Egyptian Sailor Dies in Brazil From Anthrax- Brazil Police

Reuters ^ | April 28, 2003

[Shermy]

BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - A crew member of an Egyptian merchant ship has died in northern Brazil, almost certainly from anthrax, after opening a suitcase suspected of containing the substance which he was taking to Canada.

A spokesman for Brazilian federal police in the Amazon state of Para said on Monday an autopsy of the Egyptian man, whom he named as Ibrahim Saved Soliman Ibrahim, showed that he had died after vomiting, internal bleeding and multiple organ failure.

"He was the victim of anthrax," said Castro, adding that police were 90 percent certain that Ibrahim had died of anthrax.

Ibrahim died in the hotel were he was staying on April 11. Several health workers who found his body were taken to a hospital after becoming ill but are now out of danger.

Ibrahim had traveled to Brazil from Cairo to join his ship, the Wabi Alaras, which loaded bauxite in the Amazon to take to Canada.

"We imagine that this is about bioterrorism and Brazil was just used as a point of transfer," said Castro.

Ibrahim died before his ship sailed to Canada, where it was quarantined by authorities last week.

Canada was alerted about the ship through Interpol.

Castro said Ibrahim had been given the suitcase in Cairo by an unidentified person and was due to deliver it to somebody in Canada. But he doubted Ibrahim knew what the content of the bag was otherwise he most likely would not have opened it.

"He opened it because he was curious," Castro said.

After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, five people died in still-unsolved anthrax mailings.

[The Great Satan]

Brazil's Castro said Ibrahim had been given the suitcase in Cairo by an unidentified person and was due to deliver it to somebody in Canada.

This is right out of one of those old movies with Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre.

Is it conceivable this was narcotics and the guy just OD-ed?

[FairOpinion]

That's the article which said "Also aboard the Wadi Al Arab are 32 Egyptian nationals", which I took to mean they are the crew and the entire crew is Egyptian.

That was a good find, the article you posted. That's the thing, we read various bits and pieces of news reports and the catch is to put together the jigsaw puzzle.

I remember reading quite some time ago, that we are tracking various ships, which could be part of AQ. Maybe this is one, or maybe it's just a ship they have been using to smuggle things.

[FairOpinion]

"perfunctory responses by authorities right now: "not to worry" "everything's fine" blah blah blah."
--

When they say that, it's time to run for the hills!

Remember that's what they said about the first anthrax case, and that he probably drank from a stream and that's how he got it?!

I can understand the need for keeping some things from the public for various reasons, but there is a fine line, and if they cross this credibility line, they sound like and have the same credibility as Baghdad Bob.

[Prince Charles]

Very interesting...

[FairOpinion]

I am sure the Brazil police saw plenty of people who died of OD. They did an autopsy and based on that they said they are 90% certain it's anthrax. They also must have done at least preliminary tests on the material in the suitcase.

I think on this story we are way past the rumor stage, it happened back on April 11, and we have statements by officials, and the ship IS quarantined up in Canada.

[oceanview]

narcotics comes into the US and Canada by the TON, a suitcase would hold just enough weasel dust to supply your typical weekend party in the Hamptons. seems like too much trouble for just drugs.

[FairOpinion]

THANKS!

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/31/1041196641696.html

That's the one I vaguely remembered. They actually mention having terrorists pose as crewmen.

And they also mention:

Navy officials say al-Qaeda has used one shipping fleet flagged in the Pacific island nation of Tonga to transport operatives around the Mediterranean. The firm - which is called Nova and is incorporated in Delaware and Romania - has allegedly been smuggling illegal immigrants for years, US and Greek officials said. Its ships also frequently change names and countries of registry, officials said.

[The Great Satan]

I think on this story we are way past the rumor stage, it happened back on April 11, and we have statements by officials, and the ship IS quarantined up in Canada.

Perhaps, but it's a big old world and lots of funny, screwed-up things happen in it, including gross error on the part of coroners and pathologists. With the war in Iraq, it might have been easy to jump to conclusion about this fellow's death. I just think if this had been confirmed we'd be on high alert by now.

[oceanview]

unless they feel they "have it under control". they've been watching the ship for a long time, tracking it, the movement of people, etc. it just so happens this jerk opens a vile and take a snort of it, and the story get some publicity as a result, and here comes the denial phase by the US as soon as the story hits US media outlets.

[Betty Jo]

I've read about condoms filled with Heroin that are swallowed and then burst in the person.

It makes for a pretty quick death.

If the autopsy discovered "anthrax", it sure as heck could have discovered "Heroin".

Do you know if death certificates ar public nfo in Brazille?

If this Ibrihim Saeed Ibrihim is the Jordanian Electrical Power Station Engineer that graduated in 1983 from Beruit University,does it suggest anything?

I know the owner of the ship is National Navigation in Egypt,but I cant find who owns them, except:

Holding Company for Maritime and Land Transportation 48 %
Canal Shipping Agencies Company 30.8%

Now, I need to find out who they are.

[aristeides]

almost nothing you can do about it.

You could store quantities of antibiotics and antitoxins near likely targets. Also, isn't there now some way to detect anthrax in the air? You could alert people who are supposed to monitor for that.

[oceanview]

well, if the stuff was bound for Canada, we certainly could have used an alert to seal that border off. you know they don't want to attack canada with the stuff, they want us. hell, everyday in NYC they are scanning with radiation detectors all over the place. an anthrax laden vessel should certainly get as much attention as commuters walking through grand central!

[aristeides]

I don't think an overdose of heroin or any other narcotic would cause the massive hemorrhaging described of lungs, pancreas, and brain.

[oceanview]

that has already been done. tommy thompson has stockpiles of antibiotics ready to go in the US, and you can be sure that whatever technology is available to "sniff" the air for anthrax is already deployed in places like the NY and DC subways. but that doesn't stop an attack from occurring.

[Allan]

Bump

[browardchad]

The MSNBC story is as murky as the Brazilian info. No mention of who is saying it's not anthrax, except the amorphous "U.S. authorities." This story has been out there for over a week; the ship was quarantined off Canada on Thursday night, and now we are saying it's not anthrax.

OTOH, it might have taken the CIAFBINISCDC that long to check it out. Both scenarios are possible.

In either case, I only hope that we are not once again putting the tender feelings of the Egyptian government before our national security (as in Egyptair Flight 990).

[nicmarlo]

there is a fine line, and if they cross this credibility line, they sound like and have the same credibility as Baghdad Bob.

I agree....you may want to read that New Rochelle SARS thread (a high school student, attended by a FReeper, even, and some other FReepers live in that neighborhood).