Spokane Valley Man Arrested For Allegedly Making Biological Weapon

By KOMO Staff & News Services ^ | June 19th 2002

[Aric2000]

SPOKANE - Federal agents arrested a Spokane Valley man Wednesday for investigation of manufacturing a biological weapon in his home.

Kenneth R. Olsen, 47, was making ricin, a deadly poison made from the beans of the castor plant, FBI agent Norm Brown said.

While traces of ricin have been found by U.S. troops in Afghanistan at suspected al-Qaida biological weapons sites, there is no sign that this case is connected with terrorists, Brown said.

"We have no knowledge he had any connections with outside or national organizations," Brown said.

Brown did not say if any ricin was found in the home or why agents believed Olsen would be making the chemical.

Neighbors were not considered in danger, Brown said, as agents searched the home in the suburban valley. Olsen's wife and three children were removed from the home after his arrest, Brown said.

Neighbor Dave Rausch said the family appeared normal, although they are private.

"They aren't out much," said Rausch, who lives across the street in the comfortable middle class neighborhood.

"Certainly it's scary," he said. "You wouldn't think something like this would take place in a neighborhood like this."

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office began investigating Olsen last August, before the terrorist acts of Sept. 11, Brown said. The FBI later entered the case.

There was no sign of a bomb in the house and agents do not know what Olsen intended to do with the chemical, Brown said.

"In our opinion the public has nothing to fear from this incident," Brown said.

Agents were also searching Olsen's vehicle and workplace on Wednesday, Brown said.

Ricin is an untraceable poison that is twice as deadly as cobra venom.

Castor beans are grown all over the world and the toxin is relatively easy to produce. It can be used to poison water or food, sprayed into the air or injected into a person. Ricin can kill within three days of exposure.

In very small doses, it causes the human digestive tract to convulse - hence the laxative effect of castor oil. But in larger doses ricin causes diarrhea so severe that victims can die of shock, as a result of massive fluid and electrolyte loss.

Originally manufactured in Russia, ricin was used by British scientists during World War II to develop a special type of bomb, but it was never used in battle.

During the 1990s, U.N. weapons inspectors found ricin in Iraq, where it was being developed as part of Saddam Hussein's arsenal of weapons.

During the 1998 trial of Thomas Leahy in Janesville, Wis., accused of manufacturing ricin, prosecutors said two-thirds of a gram of the poison could have killed 125 people if inhaled.

[archy]

Ricin doesn't seem militialike though.

See #23 above: [though HPAI is certainly more attractive as a potential bioweapon for use in CONUS]

In 1994 and 1995, four men from a tax-protest group known as the “Minnesota Patriots Council,” were convicted of possessing ricin and conspiring to use it (by mixing it with the solvent DMSO) to murder law enforcement officials.

[archy]

This story puzzles me because there is no South Florida link. Remember, ALL news stories nowadays have a South Florida connection in it somewhere.

Keep this under your hat, but it is believed that the suspect, Kenneth R. Olsen, once visited Disney Wiorld in Orlando. Anyone who's ever been there is to be considered a suspect, and should be considered armed and dangerous, particularly the children.

-archy-/-

[boris]

"My grandmother use to make us take a teaspoon of castor oil any time we had a cold. Talk about gag me with a spoon."

My father--a physician--used to talk about croton oil. "One drop will clean out an elephant." Apparently made from the croton bush. A 'powerful purgative'. In medical school in the 1930s, it was considered highly amusing to distract someone and put a tiny drop of croton oil in his drink. You had to be careful, because too much could kill the victim.

Evidently croton oil was once available over-the-counter, but no longer. I guess they didn't have many dyspeptic elephants...or mischievious medical students.

--Boris

[neutrino]

is making ricin against the law

cake_crumb, you indicate that it is, but I question that. Were it illegal, college biochemistry labs would need to be rounded up en masse!

[Catspaw]

It's Chevie and Cheyne Kehoe. They're both doing serious time. One of them was convicted in Ohio for his role in the shootout with the cops. His brother was convicted in the cop shootout and was also convicted in Arkansas for the murder of a gun dealer and his family.

Of course, you could be thinking of the Williams brothers, Tyler and Matthew. They torched three synagogues in the Sacramento area, and murdered a gay couple, among other crimes. One of them--I think it was Matthew--wanted to wear a Nazi uniform to court, or at least he did until his new lawyer said, "oh no, you're not." It's too bad, really, because he gave some fascinating and wackoid interviews to the local press before his lawyer put the kibosh on it.

[TexKat]

LOL

[PRND21]

Here's another Kenneth R. Olson...

It appears to be THE Ken, good find.

[capitan_refugio]

I was wondering ... do you think a potato cannon would constitute a "biological weapon"???

[DETAILER]

Here's a biological weapon for you - causes uncontrollable tearing of the eyes, making it impossible for the enemy to see clearly, and also causes extreme breathing difficulty. Made by eating large quantitys of lima beans and numerous hard boiled eggs. Drink a can of ginger ale to start the reaction. You are now a dangerous weapon.

[Catspaw]

Nope, he's not. I just checked the Washington state newspapers & they're spelling it "Olsen." That's Olsen with an E and not an O.

Spokane Valley Man Arrested For Allegedly Making Biological Weapon

June 19, 2002
 
By Michelle Esteban

 

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SPOKANE - Police in Spokane have arrested a man for allegedly making biological weapons in his basement.

Investigators believe he was brewing a poison twice as deadly as cobra venom.

FBI agents had been watching a Spokane Valley home for nearly a year, but they arrested 47-year-old Kennth Olsen Wednesday - a man they say was making ricin -- a biological weapon -- at his home.

"Ricin is a toxic substance that is highly lethal," said FBI agent Norm Brown.

Ricin is made from the beans of the castor plant. It's considered one of the most poisonous substances in nature.

One milligram can kill an adult.

"Risin is extracted from castor beans, they're used to make castor oil and the byproduct or what's left over is ricin, which is toxic." Said Seattle Fire Lt. Harold Webb . He says the castor plant is widely available and ricin is easy to produce.

A large amount of it can make a weapon of mass destruction. It's made the top 10 watch list of deadly toxins in the event of a biological attack on our city.

Bio terrorist experts say this arrest was an isolated case that poses no threat to residents in Spokane, or any city in the state.

Although investigators don't know what Olsen's intent was, they say there is no sign this case is connected to terrorists.

"It's a serious matter although we don't believe public any reason to alarm," said Agent Brown.

He says the investigation began last August -- obviously before the Sept. 11 attacks, and that's part of what delayed the case.

"The delay...September 11th, 2001, but the biggest problem was to verify the substance we had was ricin," he said.

Olsen was in his car with his wife when he was arrested without incident. Neighbors say he seemed like a normal guy with a family who was a bit on the private side. Now, they're searching his car, home and job site.

[Catspaw]

It looks like he was making ricin to murder his wife.

 

Spokane Valley man suspected of making biological weapons

06/19/2002

NWCN.com

 

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - FBI agents have arrested a man in Spokane Valley for allegedly making a biological weapon using ricin, a deadly derivative of the castor bean.

Agents arrested 47-year-old Kenneth Raymond Olsen around 9 a.m. Wednesday morning nearby his home, located at the 3800 block of Mercy Way in Spokane Valley. FBI agents raided his house and searched his vehicle and former place of employment for ricin or any bomb making materials. After searching the areas for several hours, agents said they found evidence of ricin, a deadly toxin used in biological warfare.

 

KREM

FBI agents searched the Olsen house for the toxin ricin and bomb making materials.

Olsen, a computer expert in Spokane, was charged Wednesday afternoon with manufacturing a biological weapon. Newly released court documents details his activities and suggest Olsen was making ricin to eventually kill his wife.

 

Authorities became very suspicious after searching Agilent Technologies, Olsen’s former employer.

 

Co-workers noticed bizarre items in his cubicle. When Spokane detectives searched it, they found strange things which included an Internet site printout about poisons, a pamphlet called “How to Kill,” several jars and test tubes with residues, and a copy of “The Poor Man’s James Bond” with instructions on how to use ricin. Later lab testing revealed traces of the ricin poison itself.

 

Resource Links

	Obstacles to bioterrorism
	Protecting yourself and your family

While traces of ricin have been found by U.S. troops in Afghanistan at suspected al-Qaida biological weapons sites, there were no sign that this case is connected with terrorists. FBI spokesman Norm Brown said neighbors and the general public were in no danger. FBI crews searching the Olsen house felt it was safe enough to not wear the protective white suits.

 

“We don’t believe the public needs to be alarmed, “ said Norm Brown, FBI spokesman. “It appears to be an isolated incident and we have no knowledge that the individual is affiliated with any national organizations or movements.”

 

Olsen told investigators he is a masseuse working at a massage parlor in Spokane and that he was looking into different herbs and different chemicals to be used in his massage practice. Olsen’s attorney told KING 5 News that there is no proof his client was trying to make ricin.

 

The arrest leaves neighbors stunned.

 

“(He seemed) very normal. I’ve seen the wife out working and she’s very pleasant. Who’d of thought,” said one of Olsen’s neighbors. “It’s scary. You wouldn’t think something like this would take place in a neighborhood like this.”

 

The brand new joint terrorism task force set up by the FBI, the Spokane Valley County Sheriff’s Department, the Spokane Police Department, the Coeur d’Alene FBI, the Washington State Patrol, and the Idaho State Police detected the plot. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Olsen last August, before the terrorist acts of Sept. 11, Brown said. The FBI later entered the case.

 

Ricin second most deadly toxin known to man

 

Ricin is an untraceable poison that is twice as deadly as cobra venom. It comes from the beans of the castor plant, considered an ornamental plant and is not hard to find and not illegal.

The beans are very poisonous and could kill a small child, even an adult, if ingested. Castor beans are grown all over the world and the toxin is relatively easy to produce. It can be used to poison water or food, sprayed into the air or injected into a person. Ricin can kill within three days of exposure and there is no vaccine.

In very small doses, it causes the human digestive tract to convulse — hence the laxative effect of castor oil. But in larger doses ricin causes diarrhea so severe that victims can die of shock, as a result of massive fluid and electrolyte loss.

Originally manufactured in Russia, ricin was used by British scientists during World War II to develop a special type of bomb, but it was never used in battle.

During the 1990s, U.N. weapons inspectors found ricin in Iraq, where it was being developed as part of Saddam Hussein’s arsenal of weapons.

During the 1998 trial of Thomas Leahy in Janesville, Wis., accused of manufacturing ricin, prosecutors said two-thirds of a gram of the poison could have killed 125 people if inhaled.

 

KREM TV's Erik Loney, NWCN.com's Liza Javier, KING 5's Susannah Frame and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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[Wm Bach]

"It ain't no use,
If you ain't got the juice,
The juice you get from Loosener's,
Looooooos'nerrrrs."
Loosener's Castor Oil Flakes - the all weather breakfast!

[Hoosier Patriot]

Ricin second most deadly toxin known to man

Second only to the shredded "lettuce" on a McDonalds Big Mac.

[Catspaw]

OH, ick--that's why I eat quarterpounders. Just the thought of that mangled lettuce on Big Macs (and that special sauce) is enough to make me hurl.

Then again, Mickey Dee's has great fries--not as good as when they were frying them in beef tallow, but still damn good.

[r9etb]

Newly released court documents details his activities and suggest Olsen was making ricin to eventually kill his wife.

I was right. From my #11: Or, more likely, marital troubles that necessitated an untraceable cause of death.

Woohooooo! I love it when I'm right!

[Catspaw]

I see you're using some restraint while you gloat :-))

Dontcha just love that feeling!

[Dialup Llama]

>Is making ricin against the law?

He was making Ricin Crispies which is ok?

Finally, after much effort Dr. Barabara "Anthrax" Rosenberg and all her friends at the FBI's Militant Fundamentalist group may have their lone, angry male, white wing, terrorist.

[PRND21]

Thanks for the update!

[Cultural Jihad]

Second Amendment Argument: The government has biological weapons. Therefore, I should have them as well.

"Clean-up in Isle 22."