Ricin-Laced Letters Sent To Bloomberg

Yesterday the NYPD confirmed that two ricin-laced letters were sent to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The letters contained messages about Bloomberg's support for gun control.

The suspicious material found in the two letters was a "pink-orange oily substance," he said, adding that it was the second of two tests that showed what appeared to be trace amounts of ricin. The substance is being tested at the National Bioforensic Analysis Center in Maryland, with conclusive results expected by Friday. Some of the emergency services workers who touched the letter Friday were examined after they showed minor intestinal symptoms of ricin exposure on Saturday, Browne said. The symptoms have since subsided. Civilian workers showed no symptoms, Browne said in a statement. "We take a lot of security measures as you know," Bloomberg said. "The men and women that open the mail for example ... they are well trained."

Bloomberg says that he will not be intimidated: "The letter obviously referred to our anti-gun efforts, but there's 12,000 people (who) are going to get killed this year with guns and 19,000 that are going to commit suicide with guns, and we're not going to walk away from those efforts."  Ricin, for which there is no antidote, can be fatal if inhaled or ingested. A mere "pinpoint" of ricin can cause death with 48 hours.

Terrorist Threat At 11 Seattle Gay Bars

Via Dan Savage:

Eleven gay bars in Seattle received letters today addressed to the "Owner/Manager" from someone claiming to be in the possession of ricin, a deadly poison. "Your establishment has been targeted," the letter begins. "I have in my possession approximately 67 grams of ricin with which I will indiscriminately target at least five of your clients."

"I felt sick when I read it," said Carla, the owner/manager of Re-bar. "It's so vile. It's just hatred. It made me worry for all the other bars, and for my bartenders, and our clientele."

According to the CDC's website, someone who has ingested "a significant amount" will develop vomiting and diarrhea within the first 6-12 hours; other symptoms of ricin poisoning include hallucinations, seizures, and blood in the urine. There is no antidote for ricin but ricin exposure is not invariably fatal.

"I just had the police come pick [the letter] up," said Keith Christensen, the manager of the Eagle, when reached by phone. Christensen had already heard about the letter from other bar owners and managers, and so he didn't open it. "It's probably nothing," Christensen added, "but the economy is really screwing all the bars right now, and the last thing we need is something ramping up the not-go-out mode people seem to be in right now. It's really freaky that someone would do something like this at a time like this."

Christensen says he's posted signs at the Eagle advising patrons not to leave their drinks unattended. "The police have already come and gone," said Roland, the manager at Madison Pub. "They collected the letter and that's about it. I don't think it's anything to worry about it." Roland admitted to being unnerved by the letter at first. "But after the initial 'what?', it's like whatever."

A letter also arrived in The Stranger's offices, addressed to the attention of "Obituaries." The letter's author said the paper should "be prepared to announce the deaths of approximately 55 individuals all of whom were patrons of the following establishments on a Saturday in January." The listed bars are: the Elite, Neighbours, Wild Rose, the Cuff, Purr, the Eagle, R Place, Re-bar, CC's, Madison Pub, and the Crescent. "I could take this moment to launch into a diatribe about my indignation towards the gay community," the letter concludes, "however, I think the deaths will speak for themselves."

Alison, Luying, and Tippett, local promoters and DJs who do nights at various bars around town, came up with the idea of organizing a pub crawl for this Friday night to show support for the bars that were threatened. Carla at Re-bar added that, as distressing as the letter was, she was pleased with the response from the community. "Everyone is calling each other, everyone's got each other's backs."

According to the Seattle Times, the FBI is investigating.

Seattle Bars Lively Despite Threat

Seattle gay bars were jumping this weekend as a nightlife fans organized a pub crawl to support the businesses who received last week's terrorist threat of ricin poisoning. Dan Savage is convinced the threat was sent by a self-loathing gay person because the letters didn't contain the usual language our opponents use.


(Via - Towleroad)