October 2008

ANTHRAX HOAX PACKAGES - CALIFORNIA/USA (Multiple reports & Analysis)

ANTHRAX HOAX PACKAGES - CALIFORNIA/USA

FBI Arrests Sacramento Man in Anthrax Hoaxes

SACRAMENTO, CA - The FBI arrested a Sacramento man late Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of sending hoax packages containing sugar packets labeled as anthrax and CDs entitled anthrax.

The FBI says Keyser is facing three charges for allegedly mailing more than 120 packages containing a CD titled "Anthrax: Shock & Awe Terror." Attached to the CDs were sugar packets containing a white powdery substance and a label with an orange biohazard symbol and the words "Anthrax Sample."

One of the packages was delivered to the Modesto office of Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, Wednesday morning. The delivery prompted an evacuation and the call-out of a Hazmat squad.

Investigators say Keyser is believed to have sent the packages to over 100 media outlets across the country, including News10, and at least two restaurants in the Sacramento-area.

Testing has been completed on several of the packages and there has been no evidence of a bio-hazard substance, says the FBI. The agency warned there will probably be additional packages received in the next several days. The FBI encourages recipients to contact law enforcement so that the packages can be examined and held as possible evidence.

There is no word on a motive for the packages.

The arrest wasn't the first time Keyser has made area headlines.

In 2003, he drew complaints for going door-to-door in Sacramento neighborhoods, passing out flyers for an organization called Neighborhood Terror Watch. The group's flyer described how terrorists could attack a school and raising money to defend against terrorism.

Area school officials said Keyser was spreading fear and pointed out that none of the money donated to Neighborhood Terror Watch would go to improving school safety.

A recent neighbor of Keyser said he constantly talked about what he considered America's lack of preparedness for a terror attack.

"He even talked about how he went over and actually looked at water treatment plants and how he could actually gain access to them," said Bob Doyle.

Keyser was in trouble previously in 1998 for sending false $76 bills to more than 4,000 northern California residents. He claimed he sent the fake charges in order to harass Wells Fargo Bank and a northern California lobbying group.

In 1994, questions were also raised about how money donated to another Keyser-led organization, the AIDS Action League, was spent.

An FBI spokesman emphasized that many more packages that were mailed may be arriving at other locations in the days ahead.

"If there are people or businesses that do receive packages over the next couple of days, we're asking those people not to panic. Please call local FBI office, we'll be happy to come out and pick the package up," said FBI Special Agent Steve Dupre.

Keyser, who is in Sacramento County Jail, is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Thursday.

-- Source: http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=49856&catid=2

RELATED

FBI Issues Warning As Anthrax Mailings Spread

Oct 30, 2008 3:30 pm US/Eastern

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (AP): The Star Tribune of Minneapolis on Thursday became the latest news organization to receive a package labeled "anthrax," a day after the FBI arrested a man on suspicion of sending anthrax hoax letters to the media.

The package sent to the Minneapolis paper included a compact disc with a picture of Colin Powell on it. Police said they didn't believe the substance was toxic, but they weren't taking any chances.

"At this point the package is in an isolated area of the building. We are going to treat it as if it is a hazardous substance until we know that it's not," said Minneapolis police spokesman Bill Palmer.

FBI spokesman E.K. Wilson said it's possible the package is one the hoax letters labeled "anthrax" that were sent to newspapers and TV stations around the country.

A California man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sending more than 100 hoax letters labeled "anthrax" to newspapers and TV stations.

Marc M. Keyser, 66, sent more than 120 envelopes containing a compact disc that had a packet of sugar labeled "Anthrax Sample" along with a biohazard symbol, the FBI said in a news release.

None of the packets has so far tested positive for hazardous material, the agency said.

More mailings will probably be received over the next few days, authorities warned. Recipients should contact their FBI office, FBI agent Steve Dupre said Wednesday.

Dupre said the arrest is not connected to another series of bogus mailings containing a white powder that were sent to financial institutions and announced by the FBI last week...

-- Source/continues: http://kdka.com/topstories/FBI.anthax.scares.2.852474.html

Preliminary ERRI Assessment & Ramifications of Anthrax Hoaxes

By C. L. Staten, Sr. Analyst

CHICAGO, IL (EmergencyNet News): This arrest would appear to resolve the latest wave of anthrax letter/package hoaxes in California, but it is not presently known if there are links to this set of incidents and those relating to banks and government offices and/or other letters postmarked in Amarillo, TX.

There appear to be at least two or three sets of this latest manifestation of anthrax hoaxes. Motives are still largely unclear, though the a lead theory in one set of the earlier letters involved someone who had a "personal grudge" against the Chase banking system, according to police and federal authorities.

Most of these latest letters appear to be domestic in nature, and some of them are undoubtedly "copycat" in nature. Links between the various sets of letters/packages has not been determined -- or if it has -- no official recognition of that fact has been released to the public. Beyond that, few other official details of this multi-state investigation have been released at this time.

ERRI WMD/Haz-Mat investigative specialist notes:

- That these incidents are disrupting emergency service operations in many places and that they are costly to respond to and investigate. It should be noted that, so far, none of the letters or packages in the recent sets of threats have contained any harmful chemical or biological substances.

- These letters/packages are causing some consternation on the part of the recipients, who are being decontaminated and medically evaluated...all with an abundance of caution.

- These multiple sets of biological hoaxes appeared designed to increase fear and uncertainty among American citizens -- which could have an impact or influence on impending elections -- but that has not so far been shown to be the case.

- These incidents might involve anger directed against the U.S. government and/or recent failure in financial systems...which could indicate domestic anti-government groups as the perpetrators. But, without more facts, that determination can not definitively be made at this time.

- Finally, as might be expected, the real fear is that amidst all the hoaxes...a potential does exist for a real distribution of a chemical or biological toxin (possibly by some foreign terrorist group). The danger is that if emergency service forces don't respond to each and every incident as if were "real," a lackadaisical response to a incident involving a bona fide toxin could result in the unnecessary injury or death of citizens or responders.

There are numerous references to previous batches of anthrax hoaxes that are available on the Emergency.Com website. Use the search engine on the Emergency.com portal page ( http://www.emergency.com/Portal.htm ) to access them. Then, watch EmergencyNet News for more on this still developing story...

Additional Reference

CBS News Interactive report on Anthrax -- Can be found at:

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/mass_destruction/
anthrax/framesource.html

Exclusive: Letter Threatens Chase Bank CEO, 'You Will Be Killed'

October 22, 2008

Exclusive: Letter Threatens Chase Bank CEO, 'You Will Be Killed'
$100,000 Reward Offered

By BRIAN ROSS and RICHARD ESPOSITO, ABC News, Investigative Unit

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service posted a $100,000 reward late Wednesday for information about a flurry of threatening letters sent to JP Morgan Chase facilities, its CEO Jamie Dimon, and several federal banking offices around the country this week.

"You need to be pay back. You will be killed in 10 days," one of the typewritten letters read, federal law enforcement officials told ABC News.

Another letter, addressed to the JP Morgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon, in New York, threatened a series of attacks ending in an Oklahoma City-like bombing. The writer accused Dimon of stealing Washington Mutual, which JP Morgan Chase recently took over.

At least 45 letters, all postmarked in Amarillo, Texas on October 17 and 18, were sent to the Chase bank offices, the FDIC office in Dallas, the Office of Thrift Supervision in Dallas, and the Federal Home Loan Bank in Atlanta, federal law enforcement officials said.

The letters contained a powdery substance which tests have shown to be harmless.

Authorities say the letters "articulated threat of bodily harm" and appeared to be connected to lending practices of the bank.

Postal inspectors said the public should "take no action to apprehend this person yourself." Inspectors said anyone with information should contact authorities at 1-877-876-2455.

-- Source/continues: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6091463&page=1

Breaking NOW: Shots Reportedly Fired at W. Kentucky University

12:55 PM CDT - Oct 22, 2008

Shots Fired at WKU's Campus

BOWLING GREEN, KY: Western Kentucky University is under lock-down after the threat of a gunman on school grounds. Kentucky State Police, Bowling Green Police, and WKU Police have evacuated South Campus.

Bowling Green Police have confirmed reports of shots fired on WKU's main campus at Pearce Ford Tower. Whether or not shots were actually fired is still unconfirmed. Western Kentucky University officials sent out a text alert saying armed men have been reported at WKU's South Campus.

We want to assure you authorities are taking steps to ensure the safety of the students on Western's South Campus.

Extra law enforcement, including the Critical Response Team, is on standby...This incident is on-going at the time of this report.

-- Source: http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/32402744.html

New York Times "White Powder" Incident Reported

10/22/2008 - 12:40:27 PM CDT/13:40 EDT

Another 'White Powder' Incident Reported; This Time At New York Times Office

NEW YORK, NY (EmergencyNet News): According to initial emergency service and media reports, an envelope containing some sort of "white powder" has been found at the offices of the New York Times.

New York Fire, Police, EMS, and special teams have responded and the incident is under investigation. Few other official details are currently available, as the incident is currently underway.

The letter and "white powder" at the NYTimes follows similar letters sent to a number of Chase Banks in at least ten states (See previous Emer4gency.Blog entries). So far, the material contained in the letters has proven to be non-toxic. It is not presently known if the Chase incidents and that at the NY Times are linked.

Watch EmergencyNet News for more on this emerging story, as circumstances warrant...

Hoax Letter Investigation Widens to Nine Cities and 30 Letters

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

FBI Probes 30 Powder-Laced Letters Sent to Banks
Hoax Letter Investigation Widens to Nine Cities

WASHINGTON (FoxNews/AP): More than 30 letters containing a suspicious powder were mailed to Chase banks in nine cities, authorities said Tuesday in what was being investigated as a first, if extreme, public backlash over the nation's financial crisis.

Initial tests on the powder proved negative for poisonous or otherwise dangerous toxins, the FBI said. An FBI spokesman in Oklahoma, where eight letters turned up, said local preliminary assessments showed the powder was harmless calcium.

Additional tests were being run on the letters Tuesday as officials zeroed in on possible suspects near Amarillo, Texas, where the letters were postmarked.

"Most of these letters contain a powder substance with a threatening communication," the FBI said in a statement. "Even sending a hoax letter is a serious crime," the FBI said.

A law enforcement official said the letters were mailed to Chase bank branches in or near Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, Dallas, Denver, Newark, N.J., New York City, Oklahoma City and Washington. They all appear to be from the same source and began showing up at the banks on Monday, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

A second law enforcement official, also speaking anonymously under the same conditions, said authorities were looking into whether the letters were sent in anger due to the cratering economy. Authorities would not release the text of the letters, but Gary Johnson, a spokesman at the FBI field office in Oklahoma City, said the threat was "based on past actions of the bank" and that the letters implied that the opener was going to die.

U.S. Postal inspector JoJan Henderson confirmed that the letters appeared to be related. The U.S. Postal Service and state and local officials also were investigating.

The letters were sent against a backdrop of eroding trust in U.S. financial institutions. The country is battling its worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, where borrowing money has become much more difficult and a lot more expensive for consumers and businesses. The situation has roiled Wall Street and threatens to plunge the U.S. economy into a deep recession...

-- Source/continues: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,442621,00.html

ERRI/Emergency.com References:

1. Series of 'Real-Time' EmergencyNet News Reports; Suspected Anthrax at Pentagon Mail Facilities: 14-15 March 2005," can be found at:http://www.emergency.com/2005/pent_anthrax031405.htm

2. "Series of EmergencyNet News Reports Concerning Both Real and Hoax Chemical/Biological Incidents in the Wake of the 11 Sep 2001 Terrorist Attacks in NYC and DC: 22 Sep to 20 Oct 2001," -- Can be found at: http://www.emergency.com/2001/bio-scare2001b.htm

3. "Anthrax Hoaxes Strike Canadian Government Offices; Evacuations Ordered: 02 Feb 2001," can be found on the internet at: http://www.emergency.com/2001/Canada_antrx_hoax.htm

4. "Series of EmergencyNet News Reports on Threats of Biological Attack (Anthrax Hoaxes) Within the United States -- 02 Oct 98 to 10 Nov 98," can be found at: http://www.emergency.com/antrxhox.htm

5. "Biologic Terrorism ? Responding to the Threat," Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 3, No. 2, April-June, 1997," can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol3no2/russell.htm

6. ERRI "Hazardous Materials/WMD Related Articles and Research" - On the net at: http://www.emergency.com/hzmtpage.htm

At least five Chase banks hit with [White Powder] letter threats

Mon Oct 20, 2008 6:52pm EDT

At least five Chase banks hit with [White Powder] letter threats

DENVER, CO: (Reuters) - At least five branches of Chase bank in Colorado and Oklahoma received threatening letters on Monday, some containing an unidentified white powder.

A spokeswoman for Chase said the letters were delivered to three branches in the Denver area and locations in Oklahoma City and Norman, Oklahoma.

Some of the envelopes contained the white powder, Chase spokeswoman Mary Jane Rogers said, and one employee was treated for a rash as a precaution, but it is not clear if the skin irritation was caused by the powder or had already been there.

She identified the Colorado branches as being in Lakewood and Arvada...investigation continues at the time of this report.

Source/continues: http://tinyurl.com/erri711

'Scandalous' To Cut Oil Supply Now; OPEC to Vote on Production Decrease

3:59pm UK, Friday October 17, 2008

'Scandalous' To Cut Oil Supply Now

LONDON, ENGLAND: It is "absolutely scandalous" that oil exporting nations are thinking of cutting production to drive prices back up, [British Prime Minister] Gordon Brown has said.

It's feared OPEC members will vote to reduce supplies...

The Prime Minister's comment follows his call for oil firms to be quicker in passing on price falls to motorists. Crude has recently dropped to around $70 a barrel but Mr. Brown says this is not being reflected at the pumps. He has urged the likes Esso and Total to follow supermarkets and charge no more than a pound for a litre of unleaded.

Mr. Brown told business leaders in Nottingham he wants to reduce Britain's dependence on oil. I think the oil price rose because long-term demand looked like it would exceed the supply.

"People thought, looking ahead, that there was no way other than the price going up. "We have the same with food: more demand for food, therefore the food prices go up.

"In the last year we have seen particularly hard hit people's standard of living as a result of (rising) prices.

"I think it is absolutely scandalous that OPEC is thinking of meeting in the next few days to cut oil production so they can push up the price of oil again.

The Prime Minister added: "We will certainly try and prevent this happening..."

-- Source/Continues: http://tinyurl.com/erri694

ERRI Reference:

"The Current Economic Crisis and 'Oil as a Weapon' in Asymmetric Warfare"

http://www.emergency.com/2008/econ_warfare_oil_weapon.htm

World recession fears mount after finance crisis

13:25 CDT - 15 Oct 2008

Dow Down 733 on Continued Pessimism

Source: New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

World recession fears mount after finance crisis

Oct 15, 2008 - 10:35 AM US/Eastern

EUROPE: Fears grew Wednesday that the financial crisis will mutate into a worldwide recession with leaders calling for new global action to counter slowing economies and market troubles.

As EU leaders gathered for a summit devoted to the financial turmoil, a top US central bank official, backed by new data, said the United States appeared to be in recession.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Group of Eight wealthy nations would hold a special summit before the end of the year. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for international talks on radical reform of the world financial system.

Janet Yellen, president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve, said there was "essentially no growth at all" in the world's biggest economy and "growth in the fourth quarter appears to be weaker yet, with an outright contraction quite likely."

US retail sales slumped 1.2 percent in September, government data showed. The drop was the steepest since August 2005. Ian Shepherdson, economist at High Frequency Economics, said "there can be no doubt now that the (US) economy is in recession."

Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso has already said he has "huge fears" for the future of the world's second biggest economy and Merkel said Germany, ranked third, faces a major test of its strength.

"We must prepare ourselves for a weakening of growth in Germany. But I'm convinced that the slowdown will not prove a long-lasting one," Merkel said as she urged parliament to pass a 480-billion-euro (655-billion-dollar) bank rescue package. "Germany is strong but Germany is going to go through a difficult period," she warned. Merkel said the Group of Eight and leading developing nations would hold a special crisis summit before the end of the year...

-- Source/continues: http://tinyurl.com/erri669

ERRI crisis analyst comment: Even if the current U.S., EU and G-8 "rescue plans" prove to be viable, most financial analysts now say that it will take a period of time for the stock markets to "calm down" and the larger economic situation to begin to stabilize. In general, the world financial markets do not like uncertainty...and that is about all they are going to get from the United States until at least after the inauguration of a new president in January of 2009. In the mean time, many authorities agree that some aspects of what could be called a "recession" are likely to surface.

Furthermore, at least some fiscal experts have told EmergencyNet News that now is the time for corporate and government "transparency" and some fundamental economic practices and principals to be firmly reestablished in the markets. Only in this way can public/business confidence be restored and the economic picture begin to improve... Watch Emergency.Blog for more on this still developing story.

Global stocks: Off to a good start

00:40 CDT - 13 Oct 2008

Global stocks: Off to a good start

Stocks in overseas markets opened higher following action by European governments. U.S. futures point up.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks in overseas markets were trading higher - though down from earlier highs - the first market signal following the most coordinated effort to date to address the global financial crisis.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng stock index was struggling to stay in positive territory after initially being up more than 2%. South Korea's Kospi index was up a little more than 1%. Stocks in Australia were nearly 3% higher - though their initial gains topped 6%.

Futures for U.S. stocks were pointing to a positive open. U.S. bond markets will be closed Monday for the Columbus Day holiday but stock markets will be open. Markets in Japan are closed Monday.

In an emergency meeting in Paris on Sunday, the leaders of 15 European nations agreed to a wide-ranging plan to shore up troubled banks by adding capital through investment and by guaranteeing inter-bank lending.

The 15 nations also said they would protect individual depositors' accounts and move to ease accounting regulations that determine how assets are valued, removing a requirement that they be based on market prices - so-called "mark-to-market" accounting.

Battered British banks, along with the United Kingdom Treasury office, were expected to unveil details of a massive capital raising plan early Monday...

-- Source/continues: http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/12/markets/
global_markets/index.htm?postversion=2008101221

IMF in global 'meltdown' warning

22:37 GMT, Saturday, 11 October 2008 23:37 UK

IMF in global 'meltdown' warning
Mr. Bush said nations must stand together amid the global financial crisis

The world financial system is teetering on the "brink of systemic meltdown", the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned in Washington.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn said rich nations had so far failed to restore confidence, but he endorsed a new action plan by the G7 group. He also said the IMF was ready to lend to countries in dire need of capital. Mr Strauss-Kahn spoke after talks with US President George W Bush, G7 finance ministers and the World Bank.

On Friday in the US capital, the G7 group of most industralised nations released a five-point plan to free up the flow of credit, back efforts by banks to raise money and revive the mortgage market.

Speaking in Washington on Saturday, Mr Strauss-Kahn said: "Intensifying solvency concerns about a number of the largest US-based and European financial institutions have pushed the global financial system to the brink of systemic meltdown."

George Bush says the US will lead the response to the crisis

He later told a news conference: "The first co-ordination between advanced countries and the rest of the world is now on track."

The IMF chief's strong words reflect a belief that the global financial crisis can be contained...

-- Source/continues: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7665515.stm

Central Banks Coordinate Global Cut in Interest Rates

October 8, 2008

Central Banks Coordinate Global Cut in Interest Rates
Secretary Paulson to Give Briefing On Financial Crisis Today

By KEITH BRADSHER, DAVID JOLLY and EDMUND L. ANDREWS

Published: October 8, 2008

WORLD-WIDE: Central banks around the world cut short-term interest rates by up to half a percent on Wednesday after investors across Asia and Europe unleashed waves of sell orders onto already depressed stock exchanges.

The Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and other central banks from Britain and Switzerland to Canada and China announced rate reductions within seconds of one another. The British government separately announced a plan to pump billions of pounds into the country?s leading banks as part of a plan that would result in considerably greater government influence over the financial sector there.

The Fed said in a statement that, because of weakening economic activity, it had cut the Federal funds target rate by half a percentage point, to 1.5 percent. It also cut its discount rate by the same amount. The vote was unanimous.

The European Central Bank cuts its benchmark rate to 3.75 percent, from 4.25 percent.

The action failed to calm gyrating markets, however, amid the growing realization that a serious and prolonged recession may be difficult to avoid. Markets in Europe closed lower while the Dow Jones industrial average was struggling to maintain its gains in New York.

-- Source/continues at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/business/09fed.html?em

October 5-11, 2008 is Fire Prevention Week

October 5-11, 2008 is Fire Prevention Week

Make sure your family is fire safe...plan ahead.

Click on the graphic to learn more...

U.S. House Passes Bail-Out Bill

10/03/2008 - 14:00:19 PM CDT

EmergencyNet News - Instant Update

U.S. House Passes Bail-Out Bill

WASHINGTON, DC: With the economy on the brink of disaster and elections looming, Congress approved an unprecedented $700 billion government bailout of the battered financial industry on Friday and sent it to President Bush for his signature. The measure passed by a vote of 263-171.

President Bush immediately signed the bill and promised early implementation of its provisions...

Bail-Out Bill Passes Senate 74 to 25

21:15 CDT - 01 oct 2008

Bail-Out Bill Passes Senate 74 to 25

(EmergencyNet News) The United States Senate has just passed the $700 billion financial rescue package. The vote was 74 in favor to 25 against. The proposal will now be sent back to the House of Representatives for further consideration...

The "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" can be found on the Wall Street Journal site at:
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/
senatebillAYO08C32_xml.pdf