Anthrax In Senate Ventilation

Sky News ^ | Last Modified: 15:39 UK, Wednesday October 17, 2001

[maquiladora]

Anthrax may be in the Senate ventilation system, according to a Senate speaker.

More than 20 staff working for one of America's most powerful politicians have already been contaminated by powder sent in a letter.

US government sources said the anthrax powder sent to Senator Tom Daschle's Capitol Hill office was weapons-grade, and thus almost certainly produced by experts.

Preliminary tests on the powder sent to Mr Daschle, leader of the US Senate, indicated it had been refined for easy airborne dispersal, the sources said.

And, as a purified form ideal for use as a chemical weapon, it was also more likely the powder was produced in a military laboratory.

Weapons-grade anthrax must be clinically refined to a specific size, making it small enough to be sprayed efficiently, but not so small as to be immediately exhaled by its targets. Larger particles land on the skin and produce a less dangerous form of anthrax infection.

Anthrax is not contagious and a person must come into direct contact with the bacterium to be infected.

Hundreds of people working in the Senate have been taking precautionary antibiotics. And security officials closed an entire wing of the eight-storey Senate office building as testing continued.

Mr Daschle said the letter sent to his office contained "a very potent form of anthrax that clearly was produced by someone who knew what he or she was doing".

Anthrax powder has also been sent to NBC Nightly News anchorman Tom Brokaw in New York. The powder infected his assistant, Erin O'Connor, 38.

The Daschle and Brokaw letters were written by a nearly identical hand and were both posted from Trenton, New Jersey, on September 18. They both contained anti-American, anti-Israeli and pro-Islamic statements.

One man has already been killed after contracting the disease at a newspaper office in Boca Raton in Florida.

[Jeff Head]

If it too is weapons grade (in the ventilation system) then this is VERY bad ... particularly depending on how long it has been there.

We are under attack folks ... major attack.

[surfer]

Already posted here:

Click here

[B Knotts]

Is it time to bring out the nukes?

[prambo]

It's been time for targeting of tactical nukes for, oh, since 11 SEP 01, I would say.

prambo

[maquiladora]

5,000+ people died in the WTC+Pentagon attack.....

We didn't nuke then, so why would we nuke when only 1 person has died in this attack?

We'd have to see massive casualty figures before George would even consider using nuclear weapons.

More than likely what we will see is cruise missiles strikes against Iraqi targets in a few weeks time.

[ALASKA]

We should trace it to source then answer WMD with WMD!!

[cajungirl]

I wonder how long that letter was around before everyone realized what it was. If it was waved around, fell on the floor, yadda, yadda, then the spores could have been sucked into the air return. If on the other hand they knew what they had immediately, then the spores in the ventilation system don't make sense. My husband has been saying the letters are only a fraction of what they are planning to do. He wonders if the letters are just little threats while the big mass exposure is coming another way. He got a fifteen page fax from the CDC yesterday and another today. So the CDC is notifying people.

[AuntToots]

The discovery of Anthrax in the ventilating system: did it only come from the letter sent to Daschel's office? Or are we looking at something bigger? Is this never going to end?

[B Knotts]

You're right, of course...but I do think that attacking our very institutions of government does up the ante a bit.

[1Old Pro]

BREAKING: The Capital/Congress to be shut down for 2 days to clean up.

[sphinx]

More than likely what we will see is cruise missiles strikes against Iraqi targets in a few weeks time.

One war at a time. First we install a successor government in Afghanistan. The challenge for Bush will be keeping the momentum going for phase two.

If terrorist attacks continue or escalate, that may not be a problem.

[LouD]

Is it time to bring out the nukes?

Yes.

[twntaipan]

Here's my humble assessment of the situation. The first anthrax letters to American Media and other places were intended to alert the senses of the people. The hoaxes, some of which were probably sent by the "peace-loving Muslims", are "amplifiers" for effect. Now comes the real thing.

[NorseWood]

Start cleaning Congress now . . . start with Clinton!

[Northpaw]

This strain is so refined that it is considered 'airbone'. This is weapons grade, probably from Iraq. Notice that each day, it gets worse. When do we finally say F-YOU and nuke them?

[classygreeneyedblonde]

How did these 22 people become infected...was it when the letter was opened....does this mean the anthrax was released in the air, is that how they got it....did they all touch the envelope....im lost

[maquiladora]

I do think that attacking our very institutions of government does up the ante a bit.

Lets not forget the attack on the Pantagon?

Of course, when the proof of Iraq's direct involvement comes to light, well, that will really change things....

But I still don't feel that it's feasible for the US to launch nukes at this stage....later though, if this continues to worsen, then it's a real possibility.

If I was Saddam, I'd start digging fast.

[ConservativeNJdad]

This is weapons grade, probably from Iraq

It can't be from Iraq---I saw some newspaper article yesterday that said it was some right-wing militia groups in Michigan.

[1Old Pro]

We had better put a stop to this soon. We also need to figure out real quick if Saddam is to blame and get him before he becomes and official target and hides.