Posted on 05/16/2002 4:41:17 AM PDT by Dixie Mom
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
By SONJA BJELLAND, skbjelland@naplesnews.com
The theft of large quantities of fertilizer from some Southwest Florida farms has authorities concerned.
A report to the Lee County Sheriff's Office stated $80,000 worth of fertilizer was stolen from Farm Op on Six L's Farm Road in Estero. A quarterly inventory also revealed similar thefts from Six L's farms in Naples, LaBelle and Manatee County. The combined loot may total up to $500,000, stated the documents.
Authorities wouldn't disclose very many details surrounding the theft, including what kind of fertilizer and the quantity taken. They believe all of the fertilizer was stolen between February 2001 and May 1, 2002.
"Any time people start stealing fertilizer, it brings the antenna up a littler higher," said John Wilson, director of Lee County Emergency Management.
"Obviously, if someone is going to use this for its intended purpose that's just illegal. But if someone is stealing from three counties, that's something law enforcement is investigating to see if local groups would have an interest in that."
Wilson said there is no cause for alarm but he will follow the progress of the investigation. One concern is that it was a fertilizer bomb that blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. Wilson said he did not know if the missing chemicals matched the type used for bombs.
Sources did not specify what type of fertilizer was stolen. With the quantity taken, law enforcement offices alerted Wilson as well as the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.
Some types of fertilizer such as anhydrous ammonia also can be used to make methamphetamines.
State Attorney's Office spokesman Tony Schall said the Lee County Economic Crimes Unit will investigate.
The agriculture department has resources for investigating such crimes and was told the chemicals were missing.
"We've offered our assistance and we've asked to be kept informed," spokesman Terence McElroy said.
Here is the link. Excellent thread!
My pleasure! :)
LOL! This story is bravo sierra after all!
All of you keep your radar on for further news reports on this. And if you don't mind, please ping me to any more news if you run across it. I'd really like to know the chemical makeup of these pesticides that have been stolen. I may be wrong, but how much of a black market could there be for $500k worth of Roundup without getting caught?! If any of you know a chemist-type Freeper or anyone else who may be interested, please ping them!
In the meantime, here's a list of the organophosphates that you should be keeping an eye out for:
Organophosphate Pesticides: Common Names and Common Trade Names
True. Our awareness should remain vigilant towards all possibilities.
All of you keep your radar on for further news reports on this.
Will do. Thanks for the linked info.
"Y'all can put that on your tab."
/sarcasm.
WS, thanks for providing the link.
About the Gulf War Syndrome, I'm not really up on the latest research on that. I have run across some recent literature that claims there hasn't been any definitive proof that the illness came from their exposure to nerve agents, but I can't vouch for its reliability, of course.
Not for commercial use. Solely to be used for the educational purposes of research and open discussion.
GENERAL NEWSUnited Press International
September 26, 2001, WednesdayTerror suspects sought haz-mat licenses
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26
Up to 20 people arrested by federal authorities in connection with the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 allegedly obtained or attempted to get state licenses to transport hazardous materials, the FBI said.
Authorities are concerned these materials, such as gasoline or other volatile or poisonous substances, could be used in a terrorist attack. Attorney General John Ashcroft told the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday the FBI has advised all law enforcement agencies to remain alert for such an attack.
An FBI spokesperson told United Press International that: "The FBI continues to investigate the up to 20 individuals who allegedly acquired or attempted to acquire hazardous material transportation licenses. The FBI and the Department of Transportation have asked the trucking industry to watch for suspicious activity involving hazardous chemicals and other dangerous substances." Those who allegedly applied for the hazardous material licenses may have links to the 19 men authorities believe hijacked the four airliners used in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Ashcroft told the Senate Judiciary Committee: "Today I can report to you that our investigation has uncovered several individuals, including individuals who may have links to the hijackers, who fraudulently have obtained or attempted to obtain, hazardous material transportation licenses." Ashcroft said the FBI has advised all law enforcement agencies to remain alert for such an attack.
(snip)
A spokesperson for the California Department of Motor Vehicles said to obtain a license to transport hazardous materials, a person would need to first obtain a commercial driver license and pass a written test in English. (Remember the phony license ring in TN & the people arrested for taking tests for illegals?) Proof of legal U.S. residence is needed, as well as a Social Security number and applicants also must be certified as medically fit.
A report by the Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry said it would be routine for terrorists "to use chemicals commonly found in communities in industrialized nations to create improvised explosives, incendiaries, and chemical agents. Common chemicals may be used because standard military chemical agents may be difficult or dangerous to manufacture, access or disperse."
The report, "Industrial chemicals and terrorism: Human health threat analysis, mitigation and prevention," said although the chemical agents that terrorists procure and develop might be less toxic than military supplies, they can have tremendous impacts.
According to the ATSDR report, 93 percent of domestic terrorism incidents involve an explosive or incendiary device. A person driving a tanker tuck full of hazardous materials would have many options for terrorist actions.
Some of the substances that could be used in a terrorist attack involving hazardous materials are eye, skin and respiratory irritants, such as acids, ammonia, acrylates, aldehydes and isocyanates. Choking agents that could be used include chlorine, hydrogen sulfide and phosgene.
There also are potential flammable chemical industry gases on the list, including acetone, aromatic hydrocarbons that could be used as water supply contaminants -- benzene is one, oxidizers for improvised explosives such as oxygen and peroxides, compressed hydrocarbon fuel gases such as liquified natural gas, propane and isobutane, liquid hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline and jet fuel, industrial compounds that could be used as blister agents such as dimethyl sulfate and organophosphate pesticides that could be used as low-grade nerve agents.
The only reason I got on today at all is because we have family going to the Indy 500 and I was worried about pesticides being dumped there from balloons or something. I did a search for balloon races there (which would give cover for lots of balloons in the air) and found that there is one affiliated with the 500. I called the company and, thank G-d, it's already happened and they assured me the airspace would be restricted on the day of the race which made me feel a lot better.
Of interest for follow-up, however, these balloons are available for sale, either for commercial use or individual enthusiasts. Fortunately, most of the stuff they planned for wouldn't work with that way of dispersal...
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