Latest Terror Threat in US Aimed to Poison Food

(CBS)  In this exclusive story, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports the latest terror attack to America involves the possible use of poisons - simultaneous attacks targeting hotels and restaurants at many locations over a single weekend.

A key Intelligence source has confirmed the threat as "credible." Department of Homeland Security officials, along with members of the Department of Agriculture and the FDA, have briefed a small group of corporate security officers from the hotel and restaurant industries about it.

CBSNews.com Report: Terror in the U.S.

"We operate under the premise that individuals prepared to carry out terrorist acts are in this country," said Dec. of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano on Dec. 6, 2010.

The plot uncovered earlier this year is said to involve the use of two poisons - ricin and cyanide - slipped into salad bars and buffets.

Of particular concern: The plotters are believed to be tied to the same terror group that attempted to blow up cargo planes over the east coast in October, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

In online propaganda al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has praised the cargo attack, part of what it called "Operation Hemorrhage."

The propaganda says in part, "...attacking the enemy with smaller but more frequent operations" to "add a heavy economic burden to an already faltering economy."

Manuals and videos on jihadist websites explain how to easy it is to make both poisons.

"Initially it would look very much like food poisoning," said St. John's University professor of pharmaceutical sciences Dr. Susan Ford.

She showed how little of each poison could be fatal by putting a small amount of poison in cups.

Armen Keteyian: Are these dosages enough to really harm someone or kill someone?

Susan Ford: Yes, these are 250 milligrams and that is the fatal dose.

Keteyian: So just that much sodium cyanide is enough to kill me?

Ford: Yes, it is.

That leads to a difficult debate: The need to inform the public without alarming it.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said, "A threat you might feel is sufficiently specific and credible to tell the people who are professionally involved might not be specific or credible enough to tell the general public."

Chertoff says it's important to let public health officials know that what looks like food poisoning could be a terrorist attack.

On Monday Dept. of Homeland Security spokesman Sean Smith said, "We are not going to comment on reports of specific terrorist planning. However, the counterterrorism and homeland security communities have engaged in extensive efforts for many years to guard against all types of terrorist attacks, including unconventional attacks using chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials. Indeed, Al-Qa'ida has publicly stated its intention to try to carry out unconventional attacks for well over a decade, and AQAP propaganda in the past year has made similar reference.

"Finally, we get reports about the different kinds of attacks terrorists would like to carry out that frequently are beyond their assessed capability."

The fact remains the government and hospitality industries are on alert.

[ReelMovies]

?"0" for CBS - Julia Davis reported this when it was a threat then, as it remans now and on national holidays!
http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/follow-money/index.html#/v/4472524/how-safe-is-america-from-terrorism/?playlist_id=158277

[Martijnsebastiaan]

What about the cucumbers in Germany?

[JayAdlerMusic]

One possible characteristic of this potential category of attack, poisoning food in restaurants and salad bars is that it does not appear to me to be a mission planned and possibly carried out by a large number of perpetrators.It is too quirky and without much precedent and if say 100 bad guys were in something like this, it would be much easier for our law enforcement and intelligence to prevent,someone would squeal. I do not at all blame Mr. Gibbs for his statement because he really could not be expected to say or even know more about this.I am guessing that this threat may involve a small group and I would suggest that after hearing about something as hideously damaging as this one, we have to step it up in fighting this nebulous enemy and point your semantics toward increasing the seriousness of this unusual and strange war.

[luannerene]

while it certainly would suck to be poisoned by people who dont live around here it sucks even more to be poisoned by those who do . . . the unnatural way we grow and raise what we eat is far more likely to be the death of us . . . not to mention doing the FDA s "approved" drugs as prescribed . . . (legalized marijuana = pharmaceutical company worst nightmare)

[x4changes]

Nice article helping Michael C. sell more scanners to hotels and malls

[redwillie]

I guess these Somolian workers at the Tyson plant who are writing 'All Americans Must Die' on the bathroom walls and setting the women's bathrooms on fire must work for those evil Jews or the CIA, huh? They sure love those Jews. They'll do anything for them, right? That's what you both claim.

http://www.wsmv.com/news/26262030/detail.html

You conspiracy people are so obviously either skinheads or terrorists yourselves, it ridiculous. Why do you waste our time with your pathetic attempts to spread your wahabi propaganda here?

[redwillie]

This was in response to a comment below by a genius who says terrorism was created by the CIA and Mossad, and another genius who defended his retarded comment.

[okae23]

good reason for alllll americans to grow their own gardens in their own backyard instead of allowing the government to make home grown vegetables illegal like they intend to with the new food safety law...that's crazy illegal to have a garden!!!!

[shiliinez]

Don't eat at a salad bar if you are traveling. I never eat at them anyway as anyone can sneeze, spit, and other repulsive things on the food at these things. Grow your own food, buy from a trusted small farmer, and put up your own food.

[JayAdler1]

I may have mentioned in a previous comment something that bears repeating. We here in the the United States have a valued and effective intelligence and law enforcement apparatus.The tendency is an apprehension before a plot takes place. I am just praying that either we arrest the perpetrators before any incident occurs or this becomes another pie in the sky unworkable idea of theirs which has happened. This particular plot has a unique and practically infallible side to it that is more alarming. That is if it ever gets off the ground, how do you stop person(s) from carrying this out if it is the element of surprise facet of terrorism. Just doing a visual on someone doing this lighting fast move in a buffet or salad bar is more than difficult. Most establishments cannot monitor by manned screens and anyway where is this leading to.That is what terror does, it causes the population to feed off its own fears and grow like a plant on growth stimulating hormones.Our country must not minimize the good fight and build up our defenses to the maximum.

[PatriotMike3]

Yep, no reason to inquire about Radicalized Muslims in America. Olbermann, Hartman and Schultz, you "progressives" are all so idiotic. Maybe when your loved ones, not that you soulless punks have any, are in danger you'll understand the need for vigilance.

The time has passed for half-measures. It is time to put every mosque under surveillance, with strip-searches for the women and the (allegedly) men who visit them. Only ignorant, limp-wristed Dems would oppose this sensible strategy.

[doctor_know]

... but isn't it republicans who want to deregulate all industries for the benefit of business owners?

[Phxfire]

You need to immediately change your profile name, for you sir are no patriot. A Patriot doesn't make false and misleading comments in order to promote their own radical agenda and that is exactly what you are doing. Not all Muslims are radical, anymore than not all priests are pedophiles, or all Mormons are poligamists, or all Republicans are as angry, bitter. delusional and deranged as you appear to me. You are as much a problem as any other zealot.