Here is a Wikipedia entry of the lawyer for the biochemist (formerly from UNC ) who is expert on functionalized polymers (encapsulation). (For a discussion of encapsulation, see Katie Crockett’s lucid PhD thesis at GMU supervised by Ken Alibek (with an assist from Bill Patrick) discussing the method of weaponizing the anthrax.
So while TrebleRebel was right to point to the importance of AFIP’s detection of silica to the true crime analysis, and the tantalizing fact that it then reportedly (by some) could not be seen, Dr. Alibek’s student now has quite lucidly explained why the spores might have been encapsulated using silica in the growth medium. This is actually, in part, why the CIA and FBI have worked so furiously on isotope ratio analysis relating to growth media.
Ed’s explanation, while an earnest and good faith effort, can be filed in the circular file now that we have the more current and authoritative summary from Katie (who got input from Ken and Bill P).
But thank you both, TrebleRebel and Ed for continuing to focus on this important issue of the technical forensics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamdouh_Ismail
Greetings everyone,
Just checking in before I have to go back to work. Very, very busy these days. Just one or two posts that I am going to address.
The first post actually I guess is in response to admin’s concern over the technological content on the blog. While I don’t believe it wise to be having that conversation in such an open forum, the first amendment allows you to do it unless you discuss classified information. I won’t go through and tell people what is correct and what is incorrect (when I am able to distinguish between them) simply because of the terrorism issue. Misinformation is a powerful ally that I won’t alienate.
With regards to Dr. Crockett, she is an excellent Biodefense expert with awesome mentors. I’m very happy to call her colleague and I very much respect her knowledge and opinions. I would not discard any theories to try and explain the different observations regarding the anthrax formulation as they are all just theories. No one except the attacker knows for sure how things were done and therefore which technique was effective. We haven’t been allowed to do the required testing (to support theory) in the USA since the end of the offensive component of our BW program in 1969.
One scientist who used to consult with Ali Al-Timimi ( the GMU scientist man working with Bin Laden’s sheik) thinks he was in Rm. 154B at GMU’s Discovery Hall, in the middle of that suite — rather than 154A. Former USAMRIID head and Ames strain anthrax researcher Charles Bailey, in Rm 156B, was given a Gateway desktop computer in mid-March 2001 (upon his arrival) — serial number 0227315480 . Like the one Dr. Alibek later would get in 156D. One way to think of proximity analysis — a form of true crime analysis — is the number of feet or inches between 154B and 156B/156D. Another way is to think of it is in terms of the number of feet or inches to the hard drives. Judging by the floor plan which I’ve linked (and any particular area can be enlarged as big as you like), the distance between the offices, as the crow flies, was 1 inch/ 1 foot... or adjacent, depending on your point of view.