Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
with a detailed shipping plan, including options for ensuring plausible
deniability. 101
On 6 May 2002 Goosen provided Zlockie with a sample of “ Escherichia
coli 078:K80 (+K60 GM)” to help secure the deal. This bacterium, which
can cause severe intestinal upset, had had an even more toxic gene in-
serted into its DNA. The inserted gene, which results in the production of
the epsilon toxin (causing acute mortality in sheep and goats), had been
inserted at RRL by Adriaan Botha. Goosen had kept the material. The
sample was sealed in a glass cylinder and inserted into an ordinary tooth-
paste tube surrounded by a cooling gel. 102 Zlockie carried the tube and
its contents on a commercial aircraft from South Africa to the US and
handed them over to Bliss. 103
The Washington Post reported that the sample was tested at the US BW
Defense laboratory at Fort Detrick and found to be exactly as described by
Goosen. Yet, rather than being convinced to go ahead with the deal, the
US authorities decided that there was “no compelling reason for paying
Goosen or excluding the government of South Africa from an operation
affecting the security of biological material.” 104 A few days later the FBI
informed the South African police about the plan.
The South African Police Service promptly searched Goosen's labora-
tory in South Africa. Goosen, however, claims that he had been warned
in advance, with the result that the police found nothing incriminat-
ing. 105 Minnaar, in the meantime, continued to seek potential buyers for
the products Goosen claims to have had. This enabled the police to set up
a sting operation with someone posing as a sheikh from Qatar wanting to
buy anthrax. Goosen said he cultured a noninfective strain of anthrax
used in vaccine production and gave that to the sheikh. 106 If this is what
was traded, it might explain why the sting failed and why there were no
arrests.
Legal Remedies
According to press reports, Goosen remained closely associated with the
South African National Intelligence Agency (NIA). 107 Indeed, Goosen
claims that he kept the NIA informed of his activities in the deal from the
outset. 108 Goosen claims to have been motivated largely by a need for
financial security, although concern about the safety of the items and a
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