicone sealant as a possible explanation based on the Al Qaeda manual, I had also imagined it as avoiding the particles stick — ensuring they would just slide right off the letter.
But perhaps that is exactly what those fiendishly clever Al Qaeda operatives want us to think — thus throwing us of the key importance of the patents using hydrophobic nanosilica particles from GMU.
Clearly, this may all just a cruel prank by the Al Qaeda operatives to give credence to Ed Lake’s view that a 1st grader wrote the letter (dictated by his or her parent). :0)
The letter specifically says that the parent is dictating the Goldman Sachs letter to the girl. Ed, you should transmit your record of IP addresses to the FBI and let them put an NSA computer on cross-referencing the IP addresses.
Ha ha, you diabolical Salafist geniuses. He who laughs last laughs best. Let’s hope you knuckleheads didn’t use the expensive (not in libraries) last volume of Gale Directory of Publications I suggested Holy Land buy for you. ;0) (It has the emails of beat reporters and even excellent university libraries don’t have it).
Update-
Falls Church imam picked up at request of CIA -
Al-Timimi would speak alongside another Falls Church imam Awlaqi (Aulaqi) at conferences such as the August 2001 London JIMAS and the August 2002 London JIMAS conference. They would speak on subjects such as signs before the day of judgment and the like. (see dozens of linked lectures below)
http://www.themadina.com/archives/year2001/2663.html
Falls Church imam Awlaqi (Aulaqi), who met with hijacker Nawaf, reportedly was picked up in Yemen by Yemen security forces at the request of the CIA last summer. British and US intelligence had him and others under surveillance. Yemeni authorities insist they dismantled an al-Qa’ida cell Awlaqi apparently was picked up 6 weeks earlier, at the end of August.
http://muslimapple.com/2006/11/08/anwar-al-awlaki-jailed/
Awlaqi (Aulaqi) is allegedly a protege of Abdul al-Majid al-Zindani, who the US wants arrested on terror charges.
http://muslimapple.com/2006/11/08/anwar-al-awlaki-jailed/
In March 2002, Awlaqi had suddenly left the US and went to Yemen, thus avoiding the inquiry the 9/11 Commission thought so important.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040621/21plot.htm
(Eventually Aulaqi would be banned from entering both the UK and US because of his speeches on jihad, martyrdom and the like).
In 2001, Awlaqi came to Falls Church from San Diego shortly before Nawaf did.
Activists urge on his behalf that the public
-Appeal for the immediate release of Anwar Al Awlaki unless he is to be promptly charged with a recognizable criminal offence and given a fair trial without further delay in accordance with international fair trial standards
-Call on the authorities to respect the rule of law
-Remind the authorities of their obligations under both national and international human rights law and allow Anwar Al Awlaki access to legal counsel, his family and the opportunity to challenge the legality of his detention
Comment: In addition to human rights and due process issues, given the frequency of jailbreaks from the Sana’a jail (for example, by Buffalo NY’s Elbaneh), transparency and more attention to the rule of law probably would be a good thing from any perspective.
Question: What is Aulaqi telling questioners, if anything, about his fellow Falls Church imam and fellow Salafist conference lecturer Ali Al-Timimi?
Additional sources:
Ali At-Tamimi (59 Lectures)
http://www.thepathtoparadise.com/pages/Left%20Menu%20Pages/Ali%20Al-Tamimi.html
Anwar Al-Awlaki (35 Lectures)
http://www.thepathtoparadise.com/pages/Left%20Menu%20Pages/Imam%20Anwar%20Al-Awlaki.html
“Two Muslims in U.S. may have aided Sept. 11 terror attacks”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-06-27-hijacker-help_x.htm
“Why Did The Imam Befriend Hijackers?” TIME, Aug. 11, 2003
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1005415,00.html
D.C. mosque tied to 9-11extols martyrdom virtues [January 2003 JIMAS conference]
Associate imam says Muslims who die for Allah no different from Marines, September 11, 2003
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34540
Beach reading -
Although the thriller “Faithful Spy” by NYT correspondent Berenson, likely will remain my favorite, for some more anthrax beach reading, I see at my local library that there is also The Wrong Abraham, released late in 2006. Protagonist Shelby Baskin, and her fiancé return again to the streets of Boston, this time to prevent a terrorist attack on the city that includes a threatened deadly release of anthrax powder at Fenway Park.
Why does GWU Law School Professor Turley think the feds are playing the “Where’s Waldo” game last year? Is he satisfied now with his level of access?
ARI SHAPIRO reporting: Jonathan Turley is Ali al-Tamimi’s lead defense lawyer.
Mr. JONATHAN TURLEY (Attorney): This has truly been the most surreal experience of my professional life.
SHAPIRO: It started a year ago when his client was sentenced to life in prison for giving speeches that prosecutors said encouraged American Muslims to wage jihad against the U.S. Once al-Tamimi entered the prison system, Turley says he all but disappeared.
Mr. TURLEY: He was transferred to at least six different prisons in four states in less than six months. It became a version of Where’s Waldo? We could not find him.
SHAPIRO: After six months, Turley went to a judge.
Mr. TURLEY: I had to inform the federal courts that I had to file a brief in this appeal, but I have yet to speak with my client since he had been transferred from Virginia. It’s pretty hard to file an appellate brief when you can’t speak with the man you’re representing.
SHAPIRO: Turley got an extension for al-Tamimi’s appeal, and he reached an agreement with prison officials that would allow him to meet with his client.
Mr. TURLEY: They told me that I could call back the next day and that they would arrange a time and place. And I told them that I wanted to come out as soon as possible. They said, fine. Said just call us tomorrow. So I called them in the morning, and they said we just transferred him. And we can’t tell you where he’s going.
***
Here are excerpts from an email from Sabri Ben Kahla to people whether from GMU or abroad. In his email, Mr. Benkahla summarized his legal matter and mentions an October 2006 search of his father’s medical supplies business.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/24/AR2007072401886.html
What questions did they ask him before the grand jury?
“Dear Brothers And Sisters: As-Salem Aleikum wa rahmtu Allah
I pray this letter finds you all in good health and high imaan. I haven’t spoken to many of you for a while. But if you are receiving this email, we have met somewhere along this journey of life. Whether it be from GMU, or studies abroad in Syria or Egypt, or the University of Medina, or JHU or Hajj or a masjid, or a conference, or some type of activity; I have met you. I pray that you remember me.
***
To give you an update on recent events of my life: In June of 2003, shortly before I was to graduate from the University of Medina with a degree in Islamic law, I was arrested in Saudi Arabia. I was held in a small concrete cell without charge or explanation and no human contact other than periodic interrogations for a month. At the end of the month I found out this was done at behest of the F.B.I.
***
I was the final defendant in the “Virginia 11” case. Because of lack of evidence those charges were dropped but the prosecution came up with new charges. On March 9, 2004 after 8 months of home confinement and a one day bench trial, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that I was not guilty on all counts. Instead of being allowed to get on with my life; after the acquittal, I was called for several “debriefings” with the F.B.I. I was compelled to testify before two Grand Juries.
***
Two years later, in February of 2006, I was indicted again in what my lawyers would argue is a case of double jeopardy; this time on charges of making false statements to the Grand Juries and obstruction of justice.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022202125.html
***
In October of 2006, one week before my scheduled trial, the F.B.I. raided my father’s medical supplies business, causing my sister to be rushed to the hospital. They took boxes and boxes of our personal documents and belongings.
***
Finally, on February 5, 2007, my trial has come to an unfavorable conclusion. I was not allowed to mention to the jury that I was acquitted, yet the prosecution brought in all the “evidence” of the previous case which has already been ruled upon to prejudice the jury.
The Judge himself had to reprimand the prosecutors on several occasions. According to the guidelines I should face 1-2 years, but with the enhancements that have been used with Muslims, it could be pushed up to 15-20.
“None of you truly believes till he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,” and “to not take for granted any good action (m’aroof)” no matter how small it is.”
This letter will go straight to the judge, so no one should be afraid.
***
Your brother, Sabri Ben Kahla”
Los Angeles Times
July 5, 2007 Thursday
Home Edition
SECTION: MAIN NEWS; Editorial Pages Desk; Part A; Pg. 16
LENGTH: 149 words
HEADLINE: The bioterrorism business
BODY:
Re “Selling the threat of bioterrorism,” a Times investigation, July 1
It appears that, like Shiite politician Ahmad Chalabi, Ken Alibek has pulled
the wool over this naive administration’s eyes. All one has to do, it seems, is
to claim to have information that neatly dovetails into the preconceived notions
of the gullible neocons, and instant credibility and coincidently a lot of
government funding magically appear. Because the anthrax attacks have not been
solved, perhaps it would be prudent to ask Alibek questions to see whether he
might have information or ideas that would help solve these terrorist attacks.
He claims to know a lot about the use of anthrax as a weapon.
CHRIS CATSIMANES
Los Angeles Times
July 5, 2007 Thursday
Home Edition
SECTION: MAIN NEWS; Editorial Pages Desk; Part A; Pg. 16
LENGTH: 149 words
HEADLINE: The bioterrorism business
BODY:
Re “Selling the threat of bioterrorism,” a Times investigation, July 1
It appears that, like Shiite politician Ahmad Chalabi, Ken Alibek has pulled
the wool over this naive administration’s eyes. All one has to do, it seems, is
to claim to have information that neatly dovetails into the preconceived notions
of the gullible neocons, and instant credibility and coincidently a lot of
government funding magically appear. Because the anthrax attacks have not been
solved, perhaps it would be prudent to ask Alibek questions to see whether he
might have information or ideas that would help solve these terrorist attacks.
He claims to know a lot about the use of anthrax as a weapon.
CHRIS CATSIMANES
Here is a description of the October 2006 search of the Arlington, VA medical supply business..
Ben Kahla Defense Plans Appeal of Perjury Verdic
“Since 2001, Ben Kahla and his family have been
harassed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which has pressured them to provide non-existent information that
does not exist.
In October 2006, during the last days of Ramadan, the FBI, in cooperation with Arlington County Police, raided Ben
Kahla’s father’s medical supply business in Arlington, Virginia.
At the time of the raid, fifteen FBI agents pointed their guns at Ben Kahla’s 8-month pregnant sister, Farah Ben Kahla.
While one agent requested information, the other one suggested that she cooperated to avoid further damage to their property. The FBI took all files with client orders and inventory information along with several other documents and personal information.
“The agent told me, ‘don’t move, you can’t make any phone calls?’ They snatched my phone and locked me up with another agent while they turned my father’s office upside down,” said Farah.
When Ben Kahla’s younger brother arrived at the scene, he was forced into the custody of the FBI without a warrant for
an arrest. After witnessing her younger brother’s capture, Farah started crying out of shock and starting experiencing pre-
labor contractions from excessive level of apprehension.
The FBI’s investigation at the property lasted for the whole day. Customers were turned away and neighbors watched in wonder of what was going on.”
hi from CaCu. Caught a 35lb Barracuda today.
I've been busy studying the Goldman Sachs threat letters. I couldn't help but notice that the "explanation letters" which were sent to Newsday, The Daily News and the NYPD, were postmarked July 11. That's the day I completed the first version of my web page about the case. I'd been working on it since the 8th, and it had been on-line while I was working on it. I feel fairly certain that the person who sent the letters is a regular visitor to this web site. (The visitor logs won't mean anything, since I have many regular visitors.) That's why these hoax letters are so much more interesting to me than the thousands of other hoaxes. They're also much more interesting because of all the clues the hoaxer supplied. That many clues demand analysis.
Reading the "explanation letter" over and over, it seems that the writer is saying that he doesn't see anything wrong with what he did. He says, if the mailing of his 70 threat letters hadn't "unfortunately" "coincided with the horrendous events in England and Scotland" (i.e., the bungled car bomb attempts by the Muslim doctors), everything would have been okay. He seems to confirm that when he calls his stunt "a stupid, childish prank gone wrong." In other words, his plan was good, but those pesky Muslims screwed things up for him. That's pretty dumb thinking. So is begging the police and media to stop pursuing the matter further. It also indicates that he'll do it again if given a chance.
He also seems to be dumb enough to believe that he can explain away the fact that he wrote 70 threat letters, addressed 70 envelopes and then wrote 3 more "explanation letters" all in the same hand. The threat letters used the pronouns "we" and "us" and were supposed to be from a group he called "A.Q.U.S.A." And the "explanation letters" claim there was actually a group of three teenagers behind the letters. Either way, it makes no sense that only one person would do all that writing - particularly since the handwriting of multiple individuals would have shown that a group was involved. The totally unbelievable explanation he gives is that the girl's handwriting was deemed "prettier." The facts indicate that only one person is involved, that he's "scared" because his plan went wrong and people won't understand, and that he's trying to mislead the police with his explanation letters.
But his absurd explanation letter just provides more tantilizing clues to who he is. The mention of using "furniture polish to wipe down the envelopes and stamps" is most fascinating to me. Are we supposed to believe that furniture polish was used to wipe fingerprints off the letters the way you would wipe fingerprints and smudges off items of furniture? Using furniture polish for that purpose on letters is probably a first in the history of criminology. Who would be dumb enough to think that way?
Are we supposed to believe he sprayed and wiped the letters with furniture polish before writing on them with red ink? If he had done so, even though he used a felt tip pen, wouldn't there be indications that the red ink couldn't soak into the paper due to the wax (or silicone) in the polish? Or are we supposed to believe he wrote the letters in red ink before he sprayed them and wiped them down? Is that possible without smearing the red ink? (I tried it and the ink smeared.) There's no sign of smearing on the letters or envelopes.
But furniture polish evidently was used. And the letter writer supposely also wore gloves. Yet, according to media reports, the FBI is very interested in fingerprints on the letters and envelopes. They have asked reporters and editors at the newspapers which received the threat letters to supply their fingerprints, apparently so that they can be separated from other fingerprints on the letters.
The suggestion that the furniture polish was used to wipe away forensic information could be a very dumb way of trying to point away from the real reason furniture polish was used. (If he hadn't mentioned furniture polish, the police probably wouldn't have thought to test for it. Who puts furniture polish on letters?)
If the furniture polish wasn't used to wipe away fingerprints, what other explanation could there be for doing such a thing except that he was trying to leave behind trace elements of silicon and oxygen as were found in the attack anthrax? He would have had to use a silicone based furniture polish to do that, even though wax based furniture polishes are much more common. (Unfortunately, we don't know what kind of furniture polish was used.) And he would probably have sprayed only the backs of the letters and/or the interiors of the envelopes.
If it was a silicone based furniture polish, that would indicate some very "specialized knowledge" in the same way as his mention that the 70 newspaper addresses were obtained from "a directory at the library" indicates he didn't get the addresses off the Internet, which would be the method most people would probably use.
It should be very interesting to find out who this hoax letter writer is. There seems little doubt that he will be caught. But, as with the Hatfill lawsuit and the Amerithrax investigation, everything seems to take a lot longer than an outsider would guess.
The use of furniture polish on the Goldman Sachs letters has not been determined. The writer claims that is the case — as does the Daily News, but my understanding from the FBI (via journalist Rocco) is that analysts have not yet determined if such polish was used. (I presume it was).
Googling forensics and “furniture polish” and “wipe fingerprints” turns up a New Scientist article from 10 years ago where the Detectives entered the perp’s room and commented on the “smell of pledge” — noting it was used to destroy the incriminating evidence. Is your thought it works on things like computer disks rather than paper? “Furniture polish” and “wipe fingerprints”, when googled, comes up with it being frequently advertised without regard to material. Why wouldn’t it work on paper?
I use my fingerprints to get discounts at the grocery store — my wife only wishes she entered the perp’s room to discovery the smell of pledge more often. :0)
But, like you, I do the letter — and the possibility a silicone based furniture polish was used — fascinating.
BTW, I spend a lot of time in libraries and only know Gale Directory of Publications to be the likely source of addresses.
Your thinking is sometimes so bizarre that I find it difficult to believe anyone would actually think that way.
Does anyone use furniture polish on computer disks? I certainly wouldn't. If my computer disks were covered with fingerprints, I'd use a clean, DRY cloth to remove the prints. Or I might splurge and go out and buy some alcohol-based disk cleaner -- something that would totally evaporate after cleaning. The last thing I'd do would be to use something that leaves a WAX COATING on the disks. I have no idea what that would do to the ability of the laser to read the disks, but it can't help. And I'd worry that the wax would scrape off onto machine parts and cause problems.
And using furniture polish to remove fingerprints from paper is even more crazy. This morning, I tried spraying "Favor" furniture polish on some paper. The polish soaked right into the paper. It took awhile to dry. And, when dry, the paper was saturated with wax. The wax coating probably gave it special properties for picking up new prints or glove fibers and for collecting the skin cells which constantly flake off a person.
While one could probably remove fingerprints from paper by wiping the paper down with furniture polish, it would seem easier to just flush the paper down the toilet or to burn it. Who would spray a copy of the New York Times with furniture polish to remove fingerprints? Why not just throw out the newspaper?
If you're going to try to remove fingerprints, you're generally going to do it with things you cannot remove and take with you -- like furniture and light switches.
If you are going to remove prints from a letter you are going to send to the police, why put fingerprints on the paper in the first place? Fingerprints are generally only left behind when people don't think about it. If they think about it, they don't leave prints behind.
Will wiping down a sheet of paper with furniture polish remove prints? Actually, I don't know. It's possible that the right chemical analysis would be able to distinguish the body oils soaked into the paper from the wax applied to the surface. But, even if using furniture polish for that purpose works, it's still a totally bizarre thing to do.
THEY WORE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING THE LETTERS AND ADDITIONALLY USED FURNITURE POLISH TO WIPE DOWN THE ENVELOPES AND STAMPS.
It says that the furniture polish was ONLY applied to the ENVELOPES AND STAMPS. They did NOT apply it to the letters.
I'll have to go back to my "comment" on my web site and revise things.
Ed,
Earlier in this thread, you argued that it required specialized knowledge to send out press releases. I suggested that the directory was at the public library and privately I gave the example of kids sending out to a bunch of colleges.
As is your ad hominem style of argument, you made the same derisive comment when I suggested they would send out a bunch in order to have the news reported — given that most would be thrown away. “ROFL” was your response. By my count, 50 or the great majority were thrown away.
In the case of these threat letters, you’ve suggested the perp is drawing a design on a map of the US.
In Amerithrax, you’ve argued that a First Grader wrote the letters. You first repeated that suggestion, when made by someone in a news group, and said it was wild speculation. Now you deem it as FACT.
Might it be given the lack of common sense you show that furniture polish in fact can be used to wipe fingerprints from an envelope and stamps?
The reference to its use to remove fingerprints and cover tracks from a computer disc that you find so bizarre was not a Helpful Heloise tip in how to care for your CDs, it was related to the referenced New Scientist article — in which the virus writer did that to cover his tracks.
http://www.newscientisttech.com/channel/ tech/forensic-science/mg15621028.700
(”There wasn’t even a speck of dust on the table,” recalls Jim Bates, the computer forensic expert who accompanied police on the investigation. In detective slang, the air was thick with the “smell of Pledge” - the furniture polish someone would use to remove fingerprints and cover their tracks.”)
The wetting of a stamp or envelope you imagine by furniture polish is no more (actually, far less) than the wetting comes ordinarily from licking it.
Of course, licking a stamp or envelope leaves DNA unless it says they used a sponge. Perhaps that is the mistake they made. (I don’t recall if they volunteer that they used a sponge). I could see teens screwing up that way. Kaczynski used a sponge and any smart perp would.
In reading the obstruction of justice provisions of the new statute (that led to enhancement of Ben Kahla’s sentence), it would seem to fit the threat letters to Goldman Sachs. So if the parents (or all those innocently involved) want to avoid punishment, they should come forward now. The kids (if they exist) will be treated as minors and get off easy. But any further delay — that is, if that scenario is for real — places them all in a lot of trouble.
A film made on June 28 — the day after the Goldman letters were mailed — shows the spokesman for the imprisoned IANA Vice Chaiman (Al-Timimi’s friend) saying that a volunteer supporting the IANA Vice Chairman had just gone to great effort sending out dozens of press releases. (It was uploaded 8/10) She was very frustrated that no newspaper responded. Now I can personally vouch for the woman and confirm she would never send out such a threat letter. And the fellow I met on 6/28, the Vice Chairman’s closest confidante, although from Queens and in finance, also would not do such a thing. He strikes me as a man of great integrity. But this coincidence is the type that the FBI would want to rule out rather than spending too much time drawing Sponge Bob figure using the 70 dots — the sender would know most would get thrown out and never be heard of and so there was never a chance of a pattern being discovered. I had told the woman, this spokesperson, about Gale Directory of Publications because I was trying to get Holy Land to pay for this particular expensive volume that had emails (that I then might be able to use).
The lack of common sense comes from believing that they knew how to use gloves to handle the LETTERS but didn't know how to use gloves to handle the ENVELOPES. Does that make any sense at all?
Plus, the stamp on the only envelope I've seen was a SELF-ADHESIVE "Forever" stamp. So, there's no concern about leaving behind DNA in saliva. They just apparently couldn't understand how to use gloves to handle stamps, either.
Or the wipe down with furniture polish was for a totally different purpose, having NOTHING to do with fingerprints.
Both the glove point and the self-adhesive point seem very sound.
So you are absolutely correct. The furniture polish aspect is fascinating (to me and you).
It’s almost as if they wanted to point away from silica as being key to understanding the weaponization in Amerithrax.
Now returning to the subject of GMU and the threat of biological weapons,
a BBC interviewer explained:
“The private contractor companies linked to the military and jokingly referred to as “beltway bandits” because they’re sprinkled around the Washington beltway ring-road, is where individuals with the right mix of skills might be working. Some of these contractors are now known to have been involved in classified bio-defence projects. One of these secret projects, carried out in the Nevada desert, was part of a series of three In the first few days of September last year - immediately prior to the attacks of the 11th, the New York Times carried a major investigation which at any other time would have been a story of huge significance...It revealed three secret bio-defence projects at a time when the American people believed none was taking place. One - run by a contractor - Battelle - was to create genetically altered anthrax.”
GMU microbiology grad Al-Timimi, who was working with and had been taught by Bin Laden’s sheik, did mathematical support work for the Navy, while in the employ of Beltway contractor SRA International (which among other things does biodefense work). What did his work involve? (His field was genomics/bioinformatics).
When pressed by the interviewer, “Does it nag at you in the back of your mind that possibly you do know him?” Dr. Patrick reiterated: “Possibly, possibly, I could have talked to these people. But it would have been within the context of their having a need to know.” He explained: “ Most of my discussions about the biological problem has been in secure conferences and meetings, and involve people with need to know, with security clearance and what have you. I don’t talk about ‘how to’, I don’t get into ‘how to’ with many people, no people other than the fact that those who really have a need to know.”
Al-Timimi had a high security clearance for some of his work for the government. Why?
Proliferation of know-how serves to proliferate opportunities for access to that know-how.
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