We once were told that the product mailed was a mixture. Let’s compare what we’ve been told by Dr. Read and the equipment that turned up missing at GMU. Catherine Fensalau at the University of Maryland (who earlier had done work for the FBI’s Amerithrax relating to the culture medium) has done some interesting work lately relating to mixture of strains.
Dr. Read, a scientist helping with the Amerithrax investigation in the DNA sequencing, long ago published the news that the anthrax was a 50/50% mixture of genotype 62 (Ames) and genotype 62 with an inversion on the plasmid. This would mean two distinct nucleic acids were detected in the sample. This means that some of the Ames had a segment of DNA that is inverted, or flipped, relative to the remainder of the plasmid. (No properly trained microbiologist would propagate or archive a mixture. Standard microbiological procedure calls for isolation of single colonies - i.e., single, unmixed cells and their clonal, unmixed progeny — at each step.) Inversions are not an uncommon class of mutational events, however. It likely would only be especially probative if it were a rare inversion and if samples were to be present among samples collected from laboratory archives. It is possible that the anthrax used is highly distinctive (pinpointing a single lab) and the authorities just don’t have that sample collected.
Let’s consider some of the equipment that has turned up missing at GMU.
The Assistant Director of Operations Thomas B. Huff advised staff, for example, that a rotary hybridization oven is missing:
(1) Rotissery hybridization oven.
He wrote:
“The rotissery hybridization oven belonging to the Center for Biomedical Genomics is currently misplaced. It is urgently needed for ongoing research.
If you have seen it, please let us know ASAP. It was formerly located
in Discovery Hall Room 320 when it was Luca’s lab, but may have been
moved to 321 at some point.
Any information will be greatly appreciated so the research projects
that rely on this equipment can continue.
thanks for your prompt attention,
Tom
___________________________________________
Thomas B Huff
Assistant Director of Operations
Life Sciences
The Shared Research Instrumentation Facility
George Mason University
10900 University Blvd, MSN 4D7”
This is used for hybridization. The oven is used for hybridization which is a technique used in many processes in molecular biology including PCR.
This equipment can be used to manufacture biological agents AND genetically modified biological agents which can be used as biological weapons.
(2) a miniature agarose gel box and tray
This is needed for gel electrophoresis: a method used in biochemistry and molecular biology to separate DNA, RNA, or protein molecules by size. These molecules vary in size and therefore travel at different distances (b/c of the different sizes).
A. Estimation of the size of DNA molecules following restriction enzyme digestion. But restriction enzyme digestion can be used in the process of creating recombinant DNA which is used for genetic transformation to produce genetically modified organisms. For example, it can be used in the manipulation of E. coli bacteria to produce
human insulin for diabetics.
B. Use in PCR: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a biochemistry and molecular biology technique for exponentially amplifying DNA without using a living organism (i.e. you can make tons of DNA easily including DNA that has been genetically modified). Can be used for cloning a gene, not to be confused with cloning a whole organism.
This is the process of isolating a gene from one organism and then inserting it into another organism (now termed a genetically modified organism (GMO)). PCR is often used to amplify the gene, which can then be inserted into a vector (a vector is a piece of DNA which ‘carries’ the gene into the GMO). The DNA can then be transferred into an organism (the GMO) where the gene and its product can be studied more closely or used as a genetically modified biological weapon.
(3) In late August 2006, someone pointed out missing equipment in Lab 254 Discovery Hall: A miniature agarose gel box and tray. In addition to a 96 well sized mat for the real time PCR machine. The a 96 well sized mat for the real time PCR machine is obviously also for PCR.
(4) two airgas tanks, Oxygen Large (OX200) and Rare/Special Small (NC CP35) (Nitric Oxide). Nitric oxide (NO) should not be confused with nitrous oxide (N2O), a general anaesthetic. Nitric oxide can be used for detecting surface radicals on polymers.
Such airgas tanks are used with lots of pieces of equipment but I?m not really sure which ones specifically. Most tanks are attached to a piece of equipment (i.e. microscopes) but it differs depending on the machine and the content of the tank. You’d have to know which labs they are missing from and what piece of equipment they were needed for to know the significance. The tanks are as tall as a person and HEAVY. They are pressurized tanks and can kill you (i.e. they turn into rockets) if they fall and a part of the nozzle breaks off. This can happen but only if you are really careless and/or don’t use the proper equiptment to move them. The point is that they are movable and steal-able but people will notice you unhooking the tanks and moving them.
Now, returning to the subjects of 2001, when did this equipment first go missing? Years afterward? (Beats me) Or the summer of 2001. Was any of the equipment initially thought missing located? (Beats me) Would it be useful in making the weaponized anthrax? (Beats me)
I don’t presently credit my scientific consultants because — among other reasons — I have such a scant understanding of such things — I may have rendered something totally wrong, especially upon any addition of material. Bill Nye is my guy.
errata -
As for who Ohio resident Christopher Paul knew, Wadi al-Hage was the personal secretary to Bin Laden, not the personal pilot (so there is no indication Christopher Paul knew him) And it was a guy named Khalifa Lnu, not Nabil al-Marabh, that the indictment of Christopher Paul says he knew.
One addition re Ohio: he was also researching (in 2006) a remote controlled 5 foot helicopter (which is moderately interesting given his ownership of a remote controlled boat).
But turning back to Amerithrax, and in the general never-ending effort to ferret out additional mistakes or develop additional insights, these are questions I’m hoping to get answered (or mistakes needing correction).
Is Ayman’s codename Zabadi? (meaning Yogurt) Or is it Zubaidy? (named after the Iraqi inventor of an aerosol spray device).
Where is Mohammed Islambouli, subject of the December 4, 1998 PDB to President Clinton thought to be?
Was there anything on Atef’s computer that WSJ’s Alan Cullison gave the CIA? Or was it wiped clean.
Is Rauf Ahmad a microbiologist or an ecotoxicologist?
Why did the ISI stop cooperating with the CIA in early 2003 over Rauf Ahmad?
Was Al-Timimi a member of the Society for Applied Microbiologists?
What did the anthrax threat letter in January 2001 concerning Mahmoud Mahjoub’s bail hearing say?
Where was it mailed from?
What tweaking of the simulant prepared at a Wisconsin processor done at Dugway?
What is your view of the Gary Matsumoto “Science” article and ensuing debate?
What do you make of the Taliban’s Interest In the anthrax vaccine laboratory prior to 9/11.
What anthrax training did Muklis Yunos receive?
Whose laptop seized from Abdul Qadoos Khan’s home contained anthrax spraydrying documents?
Did those documents pre-date 9/11?
What did Ron Suskind mean when he said that “extremely virulent” (but unweaponized) anthrax was seized after Hambali’s interrogation? Do you credit that report (in “One Percent Solution”)
Do you credit the claim in 2007 upon the capture of Taliban spokesman there were anthrax packets intended for mailing to government officials seized?
When in October 2005 FBI Director Mueller told us in reference to the anthrax mailings to remember 9/11, remember Oklahoma City — what did he mean?
Why would Senators Leahy and Daschle been targeted?
Do you think the FBI profilers knew of the 1998 al Hayat letter bombs to DC and NYC?
Do you think the al Hayat letter bombs are useful in profiling modus operandi?
Have their been letters in the US containing ricin that bear on the Amerithrax analysis?
Do you think any code was used in the anthrax letters? If so, what?
Why was Princeton chose as the location of mailing?
What contaminant or poison did KSM plan to use to poison a reservoir?
Why wouldn’t dilution avoid the threat?
What was the chemical sought to be smuggled in the shipping container owned by Paracha’s company?
Who killed Ibn Khattab?
Did Ali Al-Timimi ever meet with pilots Hani or Nawaf?
Did pilot Nawaf ever meet with Moussaoui?
Did Moussaoui ever come to New Jersey? (on July 4, 2001 weekend)
Did Aafia know Ali Al-Timimi?
Did Marri know Al Al-Timimi?
Who was the Egyptian scientist researching anthrax in water supplies in July 2001 in Canton Ohio public library?
Did that Egyptian know al-Marabh? Was it Jaballah?
Why did they re-arrest Jaballah in August 2001?
Were the hoax letters to Judy Miller and Troxler sent from St. Petersburg related to Amerithrax?
Was the letter sent re Ayaad Assaad at Ft. Detrick (a coptic Christian) related to Amerithrax? (thought to have been sent by the anthrax perp(s)?
How many labs are thought to have had virulent anthrax strain?
With respect to what mathematical work for the Navy at SRA International have a high security clearance?
Is he known to have ever worked on a biodefense project?
Is he known to have ever taken a class from Dr. Alibek? Dr. Bailey? Serge Popov?