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Comments by Sanwar Ali:
In the ricin laced letter sent to President Trump Pascale Ferrier referred to him as the “Ugly Tyrant Clown”. Donald Trump is not the only one who has been sent ricin packages. President Obama, Michael Bloomberg and others were all sent ricin packages in 2013 by former TV actress Shannon Richardson. She was jailed in 2014 for 18 years.
President George W Bush also received a ricin letter in 2004. According to the Verge ricin is commonly found in nature in castor beans. Castor beans grows on a shrub that is common in parts of the US.
US immigration officials arrested Pascale Ferrier a French-Canadian from Quebec at the US-Canada border on suspicion of posting poison to the White House. The package, addressed to US President Donald Trump, reportedly contained ricin. The unnamed woman was detained in Buffalo, New York after attempting to enter the US from Canada, while reportedly carrying a firearm.
Investigators believe the letter came from Canada and was intercepted before it could reach the White House.
Ricin is a natural poison found in castor beans and has been widely used in a number of recent attacks attempted on the White House.
Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with the US Secret Service, are reportedly investigating the package, which was discovered at a processing facility for mail that is sent to the White House.
An FBI statement said: “At this time, there is no known threat to public safety.”
It’s understood that the female suspect may have sent ricin to a further five addresses in Texas, including a jail and a sheriff’s office, according to police reports.
Several tests conducted by the FBI confirmed the presence of ricin.
A statement issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said: “We’re working with the FBI to investigate the suspicious letter sent to the White House.”
A spokesperson for the Mission, Texas, police department said: “The envelope is in the care of local officials and no one has been hurt.”
Eddie Guerra, a Texas Sheriff in Hidalgo City, confirmed that envelopes containing ricin had been received at their base, but no injuries were reported.
Suspect Pascale Ferrier a French and Canadian citizen
US immigration officials stopped Pascale Ferrier a dual French and Canadian citizen at the US border with Canada. The woman appeared in Court on September 22 to face federal charges.
Ricin highly toxic substance
Ricin is a highly lethal substance, which if ingested, inhaled or injected can cause nausea, vomiting, internal bleeding and organ failure. There is no known antidote for the poisonous effects of ricin. In some cases, depending on the dosage, ricin can cause death within 72 hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It’s the second time during Trump’s time in office that ricin has been sent to the White House. In 2018, two envelopes containing the substance were sent to Trump and officials in his administration.
Former President, Barack Obama, was also targeted on two occasions back in 2013.
Ms Ferrier’s motives for sending the lethal packages to Trump are not yet clear, though there’s speculation that the President’s immigration policy among other things has made him a target for harm.
In the run up to the US elections, Trump continues to come down hard on immigrants, but the polls suggest that the current US President is behind Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, ahead of voting day on November 3.
If elected US President, Joe Biden has vowed to ‘tear down’ Trump’s restrictive US visa and immigration policies.
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