Scientist Commit's Suicide in Anthrax Investigation

[phrankinsteyn]

Well, the only good thing that came out of this is: he worked for the government. They can't blame it on the home chemistry enthusiast, can they? :)



"WASHINGTON - Federal prosecutors investigating the 2001 anthrax attacks were planning to indict and seek the death penalty against a top Army microbiologist in connection with anthrax mailings that killed five people. The scientist, who was developing a vaccine against the deadly toxin, committed suicide this week.


The scientist, Bruce E. Ivins, worked for the past 18 years at the government's biodefense labs at Fort Detrick, Md. For more than a decade, he worked to develop an anthrax vaccine that was effective even in cases where different strains of anthrax were mixed, which made vaccines ineffective, according to federal documents reviewed by the AP."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/anthrax_scientist

[Intrinsic]

Think he was the guy? Don't forget about Steven Hatfill (and Richard Jewell too for that matter). Both successfully sued for their being falsely accused.

I wonder how strong the fedgov's case against him actually is, or is he just going to be a convenient scapegoat.

[-=HeX=-]

Well I bet the investigation stops now because they will say 'He killed himself, thats an admission of guilt' or they will 'Find' a 'Suicide note' saying he was the person responsible and its guilt... blah blah blah. you know. I wonder if they killed him and made it look like suicide...

At least they cant blame us.

[Intrinsic]

That's about what I was thinking too. Rather than admit they have got nothing in an investigation that has been going on for 7 years now they have someone to 'blame', the guy is dead and he cannot defend himself, so it must be case closed. :rolleyes:


At least they cant blame us.


Do you mean us here at roguesci? I have to say that I haven't yet searched for any info on anthrax synthesis, it might be time now though. :)

[Bugger]

The stuff cannot be synthesized; it is a bacterium that has to be found in the wild and cultured. Because outbreaks of it have been successfully stamped out in recent decades, the last being in cattle in tropical east Africa, it would now be very difficult to find and identify any wild strains of it, if any still exist. There is also a remote island off the west coast of Scotland, Gruinard Island, dubbed "Anthrax Island", which from 1942 was once used as an anthrax research station by the British Government, and onto which anthrax spores escaped, but I think the island has now been decontaminated; see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1457035.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1359420/Legacy-of-fear-on-blighted-anthrax-island.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1438601/Vital-role-in-anthrax-island-clean-up.html

[Telkor]

Well, the only good thing that came out of this is: he worked for the government. They can't blame it on the home chemistry enthusiast, can they? :)



They never could, it clearly was a manipulated germ, the knew where it came from.

Well, did they finally solve the clue, or was Ivins only a scapegoat?

[phrankinsteyn]

They never could, it clearly was a manipulated germ, the knew where it came from.


Those that control and hold the power, in this case it was the government, can do what it wants. Lets just be glad they held one of their own responsible and not a home chemistry enthusiast. :) I am assuming it would have benefited them more to do so, as this would have made home chemistry enthusiasts appear dangerous (as if some people don't already think this) and to tighten up (pass additional laws concerning) the purchasing and use of chemicals/equipment.

[iHME]

I remember reading from a magazine some years ago how there was many things that linked him with the anthrax letters, but the government was not looking in to the subject :)

Any ways the common home chemist can't be blamed for this, which is good.

[Thorald]

There is also a remote island off the west coast of Scotland, Gruinard Island, dubbed "Anthrax Island", which from 1942 was once used as an anthrax research station by the British Government, and onto which anthrax spores escaped, but I think the island has now been decontaminated.

The Island is still being monitored regularly and all deaths of animals [I think the most prominent Animals on Gruinard Island are Sheep] are investigated. Although Gruinard Island was decontaminated using almost 300 Tonnes of Formaldehyde Solution [Diluted in Sea Water according to Wikipedia] I expect there are still traces of Anthrax somewhere on the island.

I think his motive for Suicide was probably not wanting to have his name dragged through the gutter and whatever was left of his career in total ruins.

Judging by what was reported in the Media after Mr. Ivins death my hypothesis for why he killed himself would seem likely...

Even after his death the media are dragging his name through the gutter in order to make it look as if the Beloved FBI got it's accusations right and that Mr. Ivins is not another Richard Jewell or Dr. Steven Hatfill.

[James]

Hmm, I thought Nikola Tesla invented induction lighting (and demonstrated it) in the early 20th century (from: 'Modern Marvels: Mad Electricity' IIRC)
Off Topic: translate my refference to ceravision from crap for another example or just check out the Wikipedia entry on 'Sulfur Bulbs'.

[phrankinsteyn]

An update and a little more info on this case. You decide. :)

Quote form the nypost: "It was an open-and-shut case, the FBI said. But three months after agents pinned the post-9/11 anthrax mailings on Army scientist Bruce Ivins - who committed suicide as the FBI closed in on him - his former colleagues have approached a lawyer to sue the feds for fingering the wrong man, The Post has learned."


http://www.nypost.com/seven/11022008/news/nationalnews/scientist_slam_fbi_thrax_probe_in_bid_to_136476.ht m

[Alexires]

Sounds pretty dodgy. I find it rather amusing that the scientists have gotten pissed off and have absolutely shot holes in the FBI's case.

In a way, it is refreshing that a group of people can almost bring a government case to its knees simply through them not being mindless sheeple.