Ricin Scare II

The Las Vegas man in a coma has a name and a home address now, and the FBI got a warrant to search in his home for more information.

Roger Von Bergendorff, the focus of the investigation, had lived in the house near Salt Lake City for than a year before moving to Las Vegas about a year ago, said Tammy Ewell, who lives across the street.
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Health officials were still trying to confirm whether Von Bergendorff’s respiratory ailment stemmed from ricin exposure.

Police and health officials have tried to assure Las Vegas residents there is no public health threat. There was no apparent link to terrorist activity and no indication of any spread of the deadly substance, they said.

Adding to the mystery, police said late Friday that firearms, an “anarchist-type textbook” and castor beans, from which ricin is made, were found in the room where the poison was discovered.

The firearms and the book, which was tabbed at a spot containing information about ricin, were seized Tuesday, police Capt. Joseph Lombardo said. He did not elaborate.

Laura  Rozen asks, if this guy were a Muslim, is there any question if the FBI would be waiting for a warrant before searching his house? He's "the sick man" who "isn't seen as connected to a terrorist activity." They're playing it safe. Interesting.

UPDATE: The 92d WMD CST is in the hiz-ouse! (see photo and news) Must be very exciting for them - the first case of assistance to an actual "CBRN hazard" on the West coast. I won't call it a "WMD" event because it isn't a mass casualty threat.

Comments

[Dire Wolf]

"Must be very exciting for them - the first case of assistance to an actual "CBRN hazard" on the West coast. I won't call it a "WMD" event because it isn't a mass casualty threat."

Must be exciting to watch a them considering the Chem Corp. hasn't had an "actual" CBRN event since WWI. I bet those enlisted guys who went down there have more experience with live agents now that 90% of chem soldiers in the army now.

[NVH]

It's like that episode of star trek OS "the Tholen Web"

I'll bet the conspiracy guys are jumping all over this that the guy was Mormon, must be bliss to be so stupid...

[J.]

Dire, although I agreed with you earlier on the Chem Corps' absense from current events, I would note that there was an actual CB threat during WWII, through the Cold War, and especially in Iraq in 1990-91. It's not as if the opportunity for experience isn't there. And don't count on the WMD CSTs for "experienced" personnel just because they know how to put on a hazmat suit. The only real professionals with live agent experience are in the former Tech Escort battalion in Aberdeen Proving Ground, now the 22nd Chem Battalion.

I continue to believe in the CBW threat, I just disagree with how the military proposes to define and address it.

[johnsonkk]

J,
Lovely comment on the only 'experienced' personnel are up at Aberdeen. Only since you're not privy to the reports coming back from overseas would you think the only 'experienced' personnel are from Tech Escort. Other units, organizations, and contractors have significantly more time conducting overseas operations involving 'live agents' than the Aberdeen fellas.

[J.]

I hear you Mr. Johnson, but I still don't see that giving the CSTs any rationale for their existence. And I am sure there are some qualified people overseas, but they aren't doing any good for a response to domestic CBRN terrorism if they're overseas, now are they?

[Joe Perry]

Listen. I am in the 22d Chem BN. None of you know what you are talking about. I have been here for alomost 5 years and have deployed with them. Direwolf and Johnsonkk, you guys are clueless.