Pentagon blamed for ‘live anthrax’ shipped all over the globe
New reports are pointing to the Pentagon and “ineffective sterilization methods for killing the deadly bacteria” as reasons for live anthrax shipped to over 192 chemical labs over the past ten years.
As a result of “major protocol problems” the substance continues to travel in the mail, according to the agency.
Labs in all 50 U.S. states, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C., have reported receiving live anthrax virus on “accident” due to “ineffective sterilization methods for killing the deadly bacteria.”
Labs in Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea and the U.K. all say they’ve received anthrax shipments as well.
An internal Pentagon investigation claims the anthrax shipments were all a “mistake,” as were previous figures that estimated only half the amount of accidental anthrax shipments.
Anthrax image/Janice Carr-CDC
“It’s deja vu all over again,” stated Representative Tim Murphy (R-Penn.), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, about the Pentagon’s revised numbers, which somehow doubled from earlier figures released in June.
“What we have here is a pattern of recurring issues, of complacency, and a lax culture of safety.”
“The development and implementation of ineffective irradiation and viability testing procedures took place over the last decade,” explains the report, admitting that the U.S. military has failed to protect Americans against anthrax. “[T]his represents an institutional problem at [Dugway] and does not necessarily reflect on any one individual.”
Some highlights from the report:
- The U.S. Army’s Dugway Proving Ground facility in Utah, which “accidentally” sent live anthrax samples to labs in some nine states, as well as to South Korea.
- From back in May, another 51 labs in 17 states, as well as three in foreign countries, all say they received anthrax on “accident”
- The Pentagon says it doesn’t know how these live samples are continually being released without first being sterilized.
- Records indicate a 20 percent failure rate for inactivating anthrax specimens
Bacillus anthracis under TEM/CDC
