U.S. lacks labs for “dirty bomb” tests
Washington
The U.S. has a shortage of laboratories to test the thousands of people who might be exposed to radiation if a “dirty bomb” detonated in a major city, according to a recent congressional investigation.
The federal government established 15 disaster scenarios for federal, state and local officials to plan for, including one in which a dirty bomb goes off in a major downtown area and potentially exposes 100,000 people to radioactive materials.
The nation would not be able to quickly conduct tests for these people, because there are few labs capable of doing so in the country; and the tests available address only six of the 13 radiological isotopes that would likely be used in a dirty bomb, according to the report prepared for the House Committee on Science and Technology.
New York
Giuliani reportedly was a mob target
The bosses of New York’s five Cosa Nostra families discussed killing then-federal prosecutor Rudy Giuliani in 1986, an informant told the FBI, according to testimony Wednesday in Brooklyn state court.
But while the late Gambino crime boss John Gotti pushed the idea, he had the support of only Carmine Persico, leader of the Colombo crime family, according to testimony.
Gainesville, Fla.
Police cleared in Taser case
University of Florida police were justified in using a Taser against a student who refused to stop questioning Sen. John Kerry on campus last month, according to a state investigation released Wednesday.
Some had questioned the use of force in using the stun gun against student Andrew Meyer, leading to the investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The videotaped altercation during the Sept. 17 speech by Kerry and Meyer’s cries of “Don’t Tase me bro!” were played frequently on the Internet.
Oklahoma City
Lawmakers object to gift of Qurans
Two dozen Oklahoma lawmakers plan to return copies of the Quran to a state panel on diversity after a lawmaker claimed the Muslim holy book condones the killing of innocent people.
The books were given to Oklahoma’s 149 senators and representatives by the Governor’s Ethnic American Advisory Council.
“Most Oklahomans do not endorse the idea of killing innocent women and children in the name of ideology,” Rep. Rex Duncan said. He said he researched the Quran online and believes it supports such killing.
Also
Drought: Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered businesses and utilities in 61 counties to cut water usage by 10 percent to conserve a dwindling water supply.
Charges: New charges of felony coercion were filed against O.J. Simpson and three co-defendants in the alleged armed robbery of two sports-memorabilia dealers.
Lawsuit: The widow of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl has withdrawn a lawsuit seeking damages against al-Qaida, a dozen reputed terrorists and Pakistan’s largest bank.
Seattle Times news services