More Dead Scientists - Being A Microbiologist Is Dangerous To Your Health

Devvy.com ^ | April 21, 2002 | Devvy Kidd

[KitJ]

Your reference makes me wonder about the mystery illness that was sickening the Brits in the early days of the recent Afghan house cleaning. Reports of a severe fever/illness were on the British side and in the camps along the Pak border. I haven't checked, but that too disappeared off the televisor.

Kit.

[Vidalia]

Damn those Clintons...

[RaceBannon]

I dont think this is too tin foil, it is too coincindental

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

This topic strikes me as something you'd be interested in. Instead of Arkan-cide, we have biology-cide.

[backhoe]

It definitely has weird elements, and killing experts in this field prior to unleasing bioterrorism seems like a natural move to me.

[meyer]

Not one of the crimes was really solved. When professionals (either CIA or KGB) do the job that's the way it is.

That brings up another angle on all this; suppose that these scientists were found to be helping the terrorists on some level. Would it not be prudent (in a sense) for the CIA to simply "off" them rather than go through the court system?

[The Person]

I agree. Some of these person's fields are very different from one another. It is not such a tight cluster as to be strange, nor without links, is there any reason to suppose that they are related.

I like my conspiracy theories with some plausibility, such as the OKC-Iraq connection.

[Alamo-Girl]

Yes indeed! Thank you for the heads up!

[joyce11111]

Maybe they were all friends of bill clinton.

[MissAmericanPie]

Not very statistically probable is it. Looks to me like it might be terrorist taking out those that might find a way to twart their bio weapons? This is really creepy.

[Red Jones]

or, as someone suggested, it could be the cia killing people who cooperated with terrorists somehow. But I just can't imagine these scientists selling anthrax to terrorists. I also think that Mr. Hatfill was very lucky after all.

[Red Jones]

that is a very logical suggestion. could it be that all these people were involved somehow in a clique that was disloyal and instead working with russian criminals to sell this stuff? that is as logical as any explanation.

[jackliberty]

For later read.

[farmfriend]

ping

[Nitro]

Wasn't there a story a while back about one of the guys from the band "Iron Butterfly" that disappeared after he began doing some high-tech related work?

[TBall]

Bump

[Prince Charles]

"Arkancide"-type bump.

[tracer]

An announcement today from the director of the NIH re: the death of another prominent scientist working in the area of biodefense (bold type and italics are mine)

John R. La Montagne, Ph.D., deputy director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) died suddenly in Mexico City on November 2, 2004. He was 61.

“All of us are profoundly saddened by the loss of John La Montagne,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “Personally, he was a dear friend and one of the finest people I have ever known. Professionally, in an NIH career spanning nearly 30 years, his leadership and commitment to improving global health were remarkable. His generosity, wit, even-handedness and kindness made him a friend to all who knew him. He will be sorely missed.”

Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the parent agency of NIH, said, “We mourn the passing of John La Montagne, a true public health hero whose leadership, especially in the realm of infectious diseases, left the world a healthier place. His passing is a tremendous loss for all of us.”

John La Montagne devoted his life to improving the health of children and adults here and abroad. His leadership and counsel have been invaluable in NIH research efforts to fight emerging and re-emerging diseases, including biodefense research activities. I count myself lucky to have known and worked with John.

Elias A. Zerhouni, MD