# So... who mailed the anthrax ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 12, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615 "2003-05-12T03:35:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChaosGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/1 "2003-05-12T03:35:29Z")
I’d like to know what you people think of the anthrax murders following the WTC attack. Do you think: a) Dr. Hatfill, or some other “disgruntled” bio-scientsist with access to the stuff was responsible? b) A large company “dirty operation” to boost government spending on bio-weapons through the roof (very successful) c) A wacko right wing military group, to scare the nation into approving the Iraq “operation” ? d) Foreign terrorists Nothing was proved against Hatfill. Also, the anthrax was “militarized”, meaning that it was of unnecesarily high quality for the job, which would go against the doings of a lone scientist, and leans towards the work of an organization. Isn’t it weird that the attacks where just enough to provoke panic and paranoia. If it where a coordinated attack by a foreign nation with capabilitty to produce all the anthrax it wanted, they could’ve hijacked the nations postal system indefinitely. Also, they would’ve targerted more prominent and obvious political figures. It’s also suspicious how some letters actually warned the receiver that it was anthrax, and even suggested them to go for help. It’s Like if they just wanted to obtain the “scare/publicity” effect, minimizing the actual killings if possible. This [Link](http://www.print2webcorp.com/news/washingtontimes/anthrax/20020826/p1.asp) from the washington times is what piqued my curiosity . Article written in 8/26/2002 ---
**Author:** ![Payton\_s\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/2 "2003-05-12T03:51:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \* > \*\*Do you think: > > a) Dr. Hatfill, or some other “disgruntled” bio-scientsist with access to the stuff was responsible? > Nothing was proved against Hatfill. > > This [Link](http://www.print2webcorp.com/news/washingtontimes/anthrax/20020826/p1.asp) from the washington times is what piqued my curiosity . Article written in 8/26/2002 \*\* First of all, the **Washington Times** isn’t fit to wrap fish in, let alone read if you are expecting actual news, so it’s right out. As for Dr. Hatfill, there is quite a good bit of circumstancial evidence against him, but nothing damning. As for the big company arguement, that doesn’t pan out because the only group of people who are supposed to have access to whatever bio/chem weapons the US has are either in the militray or down at the CDC in Atlanta. And the right wing AssHats stumbling around the woods who call themselves a militia are too stupid to be able to produce something like that without blowing themselves up. ---
**Author:** ![ChaosGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/3 "2003-05-12T05:18:55Z")
Apparently they are now investigating materials found in a [pond](http://www.charleston.net/stories/051103/ter_11anthrax.shtml) in maryland. So the investigation is ongoing. By the way, when I said “military group”, I actually meant a “small sector of the military”. A conspiracy of a few radical elements with access to the bio-weapons, rationalizing in their minds the need to “nudge” america into a war on “terror” ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/4 "2003-05-12T17:47:17Z")
What **ChaosGod** is talking about sounds a lot like Operation Northwoods: [http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:20fns3lIUvEC:abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/jointchiefs\_010501.html+operation+northwoods&hl=en&ie=UTF-8](http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:20fns3lIUvEC:abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/jointchiefs_010501.html+operation+northwoods&hl=en&ie=UTF-8) ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/5 "2003-05-12T21:30:19Z")
My sister lives in Gaithersburg Maryland, and works in the Ft. Detrich army base, which is where they used to develop bioweapons and still work on defense against bioweapons such as anthrax. About a week after I made her the beneficiary of my 401k account, the US has its first anthrax attack, in the media building Boca Raton, Fl. About 200 feet from where I worked at the time. I called her up the next day: “Missed me, bitch!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ChaosGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/6 "2003-05-12T23:18:48Z")
**vibrotronica** -\> wow! great link. In light of that, a military “operation excuse” scenario utilizing a few anthrax envelopes sounds more plausible, probable even. ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/7 "2003-05-12T23:21:52Z")
It must have been Bill Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![ChaosGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/8 "2003-05-13T02:55:04Z")
**rmbnxs** -\> why ? ---
**Author:** ![ChaosGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/9 "2003-05-13T02:59:45Z")
**Revtim** -\> Does your sister have a theory? What do her colleages at the Ft Detrich base think? ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/10 "2003-05-13T05:40:58Z")
The fact that it arrived at it’s destination in a timely manner leads me to believe that it was not delivered by the post office at all… -FK ---
**Author:** ![klas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a587f6/32.png) [@klas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klas)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/11 "2003-05-14T21:19:50Z")
I seem to remember when this was first happening there were reports, and I do not remember where or when exactly I read it, that one of the terrorists from 9/11 had gotten medical attention for symptoms consistent with anthrax exposure. They didn’t think anthrax then, and didn’t make the connection until they were checking on the behavior of the terrorists pre 9/11 - but I have yet to hear of any follow-up … ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/12 "2003-05-14T22:03:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \* > \*\ ***Revtim** -\> Does your sister have a theory? What do her colleages at the Ft Detrich base think? \*\* I don’t remember if we ever talked it about beyond the jokes. I’ll ask her next time we talk, if I remember. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/13 "2003-05-14T22:08:15Z")
…And I seem to remember that shortly after 9/11 there were news reports that one of the terrorists met with an Iraqi Intelligence Service operative before the attacks. That indicates to me that the one or both of the reports **klas** and I read must be wrong, because the combination of the two news items is the closest thing to a “smoking gun” justifying a war on Iraq that I’ve yet seen. Since our straw-grasping administration failed to use this “evidence” I can only conclude that one or both of the reports didn’t pan out. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/14 "2003-05-15T07:26:32Z")
Okay rumor control: The supposed Mohammed Attah - Iraqi meet in the Czech Republic has been entirely discounted as a false report. You may go to BBC archives to dig up confirm. The report in re the ‘Anthrax’ connexion in re I believe al-Shibh is and was a rather shakey one. IIRC, al-Shibh (or whomever) sought treatment for a leg lesion, simple affair. The treating doctor, who took no tissue sample etc, months later recalls that the lesion could match those of a skin anthrax infection. Coulda, maybe… However, this was based on his recollection much later, in a very heated atmosphere where most commentators, including many of our own here, were searching around for al-Qaeda links. I am inclined to 100% discount the report as wishful thinking of a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/15 "2003-05-15T18:09:57Z")
The “obvious” theory is the lone, Unabomber-type wacko with enough access to inadequately-guarded material to make off with some. Could be Hatfill, could be a janitor or someone else. Anything else gets into conspiracy theories, which tend to fall down due to the _lack_ of anyone on the inside saying anything about it. No, what interests me is why there has been no arrest, or even a dragnet operation, in as widely-publicized a mass murder case as the FBI has ever seen. One does have to wonder if it’s simply gross incompetence left over from the years when Freeh was conducting his anti-Clinton and anti-Reno campaigns instead of running the agency, or if there is a political motivation behind the lack of apparent effort. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/16 "2003-05-16T15:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > No, what interests me is why there has been no arrest, or even a dragnet operation, in as widely-publicized a mass murder case as the FBI has ever seen. One does have to wonder if it’s simply gross incompetence left over from the years when Freeh was conducting his anti-Clinton and anti-Reno campaigns instead of running the agency, or if there is a political motivation behind the lack of apparent effort. \*\* Or perhaps they don’t have enough evidence against anyone or anything to get an indictment, so they are not making any arrests. Which rather argues against this “Ashcroft is a fascist” stuff that the Left bandies about so freely. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ChaosGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ChaosGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChaosGod)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/17 "2003-05-16T15:21:25Z")
I’m 100% sure that the Bush Admin. didn’t at all mind how this anthrax thing got confused with Saddam/Osama/Islam/Iraq. Remember Powell dramatically waving that small crystal vial over his head at the UN. “This can contain enough anthrax to kill…bla bla bla” Not to mention the the false reports that where put forth as evidence. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/18 "2003-05-16T15:26:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChaosGod \* > a) Dr. Hatfill, or some other “disgruntled” bio-scientsist with access to the stuff was responsible? The strongest point against Hatfill is the certainty of investigators that he was guilty. They may have information not available to the public. However, based on public information, there’s no evidence, just some vaguely suggestive facts. Since he’s been under intense investigation for a long time, the absense of evidence becomes significant. Also, he has no motive. So, if Hatfill is guilty, he’s crazy enough to send out the anthrax, but sane enough to hide every bit of evidence, even after an intensive investigation. > [@](#): > > b) A large company “dirty operation” to boost government spending on bio-weapons through the roof (very successful) Sounds like a movie plot. > [@](#): > > c) A wacko right wing military group, to scare the nation into approving the Iraq “operation” ? Another movie plot. > [@](#): > > d) Foreign terrorists This would be my guess. We know that Iraq was developing weaponized anthrax. Obviously we were under terrorist attack. OTOH it’s hard to understand why terrorist would have suddenly ended the anthrax mailings. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/19 "2003-05-16T15:42:27Z")
Is anyone else singing this OP to the tune of “Who Let the Dogs Out”? Who mailed the Anthrax? Woo, Woo, Woo, Woo… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615/20 "2003-05-16T16:09:58Z")
The families of the 5 dead people aren’t singing about it, **ruber**. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-mailed-the-anthrax/174615.md?page=2)