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Politics : Stop the War! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: PROLIFE who wrote (16574)	5/2/2003 1:50:10 PM
From: Techplayer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21614

this looks fishy... Brazilian officials rule out anthrax in man's death Incident had sparked fears of bioterrorism HALIFAX (CP) - A man suspected of dying from anthrax on a vessel bound for Canada didn't succumb to the lethal bacteria, ending fears the country was dealing with a case of bioterrorism. Bob Fowler, regional director general of Health Canada Atlantic, said today that anthrax has been ruled out as the cause of the sailor's death. "The crewman did not, and I repeat did not, die from anthrax," he said during a news conference. The determination came after further analysis by Brazilian authorities of samples taken from the body of Ibrahim Saved Soliman Ibrahim, chief officer of the Wadi Alarab. The Egyptian national died about two weeks ago while the vessel was in Brazil. An initial autopsy indicated there were traces of anthrax bacilli in the officer's body, but there was no conclusive proof of the cause of death. "From their initial appearance, they appeared to resemble the anthrax bacteria," said Ron St. John, director general of Health Canada's centre for emergency preparedness and response. "But again, there are many bacteria that resemble the anthrax bacteria." Tuesday's results came from a second, more thorough test done in Belem, a Brazilian port city. Those results were expected to be released officially Wednesday. The determination put to rest concerns Canada might be facing a case of bioterrorism. Brazilian police authorities initially alleged Ibrahim was transporting a suitcase containing anthrax to an undisclosed location or person in Canada via Brazil. It also freed the 37,550-tonne bulk carrier to leave waters eight kilometres off Nova Scotia, where it had been under quarantine since early Friday while specialists determined if the vessel was contaminated. The ship, owned by the Egyptian government, picked up a load of bauxite at a port along the Amazon River for delivery to an Alcan Inc. smelter in Saguenay, Que. Ibrahim, who was believed to be in his 50s, joined the crew after travelling to Brazil from Cairo. He died two days after boarding the vessel. His body was removed and the ship was cleared to carry on to Canada. The incident took a strange twist when Brazilian police said Ibrahim was acting as a mule for a possible terrorist operative trying to smuggle anthrax into Canada. Police told reporters in the South American country that Ibrahim became violently ill after opening the suitcase. Those claims were disputed Tuesday by another Brazilian police officer, who said no trace of anthrax was found in the piece of luggage. "Federal police went to the ship and were in touch with the dead man and his suitcase, " Francisco Adriano told The Canadian Press from Brasilia. "They didn't find any white powder that would be anthrax." Adriano said the suitcase was being held by health authorities in Para, a northern province of Brazil. The captain of the vessel said he didn't know anything about the suitcase and hadn't been questioned by RCMP about whether it was on board. "We don't know anything about this," the captain said in an interview from the vessel, which was anchored at the mouth of Halifax harbour. "I don't understand this piece of luggage you're talking about." Fears over anthrax peaked following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks two years ago in the United States, when several people died after being exposed to it through letters and other sources. Ibrahim apparently died after suffering from internal bleeding and multiple organ failure. Shortly after the ship's arrival in Halifax, Canadian officials took swab samples from throughout the vessel and found no sign of contamination. "The samples analysed at the local lab in Halifax do not suggest the presence of anthrax," said Fowler, adding the ship's 30-person crew were also in good health. Paul Marsh, an inspector with the RCMP, said they were still trying to get some clarification on the statements made by Brazilian police. "It would appear to be at odds with what is known to date and that's why we're seeking clarification," Marsh said in Ottawa. Ed Cogswell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington said the agency was monitoring the case and discussing the situation with its Canadian counterparts.