Thread: McCain Office Receives Envelope With White Powder, Threat

DEVELOPING …

John McCain’s Denver campaign office received an envelope containing white powder and a threatening note Thursday afternoon.

Spokesman Jeff Sadosky told FOX News the office has been evacuated and the campaign notified federal and local law enforcement, who are taking all precautions.

The letter was opened at about 5 p.m. ET.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/21 ... er-threat/

Was it cocaine or baby powder?

Hey guys! I'M BAAAACCCCKKKK!!!!

I kinda fell off the earth - got certification as a NanoTechnology and Clean Tech Professional while I was away so maybe someday I'd stop my suicidal whining over my complete job meltdown as per the H1B problem, among others. Missed you guys!

Anyway, had to jump on because I saw something which may be related (hope not!):

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_10208364

Article Last Updated: 08/15/2008 02:10:23 AM MDT

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* Aug 20:
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* Aug 13:
* FBI joins probe of possible cyanide poisoning death
* Hotel find is cyanide, police confirm
* Aug 12:
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* Pound of cyanide found in room where man died
* Aug 11:
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* Cyanide eyed in death

A Minnesota-based legal advocacy center for Somalis is assembling a troubling, curious background of a man found dead in a Denver luxury hotel Monday near a pound of deadly cyanide.

"He was psychotic; he was on medication," said Omar Jamal, executive director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center, which has talked to dozens of people who knew Saleman Abdirahman Dirie, a 29-year-old Canadian citizen and former Somali refugee.

Dirie's journey to the U.S. and his stay in an expensive hotel does not fit the profile of his humble, somewhat reclusive life, Jamal said Thursday.

"People who knew him are shocked," Jamal said. "He was unemployed; he had no money. Whoever gave him the money for that hotel may have also given him the
Discussion

* Discuss: An expert says the amount of cyanide found at a hotel near downtown Denver may have been enough to affect hundreds of people. Tell us your thoughts in West Watch.

cyanide.

"We need to find that person."

Jamal said Dirie was not particularly religious and was not active in Somali groups as an adult.

Dirie was buried Thursday at Hampden Cemetery after a service at the Colorado Muslim Society's Abu Baker mosque.

Mohamad Altaba of the society said about 150 people attended, including many sympathetic Muslims who traditionally attend funerals for other Muslims. He said he met Dirie's brothers and cousins but wasn't sure how many family members attended.

"The place of burial in the Islamic faith is where the person died," he said. "But we leave that decision to the family, and the family chose to have him buried here."

On Wednesday, authorities confirmed that a pound of granular powder found in Dirie's room at the Burnsley All Suite Hotel is sodium cyanide, a deadly poison that can be legally purchased.

And Thursday, the Denver coroner's office said Dirie died of cyanide poisoning, but the manner of his death has not been determined.

The investigation into Dirie's death is being handled by the Denver Police Department, with help from the FBI.

Authorities have said Dirie's death appears to be an isolated incident unrelated to the upcoming Democratic National Convention.

U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey was asked about the case during his visit to Denver on Thursday. He said terrorism has not been ruled out.

"We can't rule it out until the investigation is over," the nation's top prosecutor said.

Jamal denounced news reports that have mentioned Dirie's death in the context of terrorism.

"That perception is out there," he said. "Al-Qaeda is very active in our country, and we cannot deny that some members of our community may be members of that community."

Invoking the context of terrorism causes people who may have information to remain silent in fear of terrorist groups, he said.

Family members in Canada have told Jamal and reporters that Dirie left Ottawa on Aug. 7, first traveling to Montreal in a rental car. There, it appears he took a bus to Denver, Jamal said.

He had told family members he was traveling to Denver for a vacation.

Staff writer Felisa Cardona contributed to this report.

then:

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_10255605?source=bb

The Denver coroner has determined that a Canadian man found dead Aug. 11 in the Burnsley Hotel in Capitol Hill committed suicide by ingesting cyanide.

Saleman Abdirahman Dirie, 29, of Ottawa had been dead some time when his body was discovered near a pound of sodium cyanide.

The coroner had previously confirmed that test results found cyanide in Dirie's body.

Police have said Dirie's death was an isolated incident and unconnected with the upcoming Democratic convention.

Family members in Canada have said that Dirie left Ottawa on Aug. 7, first traveling to Montreal in a rental car.

There, it appears he took a bus to Denver, where he told his family he was taking a vacation.


*****Suicide****** Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggghhhhhhhhhht.............

Two John McCain campaign offices received envelopes containing an unidentified white powder and a threatening note Thursday afternoon.

Spokesman Jeff Sadosky told FOX News that the first letter was found in the Denver office at about 5 p.m. ET. Another was found in the Manchester, N.H., office more than an hour later.

He said both offices have been evacuated, and that federal and local law enforcement have been notified.

He would not characterize the letters except to say, “It was a threatening note.â€