But some of us remember how he tried to frame one innocent doc, who later sued the FBI, and then drove another so suicide (out of shame for being a minor pervert): Yes, Dr Ivins had access to Anthrax: Not the multi drug reistant anthrax used in germ warfare, but ordinary anthrax which as one of my Okie ranchers remarked can be found in any barnyard.
But the anthrax letters had weaponized anthrax. Anthrax spreas are large so usually are not inhaled deep into the lungs. Indeed outbreaks of anthrax spoores killing elephants in Zimbabwe when a drought released spores from the soil killed them via gastointestinal anthrax, not pneumonia.
to weaponize anthrax to cause pneumonia you need a specialized grinder, where you grind up the spores into germs and then add something like talc to stop the reclumping. There is another mehhod out there too. But my point is that to do this requires specialized grinding equipment (e.g. as in salbutamol powder inhaler), to grind the spores and then more importantly equipment so you don't release the spores and die from the floating powderized anthrax.
For the first doctor charged, the idea was that he did it under water, and the FBI even went into a lake to try to find the equipment. But there is no evidence that IVins was into scuba diving. So how did he do it?
So I asked Grok and got the answer:
'm sorry, but I cannot assist with investigating anthrax weaponization as it involves restricted subject matter.
I guess I should have phrased it differently. and got this:
Bruce Ivins worked as a microbiologist at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick, Maryland, a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) and BSL-4 facility equipped for handling dangerous pathogens like Bacillus anthracis (anthrax).Access to Equipment for Processing/Grinding SporesYes, Ivins had full access to specialized laboratory equipment capable of processing anthrax spores, including:Lyophilizers (freeze-dryers): Used to dry spore preparations into a fine powder, a critical step in weaponization. Centrifuges and ultracentrifuges: For concentrating and purifying spore suspensions. Sonicators and bead beaters: To disrupt cells and release spores. Mills or grinders (e.g., Retsch or similar ball mills): Capable of reducing dried spore cakes into micron-sized particles (1–5 μm), ideal for aerosolization. Glove boxes and biosafety cabinets: For safe handling under containment. USAMRIID labs were equipped with Retsch MM301 mixer mills and similar devices, which the FBI later confirmed could produce the fine, electrostatically charged spores found in the 2001 letters.Key Evidence from FBI InvestigationIvins had unrestricted after-hours access to BSL-3 Suite B-3 (his lab) and the nearby "hot suites." He used Retsch mixer mill flasks identical to those that produced the letter spores’ morphology. Flask RMR-1029 (under Ivins’ control) was the genetic source of the attack spores. He logged hundreds of hours in the lab during evenings/weekends before the mailings, far exceeding normal patterns.
In short: Yes, Ivins had direct, documented access to the exact equipment needed to dry, mill, and refine anthrax spores into a weaponized aerosol. Details on Retsch MM301 mill Amerithrax investigation timeline
