Is Al Qaeda Making Anthrax?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/09/eveningnews/main577395.shtml ^ | Oct. 9, 2003

[freeperfromnj]

(CBS) Al Qaeda may be hard at work trying to produce weaponized anthrax and other biological weapons. In an exclusive report, CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips recounts details U.S. interrogators have extracted from a top al Qaeda operative.

The new worry comes from the man accused of masterminding last year's terrorist bombing in Bali that killed more than 200 people and last summer's Jakarta hotel blast that left another 12 people dead.

Riduan Isamuddin, better known simply as "Hambali," has been in the hands of U.S. intelligence agents since his arrest in Thailand last August, and he's been singing.

According to interrogation reports seen by CBS News, Hambali was implementing plans to cause far more deaths using biological weapons, most likely Anthrax.

Hambali, as al Qaeda's main connection in the Far East, was apparently trying to open an Al Qaeda bio-weapons branch plant.

According to the interrogation documents, Hambali told his U.S. interrogators he had been "working on an Al Qaeda Anthrax program in Kandahar," Afghanistan.

There he worked with a man named Yazid Sufaat, a fellow member of the al Qaeda affiliated terror group Jemaah Islamiyah. Sufaat had received a degree in chemistry and laboratory science from California State University in Sacramento.

But in October 2001, when things became too hot during the U.S. bombing campaign of Afghanistan, Hambali and Sufaat fled to safety in neighboring Pakistan. There again according to the interrogation reports, the two men discussed "continuing the anthrax program in Indonesia".

In fact the men did return to the Far East and Yazid Sufaat was arrested as he tried to enter his native Malaysia.

The U.S. has asked for his extradition on another terror connection -- that he hosted two of the 9/11 hijackers when they passed through Malaysia before the attacks. Malaysia has so far refused.

While intelligence agents are confident of the intent of the Anthrax terror program, they also say it's been stymied because the terrorists haven't managed to obtain the sort of Anthrax strain that can be easily spread. Although they remain concerned that somewhere in the region they're still trying.

[freeperfromnj]

FYI

[demsux]

Probably plenty on the "market" straight from Baghdad.

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[Peach]

More to come on this, I'll bet. Please ping me if you hear more about this - thanks!

[Shermy]

Bump.

[Shermy]

More to come on this, I'll bet

Um, this isn't to encouraging...

"While intelligence agents are confident of the intent of the Anthrax terror program, they also say it's been stymied because the terrorists haven't managed to obtain the sort of Anthrax strain that can be easily spread. Although they remain concerned that somewhere in the region they're still trying.

Hopoefully this senseless rambling might just be the reporter's lack of education on the subject.

[prairiebreeze]

bump

[Technogeeb]

Probably plenty on the "market" straight from Baghdad.

Close. Salmon Pak, if Czech intelligence is to be believed (about 30 miles south of Baghdad). We know (not think; know) that the Iraqis made anthrax here before the first Gulf War, and they never did account for it all (several Scud warheads went missing). For what it's worth, one of the strains they manufactured was Ames (the same one used in the post 9-11 U.S. anthrax attacks), which they got from the U.S. in the 1980s for the asserted purpose of cattle vaccine.

Of course, we shouldn't believe Czech intel, since their video of Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani (Iraqi consul in Prague) meeting with Mohammed Atta (one of the 9-11 attackers) doesn't include any shots of Steve Hatfill...

[The Great RJ]

It should be stated US policy that any attack on the US with chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by terrorists or others will be met with a nuclear response directed at those countries or groups that directed or supported those attacks. Missle #1 should be aimed at Mecca.

[aristeides]

Could be disinformation (on their part or on our part) to hide the fact they already have it.

[Born Conservative]

Probably plenty on the "market" straight from Baghdad.

NO WAY; there were no WMD's in Iraq, didn't you know that? /sarcasm

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[nuconvert]

"Is Al Qaeda Making Anthrax?"

Guess if they're not making it,
they know places to buy it.
Not much of a difference.

[American in Israel]

Just an odd note for you all, a friend of mine that speaks Arabic was down in the old city chatting and the Palestinians are all abuz with the latest rumor about Al Queda.

It seems that Oslama Bin Laudin has changed his name in a way that make him claim to be the Islamic Messiah. Not sure of all the details, but on the Shitte side of the street they have a Messiah from the 1800's that is the spitting image of Ol binny. He is now claiming that position as the returned messiah, and this will mean a world wide Jihad to kill off all the infidels. The Pali's are all excited about it. If this rumor is true, it will align all the Jihadist in the same camp.

It also explains Bin Laudins dress code, it is the same outfit from the old drawings of this Maudi, and it explains why the attack on the WTC. The spectacular attack on America puts meat on the Messiah Story.

This is all rumor, and I will try to get more information, but if true it explains a lot of loose ends.

[Pro-Bush]

Is Al Qaeda Making Anthrax?

Do bee's like honey?

[Mitchell]

Ping to #16.

[genefromjersey]

I'd guess Hambali is telling us what he thinks we want to hear. Keeping in mind he already faces a death sentence,and that nobody is going to offer him a plea bargain,anything he says is going to be something he thinks will enhance the reputation of his group, or AQ,or anyone else that runs with them.

When we release this sort of info to the media,we cooperate in spreading terror.

Are the terrorists interested in using anything at hand ? Of course - but why bother with bioweapons when you have tons of explosives stashed all over the place ?

If there is anything terrorists REALLY like, it is things that go BOOM !!!

By the way, Hambali was captured after some of his followers,who were expected to lay down their lives for A'llah, notice Hambali had "gone Hollywood" and was living it up on the money his group had been sent. The followers were having all kinds of trouble getting enough to eat, and Hambali was living like a Sheikh...so they put the blocks to him.

I've been following this rascal's antics for about a year now,and, if he said the sun was shining, I'd look for my umbrella.

[Mitchell]

There was an article in WorldNetDaily on this, on Sept. 8, 2003: Is bin Laden the 'Mahdi'?