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| Down Under |
| Biological agent is criminal act: Australian PM |
| 2005-06-01 |
| PRIME Minister John Howard has condemned as criminal a possibly harmful biological agent sent to the Indonesian embassy in Canberra. Mr Howard said the agent was a powder sent in an envelope addressed to the Indonesian ambassador Imron Cotan. "It would be the first time if the preliminary results are confirmed, such a biological agent has been sent in Australia," Mr Howard said. "It will do great damage in the eyes of many Indonesian people to the relationship between our countries and it certainly won't help Schapelle Corby." Mr Howard said the powder had tested positive for a harmful substance. Further tests would be done to confirm the result, he said. "The advice I have is that the reference 'biological agent' does not mean it is benign," he said. He would not say if it was an act of terrorism, saying he would wait until tests confirmed the exact nature of the substance. "But when you send a substance of this type, if the analysis proves correct, it's an act of reckless indifference to human life and I apologise on behalf of the Australian people to the Indonesian embassy and to the Indonesian government," he said. "The preliminary test suggested it was a biological agent and further tests are now being carried out." Mr Howard said it would be a remarkable coincidence if the incident was not linked to anger over the 20-year jail term handed to convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby in Bali last week. "It would be a remarkable coincidence if it were not (related)," he said. "If it is, can I say to those responsible — you will not achieve your objective. "Quite apart from the murderous criminality of doing something like this and the indifference and contempt to human life that it displays, it won't achieve the objective. It will have the opposite effect. "I plead with people if that is the motivation to think again if they really care." |
| Posted by:Spavirt Pheng6042 |
| #2 Rest easy Stephen, you're gonna be rich like me one day. |
| Posted by: Richard J 2005-06-01 11:35 |
| #1 check Stephen Hatfill's whereabouts. The FBI has this on a macro |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-06-01 09:06 |