Al Qaeda Plague Update

Not much news but what is there isn't especially good. The Brits seem to be relying on a Russian source to confirm that those particular elements of Al Qaeda do display a certain interest in developing their own biological weapons.

According to Dr Igor Khrupinov, a leading expert on chemical warfare at Georgia University, the Al-Qaeda is known to experiment with biological weapons. And, this group has direct communication with other cells around the world.

Meanwhile from The Telegraph, there's this nasty little bit of news:

It was reported last year that up to 100 potential terrorists had attempted to become postgraduate students in Britain in an attempt to use laboratories.

Ian Kearns, from the Institute for Public Policy Research, told the newspaper: "The biological weapons threat is not going away. We're not ready for it."

Comments

[Lala]

And all this time the left have been saying that the terrorists are poor, uneducated, hopeless people who are driven by despair. Who knew that they are educated enough, and rich enough, to get into post-graduate school.

[jharp]

So what do you guys think?

Time to invade Algeria and overthrow their government? Then occupy the country for 6 years?

[jharp]

"And all this time the left have been saying that the terrorists are poor, uneducated, hopeless people who are driven by despair. Who knew that they are educated enough, and rich enough, to get into post-graduate school."

News flash. Lala. Some are rich and some are poor and anyone with half a brain was well aware of that.

Think. Buddy. Think. Osama bin Laden? Poor?

[Lala]

I am not your buddy.

[mark l.]

still skeptical on the choice of a bio-weapon...

anything that might prove remotely effective in the US and Europe would also be far more devastating in poor regions of the world, of which, muslim countries would be 'members'.

chem weapons are readily available or synthezized, and the effects would provide instant 'gratification' to the terrorist group.

a small excerpt from the above telegraph article-

"Experts said that the group was developing chemical and biological weapons."

If the story is true, and the body count is accurate, I'd bet on a chemical agent.

I'm kinda shocked no news org has ventured forth to verify, if only to be rebuffed by someone who knows what is going on when they get to algeria.

[Lala]

Sarcasm is lost on some people.

[Lala]

Iranians celebrate Obama's inauguration -

http://needsofthemany.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/iranian-streets-on-fire-in-celebration-of-obamas-inauguration/

[templar knight]

"Sarcasm is lost on some people."

Yes, Lala, liberals are unable to comprehend sarcasm. Says quite a bit about them.

[Lala]

They are like the French, temp, they think Jerry Lewis is funny. (Although I must admit I know some French people who have a wicked sense of humor)

[SacTownMan]

"They are like the French...."

Madame, do you mean like when they get their butts kicked in war and make love with their faces?

[Snake Oil Baron]

I still think it is possible that they got the plague (assuming it really is the plague) from their caveman lifestyle (storing food and sleeping in the same location while rats and other small mammals scurry around). It is also possible that they died of something less frightening and someone thought it would give AQ and Taliban jokers something to think about by calling it the plague and having them look askance at every new guy in the camp who coughs.

If it is a botched bio-weapon attempt it just goes to show how bad an allocation of money and efforts biologicals are. If the organism or virus is too dangerous you kill off your operatives and expose your plan. If not dangerous enough it makes weaponization extremely difficult.

Whether the event was a workplace accident or a lifestyle hazard, I hope it developed into the Pneumonic version so that it is jumping from AQ camp to camp. It will also give civilians another reason to avoid these gentlemen.