Senator Seeks Terrorist-Virus Probe

Yahoo News ^ | 9-13-2 | By DAVID GRAM, Associated Press Writer

[vannrox]

Senator Seeks Terrorist-Virus Probe

Thu Sep 12, 6:42 PM ET

By DAVID GRAM, Associated Press Writer

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Sen. Patrick Leahy ( news, bio, voting record) urged Thursday that the government explore the possibility of a terrorist link to an outbreak of West Nile virus ( news - web sites) that has killed 54 people this year.

"I think we have to ask ourselves: Is it coincidence that we're seeing such an increase in West Nile virus or is that something that's being tested as a biological weapon against us?" said Leahy, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee ( news - web sites) and was the target last year of an anthrax-laden envelope sent to his office.

The Vermont Democrat made the remarks on a radio talk show broadcast on WKDR in Burlington and WDEV in Waterbury. In a statement issued later by his office, Leahy said he could point to no specific evidence that the outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus was linked to terrorism.

A spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( news - web sites) said Thursday that there is no evidence to suggest an act of bioterrorism.

According to the CDC, nationally, 1,295 people have contracted the disease and 54 have died.

Leahy's office also released excerpts Thursday from previous news and congressional committee reports saying officials had downplayed the fear that the spread of West Nile virus might be the work of bioterrorists.

"In the times in which we live, questions about our vulnerabilities are unavoidable, and finding all the answers we can is more important than ever," Leahy said in the statement. "I have no way of knowing what the answers are, but some legitimate questions have been asked, especially before September 11 last year, and no doubt they are being asked anew by the agencies that are working on this."

West Nile first appeared in the United States in 1999 when an outbreak in New York killed seven people. That October, The New Yorker magazine published an article focusing on a book by an alleged Iraqi defector, who said Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites) may have developed a lethal strain of the virus to use as a biological weapon.

A report issued in July 2000 by the minority staff of the Senate Government Affairs Committee said "law enforcement, public health, and intelligence officials have investigated the possibility that West Nile virus resulted from a bioterrorist attack but believe that this is very unlikely."

Skinner, the CDC spokesman, said the cycle of the disease and its transmission — from mosquitoes to birds and to people — is what one would expect with West Nile. "All of that points to this being a naturally occurring outbreak," he said.

[vannrox]

I -suspect this also.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Well, now that a Senator is talking about it, maybe people can talk a bit more freely about it here at FR without feeling like part of the tinfoil crowd.

[WyldKard]

Oh..for crying out loud..get a grip people!

More people just died today in car accidents than have died from West Nile Virus. Many many more people died from the flu than from this thing, this year. It isn't a terribly virulent virus, and most of the people who die are old and/or infirmed. Maybe Senator Pat should launch an investigation into a terroist link to MALARIA in SE Asia..after all, almost a million people still die from that every year...

Bad stuff STILL happens in post 9/11 that has nothing to do with terrorists. Virus' spread, diseases break out all by themselves, without any help by Osama Bin Dyin' and company.

This is just an example of the media trying to generate news...

[PhiKapMom]

I agree that it sure seems likely.

Wonder if he cleared this with daschle/clinton to see if the UN should check this out first before we act?

[cardinal4]

Who gives a damn what this Democratic obstructionist thinks?

[rhombus]

So what is Leaking Leahy's position about Iraq? Is he waiting to capture a mosquito with Saddam's fingerprints on it?

[Mo1]

I -suspect this also.

Same here ..

[End Times Sentinel]

Leahy's office also released excerpts Thursday from previous news and congressional committee reports saying officials had downplayed the fear that the spread of West Nile virus might be the work of bioterrorists.

Yeah, could be bioterrorists or it could be congressional democraps who favor open borders and unleashing a torrent of visas to third world types who bring West Nile Virus and Hepatitis and God knows what else here, all in the name of encouraging “diversity”.

Owl_Eagle

” WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"

[areafiftyone]

Nice of the terrorists to target all the crows first. You know those evil Infidel American crows. ;-)

[ZULU]

I suspect this also. I also suspect a communist biological warfare virus attacked Leahy's brain during the cold war and fried it.

[fivecatsandadog]

Ditto.... interesting when you put all the facts together. Has anyone figured out how it got across the Atlantic?

[areafiftyone]

Is he waiting to capture a mosquito with Saddam's fingerprints on it?

YUP ;-)

[ladtx]

Anything to divert attention from what they need to do. Heaven forbid they try to back their President after his UN speech yesterday. Nothing but a smoke screen.

[eno_]

OK, so when was the last time an entirely new disease like West Nile was introduced and spread throughout the U.S.? Is West Nile serious? You bet. Compare it with Eastern Equine Encephalitis. It is many many times more common and deadlier, just since it was introduced here.

[areafiftyone]

More than likely it came over with the many immigrants that the Clintoons let in this country. It was first diagnosed in the 1990's.

[Mo1]

I have no idea .. but I've been thinking this for a few years

All of a sudden this virus just shows up??

I could be wrong and yes I have a lovely tin foil hat .. but I still have questions without answers

[LurkedLongEnough]

Doesn't look like Vermont has much to talk about.

[hellinahandcart]

Forget it. You're talking to yourself here, for the most. I know, I've been there.

This fear of West Nile is the equivalent of someone stepping over a five-dollar bill on the sidewalk, because they're so focused on that bright shiny little PENNY.

Yes, by all means, let them join Leahy in concentrating on trivial minutia instead of the big picture. But to me, the fact that HE wants an investigation is a sure sign the whole thing is a crock and he's just using it for political purposes.

[andy_card]

Nice of the terrorists to target all the crows first. You know those evil Infidel American crows. ;-)

Before this is out, Saddam will be the one eating crow...

Actually, I kind of like seeing dead crows all over the place, though I kind of wish that more would land on my neighbors' yards instead of mine. So far this year, I've had to dispose of four or five, which definitely count as one of the activities I least enjoy.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Sen. Patrick Leahy urged Thursday that the government explore the possibility of a terrorist link to an outbreak of West Nile virus that has killed 54 people this year.

I'm surprised that Leahy didn't urge that before any investigation starts, that we first need the approval of Kofi Annan and the UN.