If I were brainstorming the next Al Qaeda attack, it seems most likely to involve something like ricin, one of the deadliest poisons known to man, which is easy to make, not terribly toxic unless ingested, terribly lethal if ingested, tasteless, odorless, and there is no known antidote. Plus which, symptoms don't begin for several hours after ingestion.
A coordinated group of sleeper cells could sprinkle ricin in hundreds of salad bars and condiment bars all over, say, Manhattan, London, Los Angeles, etc., etc., and kill literally thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, perhaps without detection.
Ever since I realized this, I've quit eating at salad bars. Large ketchup and mustard dispensers at, say, hot dog stands in a sports arena would also work, I think.
In my nightmares, I worry about public school cafeterias, college cafeterias, hospital cafeterias.
We are so trusting. That's the true source of the asymmetrical threat - we trust each other. |
