Anamailer is probably tied to September 11th
FBI analysis suggesting anthrax mailer is domestic may be wrong
By Tom Wakefield, 11 November 2001
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Dallas - The growing consensus among FBI officials that the anthrax mailer
is a domestic terrorist may be wrong, according to an analysis by
PostalMag.coms Tom Wakefield. FBI profilers have developed a profile of the
bioterrorist that seems largely based on the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. In addition, an
analysis of the words written on the anthrax-tainted envelopes and letters seems to be
skewed to known facts about the Unabomber. The profile of the Anamailer, which was
recently released by FBI officials, describes the perpetrator as a loner male who has
little contact with the public, lacks social skills, is a nonconfrontational person who
holds grudges, is familiar with the Trenton, N.J. area, and has a scientific background.
James R. Fitzgerald, who heads the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, has stated that the
linguistic and behavioral findings have prompted the FBI to look "in the direction of
that (the perpetrator) being domestic." The FBI's overall analysis, however, seems to
read into some insignificant clues, while ignoring blatantly obvious clues. The
anthrax-tainted envelopes and enclosed letters are pictured below. |
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A few initial observations: |
- The Anamailer probably used an envelope with pre-printed postage to reduce the chances
of leaving forensic clues (licking stamp, leaving prints by affixing stamp, etc.) Does a
postal clerk remember selling such envelopes to someone wearing gloves?
- The Anamailer probably handled the letters and envelopes with gloves. This, in part,
accounts for the block letters and the uneven and downward slant on the envelopes.
- Linguistics experts point to the Daschle letter with the word "building" on a
separate line. They say that this could suggest a foreign person unfamiliar with
addressing envelopes in the U.S. Another explanation is that the Anamailer does not
normally address envelopes in big, block letters and simply ran out of room.
- Some experts have suggested that the dates 09-11-01 offer clues, since the Anamailer
used dashes instead of slants, and 09 instead of 9. The date format could indicate that
the Anamailer has spent some time in the United States as the format month/day/year is
prevalent in the U.S. In some European countries the format used is day/month/year
(11/09/2001). The format varies in other countries around the world.
- The text in the three letters is limited to avoid leaving tell-tale clues of the
Anamailer's identity. Nevertheless, wording indicates that English is a second language
for the Anamailer ("THIS IS NEXT", "CAN NOT"). The phrase "YOU
DIE NOW" is especially indicative and could possibly be the way a person who speaks
Arabic might phrase the statement.
- The references to Penacilin (though misspelled) may indicate that the Anamailer himself
used Penicillin to protect against anthrax, as opposed to using Cipro or another
antibiotic. Some experts have said the misspelling was deliberate, but why would someone
misspell a word? The Unabomber didn't go out of his way to misspell in his manifesto. More
probably, the misspelling indicates that the word is indeed confusing to spell and that
the Anamailer probably didn't have access to a dictionary. More on this later in the
article. (The Anamailer lived in temporary quarters just for the mission).
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The envelopes and letters do not indicate that the Anamailer is domestic.
Nor do they indicate many of the other general traits attributed to the Anamailer by the
FBI. Instead, facts and circumstances point to an Arabic person connected to the events
of September 11th as the perpetrator of the anthrax letters. Among key points: |
- The anthrax letters were mailed soon after the events of September 11th, indicating a
unified attack. The letters contained the words "DEATH TO AMERICA", "DEATH
TO ISRAEL", and "ALLAH IS GREAT". FBI officials, who always look for a
motive, are missing the key point here. The motive is written in bold, block letters. Some
in the FBI have stated that these phrases are an attempt by the Anamailer to "throw
off" authorities. However, the Unabomber never tried to portray his motive as
something else to "throw off" authorities.
- FBI officials suggest that the perpetrator is an "opportunist" who just
happened to have a supply of anthrax laying around the house in anticipation of an
opportunity such as the events of September 11th. But who could have anticipated these
events, or other equally horrifying events? Each American, and the Anamailer, could have
gone a lifetime without seeing such events.
- Overall, the Anamailer's objective and motive was to instill terror in America and
disrupt America's way of life. Specifically, the Anamailer selected the National Enquirer
to make a point. The tabloid National Enquirer has not been kind to Osama bin Laden.
Moreover, the National Enquirer is known for delving into the sick underside of
celebrities and American figures. Someone, (an Arabic) might see the National Enquirer as
a symbol of a sick America. Recall the scene in the movie Three Kings where the American
soldier played by Mark Wahlberg is captured and tortured. The Iraqi who tortures the
soldier brings up Michael Jackson as a symbol of a sick America.
- Moreover, it appears that the motive behind the anthrax mailings was to disrupt the
American economy, just as this was part of the motive behind the events of September 11th.
- The letters are all symbolically dated 09-11-01, the same date as the hijackings.
- Some of the hijackers of September 11th had connections to New Jersey, the place where
the anthrax letters were mailed. New Jersey is directly adjacent to New York, where the
Twin Towers were and where at least two of the letters were mailed to. Some of the
hijackers had connections to Florida, the place where the National Enquirer's American
Media is located. The connections between the events of September 11th and the anthrax
mailings are mainly geographically specific to Florida and New York/New Jersey and nearby
Boston and Washington D.C. These connections are more than a coincidence. Furthermore, it
is more than a coincidence that this so-called "opportunist" just happened to
live in the New Jersey area, as opposed to Montana, California, Idaho or some other
location in the U.S.
- Mohamed Atta, the so-called ringleader of the September 11th hijackings, is said to have
visited a drugstore seeking treatment for hand lesions (possibly caused by anthrax). Atta,
who coordinated the individual cells in their hijackings may have also coordinated with
the Anamailer.
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Based on the conjecture above and known facts about Osama bin Laden's
terror network, a more likely scenario emerges. Several years ago bin Laden and his top
aides were discussing how to attack America. They realized their options were limited
since they had limited military resources and America was thousands of miles away. One of
the options surely discussed was a nuclear, biological, or chemical attack on America.
This option presented one of the very few means to attack America. Bin Laden directed his
organization to find a committed individual, who preferably had a medical or scientific
background, to travel to America and wait for the time of the coordinated attack. The
individual, with possibly no more than one or two others, was (were) probably recruited
from Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, countries that have individuals with access to American and
European universities (including those with medical and scientific studies). This
person(s) traveled to America (just like the September 11th hijackers) and found a quiet
out-of-the way modest one-bedroom apartment in the New Jersey area. There, with financing
from bin Laden's network, he (and possibly others) either developed the anthrax spores in
the apartment or was supplied with them from a go-between such as Atta. Then, after the
initial shock of the events of September 11th had been realized, the Anamailer went into
action by mailing the anthrax-tainted letters, thusly beginning the second wave of terror
attacks. The effects were just as insidious as the first.
The FBI states that it is not
like Osama bin Laden to not claim responsibility for terror attacks, thusly it must be
someone else. But bin Laden has two reasons for not claiming responsibility. First, the
nature of the anthrax attacks are compounded by the fact that we don't know who it is. It
is part of the terror. Now we are looking inward at a domestic possibility. America would
find some assurance if we knew for certain that it was bin Laden since that is who we are
seeking in Afghanistan. Second, bin Laden may not want to escalate retaliation. Iraq was
warned by the United States during the Persian Gulf War not to employ nuclear, biological
or chemical agents against coalition forces with the threat of having such capabilities
used against them (Iraq). Similarly, bin Laden doesn't want the United States to feel
justified in using such capabilities against him. In reality, nuclear, biological or
chemical attacks are bin Laden's biggest threats. Nuclear bombs could collapse the cave(s)
he is hiding in and biological or chemical agents could be used to poison the cave's air
and water supply.
So what has become of the Anamailer? The lethality of the letters could suggest that
the Anamailer succumbed to his own poison. After all, his dwelling (with all his
belongings and clothes), and his car are probably infected with anthrax spores. Perhaps
the Anamailer survived, since there is a possibility that he used the readily available
Penicillin to protect against anthrax. If he is still alive there is a great possibility
that he has returned to his homeland of Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. (After
the anthrax mailings in America, several anthrax-tainted letters were received in
Pakistan).
Though the FBI is still pursuing all possibilities, the FBI should assume that the
anthrax mailings are related to the events of September 11th unless and until concrete
evidence points to other sources. |
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Date Format Used By Anamailer is
East Coast
By Tom
Wakefield, PostalMag.com |
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The date format used by the anthrax mailer (Anamailer) in letters to
Senator Daschle, Tom Brokaw, and the editor of the New York Post suggests an East Coast
(USA) connection. An analysis of recent orders at PostalMag.com indicates
the date format 00-00-00 is more prevalent on the East Coast and the date format 00/00/00
is more prevalent west of the Mississippi River. The Anamailer included
the date 09-11-01 in the letters. Experts, lacking solid clues and
leads, speculated the date format used indicated someone that possibly worked with
computers or a related field. Tom Wakefield (president of PostalMag.com) believes
that too much is being made of the date format and that no relevant clues can be discerned
from the fact. However, the East Coast date format is consistent with where the letters
were mailed from and where they were mailed to. Wakefield believes the date format
preferences can be explained by differences between the established Eastern U.S. and the
newer Western frontier states. (The 00-00-00 format is consistent with the old(er) economy
of the established Eastern United States. The 00/00/00 format is more consistent with the
new(er) economy of newer-established states west of the Mississippi.) Wakefield notes that
a small sample set was used and that further investigation needs to be conducted using a
larger sample. |
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