Chemicals *are* Missing From Mexican Truck

(AP) ^

[Dallas]

MEXICO CITY --

Mexican police found a stolen truck on Thursday that had been carrying 10 tons of sodium cyanide, but most of the deadly chemicals were missing.

Authorities cordoned off the area around where the truck was discovered, abandoned along a highway in Zacatlan, about 120 miles northwest of Mexico City in central Puebla state.

Only about half a ton of the cyanide, contained in barrels, was still inside the truck and investigators were searching for the remainder, police said.

One barrel had been opened, sparking concerns of a health hazard. But officials found no evidence of contamination, said Frederico Perez, director of police in neighboring Hidalgo state.

No one has been arrested in connection with the truck robbery, which took place last Friday. Police were seeking information about three armed men who authorities believe stole the vehicle based on witness accounts, Perez said.

Sodium cyanide is used in gold and silver mining. If inhaled or ingested, it attacks the nervous system and can cause a person to suffocate within minutes.

Perez said it was extremely unlikely the chemical was stolen for a terrorist attack.

"The possibility of terrorism is minimal," he said. "Knowing how these robberies work, it's likely that the robbers didn't even know what was inside. They also probably wouldn't know how to use those chemicals."

Truck robberies are common in Mexico, particularly in the region just north of the capital, Mexico City.

The truck had left from Queretaro, a colonial city 115 miles north of Mexico City, and was headed to Pachuca, capital of Hidalgo state, about 30 miles northeast of the capital.

Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press

[savedbygrace]

If the theives are so stupid, how come they're not lying down dead in the back of the truck?

[DoughtyOne]

Well, it may be.

[Sen Jack S. Fogbound]

This is all very interesting! I found a bunch of information here on how one can use the chemical for an attack!

Could this be an example of "Loose Lips sink Ships"?

[savedbygrace]

i before e except after c. Thieves. Sheesh.

[umgud]

Truck robberies are common in Mexico....

I'll bet American truckers can hardly wait to start truckin in Mexico. Per NAFTA, this should start in about a month.

[ET(end tyranny)]

I spelled it wrong too, and I actually changed mine to the wrong spelling. *sigh*

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"The possibility of terrorism is minimal," he said. "Knowing how these robberies work, it's likely that the robbers didn't even know what was inside. They also probably wouldn't know how to use those chemicals."

Sort of reminds you of the "common hijacking" remark heard earlier today.

[Prodigal Son]

Since one of the barrels was OPEN, it seems reasonable that the theives KNOW what was in the barrels! Why steal something, 91/2 tons of something that you have no use for.

Exactly. It was almost as if they checked to make sure it was there first.

[ET(end tyranny)]

I think it's about time that every vehicle entering the country from Mexico, BE CHECKED! It's past time!!

[ninenot]

The FIRST statement from the 'police' was that the truck was stolen for parts. Now they tell us that the cyanide is missing, but the thieves are not going to use it for terror.

Next they will tell us that the poisoned people were actually stealing parts from a truck and thought the cyanide was perfume.

[Lady GOP]

_

[dagny taggert]

What kind of fertilizer? 46-0-0 (ammonium nitrate) is different than 10-10-10.

[Dallas]

I'm going into my bomb shelter now.....wake me up in 2009.

[dagny taggert]

posted on 5/16/09 11:29 PM Eastern by dagny taggert

Good evening, Dallas. :-)

[Dallas]

and a good evening to you....

[TheLurkerX]

Yeah, people with no knowledge of what they're stealing will move 9.5 tons of crap they know nothing about with 3 guys to do it, and leave a new truck sitting there.

[knak]

My husband told me he read a story a while ago that said the chemicals were found in the truck. Conflicting stories around? Does anyone know which are correct?

[PRND21]

My alert status has gone up considerably.

As has mine, Mr. First Day.

[go star go]

Well, we know that whoever took it didn't know what they had taken or they wouldn't have opened one of the barrels...