'Cyanide attack' foiled in Italy

BBC ^ | Wednesday, 20 February, 2002, 11:47 GMT | bbc

[finnman69]

Italian police say they have arrested four Moroccans who were planning a chemical attack in Rome, targeting buildings which included the United States embassy. The four men, aged between 30 and 40, were detained in a dawn raid on a flat in the Tor Bella Monaca area in the south of the Italian capital.

They were discovered to be in possession of a powdered cyanide-based substance, maps marking the capital's water supply network, as well as a hoard of false documentation, officials said.

It is suspected that they were intending to poison the water supplies in a commercial area of the capital where the US embassy is located.

An embassy spokesman said there would be an official statement on the issue later in the day.

[finnman69]

Those naughy Moroccans.....

[Publius6961]

Does this mean that the muslim terrorists may get the attention of the Italians now?

[Mixer]

I love to see these plans foiled.

[Travis McGee]

This can be done by causing a pipe main break intentionally, causing the city pressure to be turned off in that area while the "accidental" damage is repaired. While the pressure is off, the terrorists pump the poison backwards into the system where it waits. When the pressure comes back on, the poison is spread downstream to the local area, or a building such as our embassy.

[mancini]

wonderful

[japaneseghost]

Gee, do you have to give out details on how to do this?

[RCW2001]

A injection pump would be the easier way to go and could be done easily and covertly anywhere 'upstream' of the intended target.

[stars & stripes forever]

And the media wonders why Vice President Cheney is so secretive about his activities.....

[MizSterious]

Yes, but isn't calling them "Morroccans" racist and bigoted? I think I recall the Europeans having accused us of that when we used words like "Islamic terrorists." Oh, I forgot. This is on their turf this time.

[BearCub]

This can be done by causing a pipe main break intentionally, causing the city pressure to be turned off in that area while the "accidental" damage is repaired. While the pressure is off, the terrorists pump the poison backwards into the system where it waits. When the pressure comes back on, the poison is spread downstream to the local area, or a building such as our embassy.

"Hot tap" the pressurized water main and pump poison directly into the line. It essentially involves attaching a device that cuts into the main and seals the cut with a valve at the same time. It can take as little as a minute to hot tap a live main once you dig down to it. Your poison pressure simply needs to exceed the main's pressure - maybe 100 psi or so.

-bc

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

..."as well as a hoard of false documentation,"

Did they have phony Tennessee Driver's Licenses???

[in_troth]

Why is cheney so secret and not the prez?

[rdavis84]

"wonderful"

I'd suggest that ANYONE who visits Italy in the near future take along a bodyguard! In their baggage or sumpthin'.

:-)

[rdavis84]

"Why is cheney so secret and not the prez?"

Deals.

[mancini]

. . . take along a bodyguard! In their baggage or sumpthin'.

Oh, alright! You can come with me! Sheesh. But there are a few ground rules.
You must ALWAYS take a drink of water before I do and absolutely NO "I miss FR!" complaints.
Capisco, mi amico? If you can handle that, then everything will be fine and we'll have a grand time!
It really would be a riot, wouldn't it?

P.S. Bring lots of euros . . . just in case I run out of cash. Luv ya. Thanks.

[mancini]

"Why is cheney so secret and not the prez?"

Deals.

In back rooms.

[Dog Gone]

What are the odds that the US Embassy doesn't use Rome tap water for drinking anyhow?

[rdavis84]

"You must ALWAYS take a drink of water before I do"

Now THAT's a Deal Killer!!! I want to go along, but that's like asking to be Arkancided !!

[mancini]

Okay, forget about the drinking water then. Having you along for the trip is more important than my safety.
We'll go the bottled water route. Happy?

Wait a sec, what was I thinking? Let's forget about drinking the water and just concentrate on the wine!

[katana]

Nobody in their right mind, especially foreigners, drink anything from an Italian tap. Bottle water is the norm in every part of Europe, but especially the "Romance" language countries.

Also, with dilution I'd think the only water that would carry any kind of effective dosage of cyanide would come out of taps within a few dozen meters of the dispersal point. Nonetheless, I hope the Italian police beat the living s**t out of these guys and extract some worthwhile information leading back to their masters. Miranda may sound like an Italian name, but civil rights in the south of Europe are an afterthought.