tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post7081596614039299357..comments2024-03-27T05:14:13.995-04:00Comments on Anthrax Vaccine -- posts by Meryl Nass, M.D.: New Information on FBI's Case Against Ivins from NY Times and the FBI Briefing of Aug. 18Meryl Nass, M.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07001997291638442225noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-46428721592732488612008-09-13T07:49:00.000-04:002008-09-13T07:49:00.000-04:00As for the career hedger political professional th...As for the career hedger political professional the Honorable Senator Specter, you can count on him to find the middle ground. Which in this day and age usually means caving in (but it didn't always). On another note...When asked about the chain of custody of the sample in question during the news conference, it becomes clear what the FBI's case would have been. Just do a control F and find custody in the manuscript and read on. There is no chain of custody. I believe Mr. Ivins probably succumbed to an incredible amount of pressure to commit suicide in order to save a failed case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-53022029236375540542008-09-08T18:10:00.000-04:002008-09-08T18:10:00.000-04:00daedalus2u, I agree that if Ivins is the perp, he ...daedalus2u, I agree that if Ivins is the perp, he must have started the work before 9/11. Filling the envelopes must have been done after 9/11, but any of the other steps could have been done before.<BR/><BR/>The scientific evidence can't nail down when exactly the anthrax was made - just that it was made no more than a couple years before the attack.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-67327801520231934682008-09-08T15:05:00.000-04:002008-09-08T15:05:00.000-04:00I hadn’t realized that the “flask” purported to be...I hadn’t realized that the “flask” purported to be the source of the anthrax held much less material than was sent, necessitating a growth step(s) to produce enough material for the various letters. To me, that calls into question the conclusion that the anthrax attack was a response to 9/11. Was there sufficient time between when 9/11 occurred and when the first anthrax sample was mailed (9/18) for the perpetrator to plan his/their attack, procure supplies, inoculate the culture, grow the anthrax, induce sporulation, collect the spores, process the spores into suitable format, put the spores in the envelopes, mail the envelopes? <BR/><BR/>I would think that would be extremely difficult if not impossible to do all of that in a single chronological week. Especially in secret without arousing suspicions of anyone. While seemingly maintaining otherwise normal work flow and habits. <BR/><BR/>Ivins would have no conceivable reason to try and do something like this on such a crash basis in response to 9/11. The only individual/group that could do something like this in a week would be an individual/group that already had at least 20 grams of anthrax spores lying around that they could play with and which would not be missed (to allow for some spillage).daedalus2uhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10416564922288784455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-36036088137770175372008-09-08T09:36:00.000-04:002008-09-08T09:36:00.000-04:00Although much is made of the flask, it's not a str...Although much is made of the flask, it's not a strong piece of evidence against Ivins. All it proves is that Ivins (along with many other people) had access to the raw materials of the attack.<BR/><BR/>The only really incriminating evidence against Ivins are the late nights at the lab (assuming that it was physically possible to make the attack anthrax during these few hours, and without being detected). But the FBI knew about this since 2001, and only recently considered Ivins a potential suspect.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-57970242580857443882008-09-07T14:22:00.000-04:002008-09-07T14:22:00.000-04:00From the Times piece:In the meantime, agents are c...From the Times piece:<BR/><I>In the meantime, agents are continuing to conduct interviews with acquaintances of Dr. Ivins and are examining computers he used, seeking information that could strengthen the case.</I><BR/><BR/>Hopefully, those agents won't be blind to information that will <I>exonerate</I> Ivins, should they come across it.<BR/><BR/>Dr. Nass, thank you for the continued reporting on this matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-86457584798706659422008-09-07T09:31:00.000-04:002008-09-07T09:31:00.000-04:00Thank you again and again for your outstanding wor...Thank you again and again for your outstanding work in this area. I am cetain reporters check your blog daily for your expertise and objectivity. You are an unimpeachable source. <BR/><BR/>Here's an article in today's Frederick News Post regarding the first Amerithrax suspect:<BR/><BR/>http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=79878Ellen Byrnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04202223859458862769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-17999062748544641882008-09-07T01:01:00.000-04:002008-09-07T01:01:00.000-04:00Meryl, I can't tell you how much relief I feel th...Meryl, I can't tell you how much relief I feel that two of the best reporters at the NYTs are paying attention. Better late than never, guys.<BR/><BR/>One caution: Arlen Specter has a habit of presenting himself as a contrarian and then, caving or complying with the administration later. And, one of his staffers when he was the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee was --- Jeffrey A. Taylor. I don't expect much from Senator Specter.<BR/><BR/>Thanks to the folks at Ft. Detrick who find a way to speak up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-47161934895654759072008-09-07T00:47:00.000-04:002008-09-07T00:47:00.000-04:00Dr. Nass, Fantastic essay. Keep up the great (and...Dr. Nass,<BR/><BR/> Fantastic essay. Keep up the great (and very important) work!Washingtons Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10891277931441055038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592607595936297457.post-10700682113963358422008-09-06T22:23:00.000-04:002008-09-06T22:23:00.000-04:00It just keeps getting stranger by the day.The NY T...It just keeps getting stranger by the day.<BR/><BR/>The NY Times revelation you citeiw, "the RMR-1029 anthrax flax... was not always stored in Ivins' laboratory, but kept in another building at different times between 1997 and 2001", raises any number of significant issues.<BR/><BR/>For example, exactly where was the RMR-1029 anthrax flask on the nights of Sept. 14-16, 2001, and on the nights of Sept. 28 through Oct. 5, 2001, (the nights the FBI contends Dr. Ivins was preparing the anthrax letters)?<BR/><BR/>Does the FBI even know?<BR/><BR/>Did Dr. Ivins access the other building (Building 1425), on any of those nights?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com