Ricin Found In Kirkland Man's Apartment
Posted: 5:46 am PDT April 13, 2004Updated: 11:16 am PDT April 13, 2004
KIRKLAND, Wash. -- The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has arrested a Kirkland man on a charge of possessing ricin, a deadly poison that has been the subject of several scares since the 9-11 terror attacks.
The ricin and material to make it allegedly were found in the man's apartment on Friday.The arrested man is identified as 37-year-old Robert M. Alberg.Ricin can be fatal if ingested, inhaled or injected. There is no antidote.
FBI spokeswoman Roberta Burroughs said the amount was enough that it could possibly harm or even kill someone, but there's no evidence anyone was harmed.Agents reportedly tipped off by an employee of a seed company in New York state when Alberg ordered five pounds of castor seed -- the main ingredient to make the poison.Alberg is being held pending a hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court.He is described in charging documents as having autism, a complex brain disorder best known for interfering with a person's ability to communicate and interact with others.His family released e-mails he'd sent them saying "It's now exciting working with poisons. Perhaps I'll find a way to end all life on earth" and "I now have found a way to poison the water supplies as I continue my poison testing."Incidents involving ricin have caused scares elsewhere because of fears of chemical attacks in the wake of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Most recently, a small amount of ricin was discovered in February on a mail-opening machine in the Capitol Hill office suite of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee.
RICIN |
Facts About Ricin| Video |
Agents Find Deadly Poison In Kirkland Apartment FBI spokeswoman Roberta Burroughs said the amount was enough that it could possibly harm or even kill someone, but there's no evidence anyone was harmed.Agents reportedly tipped off by an employee of a seed company in New York state when Alberg ordered five pounds of castor seed -- the main ingredient to make the poison.Alberg is being held pending a hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court.He is described in charging documents as having autism, a complex brain disorder best known for interfering with a person's ability to communicate and interact with others.His family released e-mails he'd sent them saying "It's now exciting working with poisons. Perhaps I'll find a way to end all life on earth" and "I now have found a way to poison the water supplies as I continue my poison testing."Incidents involving ricin have caused scares elsewhere because of fears of chemical attacks in the wake of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Most recently, a small amount of ricin was discovered in February on a mail-opening machine in the Capitol Hill office suite of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. Previous Stories:
- February 4, 2004: Senate Begins Return To Normal After Ricin Attack
- February 3, 2004: Ricin Not On 'A-List' Of Bioterrorism Threats
- February 3, 2004: Senate Aides: 40 To 50 Decontaminated In Ricin Scare
- October 22, 2003: Feds Confirm Traces Of Ricin At S.C. Postal Facility
- March 3, 2003: 60-Year-Old Reportedly Uses Ricin To Commit Suicide
- January 14, 2003: British Officer Dies In Raid Linked To Ricin Probe
Copyright 2005 by KIROTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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