Replies

Frist confirming that it is Ricin:

Frist: Powder found in office is ricin

By JESSE J. HOLLAND
The Associated Press
2/3/2004, 10:18 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — A white powder found in the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist tested positive as ricin, a deadly poison, Frist said Tuesday.

While the test confirmed "that this was ricin," Frist told his colleagues as the Senate opened its session Tuesday, none of the substance has turned up outside his office.

"All air sampling and all environmental studies today are negative with the exception of what was found in that single office at that site," he said.

In that case, Frist said, "The powder was ultimately determined to be ricin."

"Somebody in all likelihood manufactured this with intent to harm," he said as the Senate prepared to open debate on a $317 billion highway bill. "This is a criminal investigation," Frist said.

Several members of Frist's staff went through decontamination procedures, but there were no reports of anyone becoming sick, said Senate sources speaking on condition of anonimity.

Capitol Police advised lawmakers not to open any mail.

One reason that all three Senate office buildings were closed was to give authorities an opportunity to check senators' mail, one source said.

The note that was left with this ricin drop said they can make more:

The article is expired, this is the cache link that won't be a perminent link:

http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:xnJSZIWUOpkJ:seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp%3Fcategory%3D1110%26slug%3DRicin%2520Letter+washington+dc+post+office+ricin&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Thursday, January 8, 2004 · Last updated 12:02 p.m. PT

FBI offers reward in ricin-package case

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The FBI on Thursday offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest of anyone responsible for leaving a package containing the deadly poison ricin at a post office in October.

A letter inside the package said the author could make much more ricin and will "start dumping" large quantities of the poison if new federal trucking rules went in effect, according to information released by the FBI and other federal agencies Thursday.

The rules, which require more rest hours for truck drivers, took effect Sunday.

The letter, signed "Fallen Angel," said the author was "a fleet owner of a tanker company."

No suspects have been arrested and no illnesses have been reported since the package was found Oct. 15 at the postal facility serving Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. The postal center was temporarily closed while health officials tested it. No signs of contamination were found.

The FBI and other federal agencies set up a toll-free number, (866) 839-6241, for information about the incident.

Ricin, derived from the castor bean plant, can be deadly. When inhaled or ingested, fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest tightness and low blood pressure can occur within eight hours. Death can come between 36 and 72 hours after exposure. There is no antidote.

I've been following this story since last night around 10pm but had decided after the Super Bowl that I wouldn't try to read every post of this thread anymore as I've been doing for quite some time. Now that something interesting has happened I'm coming back here for more info. I've skimmed the thread & read the news so I know basically what's going on, but have there been any interesting theories or comments about this specific case of ricin in the Senate?

Thanks