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| Britain |
| Sabotage is suspected over foot-and-mouth |
| 2007-08-08 |
| The deliberate release of viral material, possibly in an act of sabotage, may have caused the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, officials said last night. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said in a report ordered by the Prime Minister that “release by human movement [of the FMD virus] must be considered a real possibility”. Inspectors all but discounted theories that the virus escaped by air or water from the laboratory complex close to where the outbreak started, although they are continuing to investigate the possibility of equipment failure or a security breach. The HSE concluded in the report — which was sent to Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, last night — that there was “a strong probability” that the virus came from the research centre three miles from the first outbreak in a herd of cattle in Surrey. Mr Benn said that sabotage could not be ruled out. “The truth is we do not know. That is why further investigations need to take place.” The last FMD outbreak in England cost the economy billions of pounds - if I was a terrorist (Muslim or Peta) I would consider that evidence of an extremely attractive target. The finding strengthens suspicions raised at the weekend when it was discovered that the strain of virus was one found only in laboratories. Investigators were unable, however, to decide whether the foot-and-mouth contamination escaped from the Institute of Animal Health, the government-funded body that first identified the virus, or Merial, a private company that shares the same site at Pirbright. Further genetic analysis of the virus is being carried out to determine from which of the laboratory units the virus originated. Any security breach could have been either deliberate or accidental and it was confirmed last night that government scientists have been inspecting allotments close to the first outbreak which are used by Pirbright workers to grow vegetables. Did anybody named Mohammed have access? Should investigators find that biosecurity systems or equipment at IAH were in any way to blame for the outbreak, ministers would face allegations that the failure was caused by years of underfunding. It's Bush's fault! |
| Posted by:Glenmore |
| #11 That said, not everything that animal rights advocates do is rational, consistent or coherent. You noticed. These are fanatics. I prefer "loons" but let's not quibble. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-08-08 23:51 |
| #10 Super Hose, when ARists released show dogs from their crates in the 1990s, and shoo'd them into oncoming traffic, their justification was that it was better for the dogs to die than to live in captivity. After laying low for a while, they're prowling dog show sites again, the sons of ... well, not bitches, since female dogs are much better inhabitants of the earth than this scum. I've heard similar rationales for doing 'whatever it takes' to end the production of meat and dairy products. These are fanatics. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-08-08 21:25 |
| #9 It would make little sense for animal rights advocates to take an action that would likely result in the extermination of a large number of animals. That said, not everything that animal rights advocates do is rational, consistent or coherent. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2007-08-08 21:12 |
| #8 It's the Army of the 12 Monkeys! Look out for burly, strangely out-of-place skinheads, they might be looking for those folks themselves. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2007-08-08 13:58 |
| #7 Quite possibly the work of animal rightists, if it was indeed deliberate sabotage. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-08-08 13:48 |
| #6 I doubt any raging British Islamist would be satisfied with killing cattle, which aren't even infidels. I am now having highly inappropriate amusing thoughts about Islamists driving car bombs into herds of cattle, or five of them wielding AKs and firing into a pasture cutting down cows left and right. |
| Posted by: gromky 2007-08-08 13:20 |
| #5 Islamic terrorists do it for the publicity. Killing and destroying only earns paradise points if Allah gets the credit for it. We need to see what develops. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2007-08-08 12:28 |
| #4 Go to the lab, grab all muslim and leftist employees. And shoot them. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-08-08 10:48 |
| #3 Go to the lab, grab all muslim and leftist employees. 80% chance the offender is one of that group. |
| Posted by: Enver Angens8948 2007-08-08 08:45 |
| #2 Nah, this one has leftist terrorists written all over it. AQ likes spectactular attacks that get allocated lots of camera time. |
| Posted by: gromky 2007-08-08 08:43 |
| #1 Surely Muslim doctors wouldn't perpetrate terror? Fully integrated and well paid professionals wouldn't join al-Qaeda. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2007-08-08 07:58 |