Nobody really knows
See below:
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----- Original Message ----- From: Kirsten Neilsen To: Lbo-Talk Sent: Monday, October 22, 2001 8:49 PM Subject: Anthrax attacks now being linked to US right-wing cranks
[I haven't seen a report with this much detail in the US papers yet.] Anthrax attacks now being linked to US right-wing cranks
<<SNIP>>
There have been a number of reports in the US press on this topic. Many of them have been problematic.
Below is from: http://www.publiceye.org/frontpage/911/who_anthrax.html
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Anyone who claims they know (as of Monday October 21 at 10pm) is just speculating.
Here are possible suspects, and remember it is likely that at least two groups/individuals are involved:
1) The Osama bin Laden networks
2) Other Muslim or Arab terrorists
3) Other pro-Muslim or pro-Arab terrorists
4) Agents of an anti-US government
5) Foreign terrorists who hate the US government but are not directly related to pro-Muslim or pro-Arab terrorists
6) The militant anti-abortion wing of the Christian Right
(likely in hoax letters to Planned Parenthood
clinics, but very unlikely in other cases
involving real anthrax)
7) Patriot & militia movement members or followers
8) The Extreme Right including neonazis
9 One crazy person or several crazy people acting independently
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The "Army of God" is claiming credit for the 100+ hoax anthrax letters sent to Planned Parenthood & reproductive health clinics. The Army of God apparently does not exist formally but is primarily a slogan used by a loose network of Christian Right militants. The Army of God is part of the militant anti-abortion wing of the Christian Right, not the militias, although some overlap is possible, and some in the militia movement are anti-abortion activists. This represents a very tiny wing of the Christian Right.
Former Aryan Nations member Larry Wayne Harris is a notorious braggart. According to an article by Jeff Stein, "Harris claimed he had worked for the CIA and several U.S. Army germ warfare laboratories. The CIA and Army both denied it."
Larry Wayne Harris is not appropriate as either an "expert" on terrorism and chemical/biological warfare, nor as a poster boy for claims that the U.S. political right is behind the current wave of anthrax attacks and hoaxes.
The James Ridgeway Village Voice article on Harris was misleading because it reported his arrest charges that included allegations of threats to wipe out a city with a toxin, but failed to report that those charges were almost immediately disnmissed. See the Ridgeway article at: http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0142/ridgeway.php. The Ridgeway article on Harris failed to mention that In the original case involving the bubonic plague, Harris was convicted only on the charge of using phony credentials to obtain test samples. In his second arrest, he apparently only had harmless veterinary grade anthrax. See Larry Wayne Harris.
One "expert" in Australia announced the prime suspects were the militias. This was pure speculation. There have been several articles that discussed a number of suspect groups including those on the political right in a cautious and responsible manner. An example was an article by Kevin Cullen in the Boston Globe. See his 10/21/2001 article at: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/294/nation/In_anthrax_puzzle_some_see_evidence _pointing_within_US+.shtml But even this generally cautious article contained some dubious claims by experts.
It is a bad idea to lump together the Christian Right, Patriot/militias, and Extreme Right, because these are three distinct movements (with some overlap). One article in the British press not only mixed up all three movements, but also tossed off the line "illegal militias." The militias are a right-wing vigilante movement with a subtext of White supremacy and antisemitism. They should be opposed, but are not "illegal."
Civil liberties and accuracy are important and related. Carelessness can fuel the idea that the government should just arrest all political dissidents in a time of crisis. I am opposed to government repression against folks across the political spectrum; but if that doesn't work for you, consider that any power we give the federal government right now to go after the political right, will be used against the political left really soon.
-Chip Berlet