When was the "Afterword" written? According to one of the authors, William Broad, the book "Germs" was published on September 1, 2001, and Amazon.com first listed it on September 11, 2001. Other sources say it was published on September 10, 2001.
I've exchanged many emails with both Bill Broad and Judy Miller. I seriously doubt that either of them currently believes that anyone connected to the 9/11 hijackers sent the anthrax letters. Any "Afterward" written between September 11 and October 15, 2001, would probably assume that al Qaeda was behind the letters. That's what virtually everyone thought before we started learning the facts about the letters.
For what it's worth, I read "Germs" and made a comment about it on November 13, 2005, when I pointed out some errors in the book.
I think it's important to understand that the farther back you go to the days immediately following 9/11, the more likely the information you'll find is tainted and distorted by mistaken beliefs and pure speculation. It takes awhile for facts, beliefs and speculation to get sorted out.
I have the paperback ....2002 edition....afterword is new...it says on the cover...and is dated June 6, 2002 ....see page 341....
In May 2005, I spoke to Judy Miller and emailed her about the documents here. Besides noting I could have given exclusively to the NYT (but didn’t), she never expressed any doubt in her view that US-based operatives supporting the Salafists were responsible. But it’s now 2 1/2 years later and so someone should ask her. (Journalists are not in the business of expressing their view but instead just writing up news; so it’s not like I was probing her opinion). Her view would be especially interesting, though, because Scooter Libby allegedly was preoccupied in July or August 2003 about anthrax being smuggled into the country by AQ operatives (and she had met him twice). And, of course, she has lots of contacts, such as at DIA.
Suspect and A Setback In Al-Qaeda Anthrax Case
Scientist With Ties To Group Goes Free
By Joby Warrick
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 31, 2006; Page A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/30/AR2006103001250.html
Ed, do you believe it still a FACT (as distinguished from your theory) that a 1st grader who wrote the letters?
What probability do you think is it that a 1st grader wrote the letters?