Originally posted by Ghost
Materials seized at the Aum facilities and other evidence confirms that the Aum had embarked upon an intense research and development program for the production of biological weapons. Judging from this evidence, Japanese authorities believe the Aum succeeded in producing botulism toxin. The me Japanese authorities are less certain but have serious concern that the Aum had also produced anthrax bacillus.
Both botulism toxin and anthrax are viewed by experts as serious weapons of mass destruction. In a 1993 report of the Office of Technology Assessment, it is noted that botulism toxin is a poison made by a bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. It is one of the most poisonous substances known to man. The fatal dose of botulin toxin by injection or inhalation is about 1 nanogram (a billionth of a gram) per kilogram of weight. This would equate to about 70 nanograms of botulin toxin to kill the average adult male. The toxin is also relatively fast-acting, producing death between 1 to 3 days in 80% of the victims. (See: Technologies Underlying Weapons of Mass Destruction, Office of Technology Assessment, 1993).
Anthrax is the name given for a severe illness caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthraxis. It is considered one of the prototypical biological-warfare agents. In nature, anthrax is primarily a disease of cattle and sheep but can also infect humans. It can survive for long periods of time in the soil in a dormant state. After infection, it reverts to an active phase in which it multiplies rapidly in the host body and secretes deadly toxins. (Ibid.)
After inhalation into the lungs, anthrax spores travel to the lymph nodes of the chest, where they become active, multiplying and releasing three proteins that function as a potent toxin. This toxin results in uncontrollable hemorrhaging and fatal tissue damage. In addition to its lethality anthrax has other characteristics that make it an attractive BW agent including the ease of production. (Ibid.) The Staff has confirmed that Seiichi Endo, Health and Welfare Minister for the cult, confessed that he had been working on developing biological weapons and was close to finalizing this effort before the Tokyo incident. He claims to have embarked upon this work under the specific directions of Asahara. Other Aum followers have also confessed to their involvement in the biological program at the cult's Kamikuishiki compound.
In the compound, the police have found large amounts of equipment that is indispensable for cultivating bacteria and viruses. Also uncovered were large amounts of 'peptone", a substance used to cultivate bacteria, as well as quantities of books and materials on the production of botulism, cholera and dysentery. The amount of peptone seized was phenomenal. Apparently there were 100-200 metal drums of peptone seized at the Aum facilities, each having a capacity of 18 liters. By comparison, university research classes are said to typically use only about one liter of peptone per year. Thus, the Aum were expecting to propagate a huge quantity of bacteria.
during aums peak of influence i had access to info on them that wasnt available to the general public. if people had any idea how far their tentacles ran and what influence they actually had, there would be a collective high velocity bowel voiding.
one example...they had full-on science labs filled with restricted scientific tools, one of which is called a 'bomb' (not explosive...science tool) that they were experimenting on using to grow lethal microbes in volumes high enough to literally wipe out the worlds population. zero exaggeration.
