Good news, and of course the hope that suspect will be treated well and fairly!
US News On NBC (thanks Olinda) , video at the link
Feds arrest suspect in ricin-positive letters sent to Obama, senator.
Federal agents on Wednesday arrested a suspect in the mailing of letters to President Barack Obama and a U.S. senator that initially tested positive for the poison ricin.
The suspect was identified as Kenneth Curtis of Tupelo, Miss., federal officials told NBC News. They said he may appear in court as early as Wednesday night.
Both letters carried an identical closing statement, according to an FBI bulletin obtained by NBC News on Wednesday.
According to the FBI bulletin, both letters, postmarked April 8, 2013 out of Memphis, Tenn., included an identical phrase, "to see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance."
In addition, both letters are signed: "I am KC and I approve this message."
The letter to Obama was intercepted at an off-site White House mail facility and was being tested further, the FBI said. A federal law enforcement official said that the letter was “very similar” to one addressed to Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Two federal officials said late Wednesday that an initial laboratory test on the material in the letters was inconclusive. The test shows some level of ricin, they said, but the potency is uncertain. They cannot tell whether the material is actually harmful or not. So more tests have been ordered.
The sender of the letters, one official said, "may have stumbled onto something," but it's unknown if he actually made full-blown ricin toxin.
Ricin is made from castor beans and can kill within 36 hours. There is no antidote. Some threatening letters simply contain ground castor beans, resulting in a positive field test for ricin without the concentrated poison. Results from full laboratory tests are expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Filters at a second government mail screening facility also tested positive for ricin in preliminary screening Wednesday.
An FBI official told NBC News that the agency did not initially believe the letters were related to the attack on the Boston Marathon on Monday.
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/...
My wife just reminded me that while participating in the
Critical Issues Forum on non proliferation of weapons of mass destruction we learned that ricin is from the castor bean . Its not really good for WMA because it is thankfully difficult to weaponize.
But sheesh.
7:58 PM PT: Checking in on the diary after doing other things. As often happens with breaking news, there are errors, ie suspect's name apparently. Check out the comments. Good night, all.