Algerian terrorist?

[catfish]

From: Hansard

7 Jun 2005 : Column 456W

SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Kamel Bourgass

Harry Cohen: To ask the Solicitor-General on what grounds the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew charges against Kamel Bourgass and co-defendants of conspiring to make chemical and biological weapons and substituted conspiracy to cause a public nuisance; for what reasons Government lawyers requested an order requiring no reporting of the charge of making chemical weapons being dropped at the time; and if he will make a statement. [1853]

The Solicitor-General: I am advised that the initial charges of conspiracy to manufacture chemical weapons were based upon preliminary indications that traces of ricin were present on articles recovered during searches made of premises occupied by Mr Kamel Bourgass and others. However, it was later confirmed by scientists from Porton Down that the articles did not contain such traces.

In any event, upon a full review of the case papers it was concluded that other offences properly reflected the totality of the alleged offending behaviour.

Charges of conspiracy to murder and to cause a public nuisance were therefore substituted. I am told that the prosecution did not apply for an order restricting reporting in relation to the dropping of the charge.

And from: Hansard twenty days later

Kamel Bourgass

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on which day staff from Porton Down alerted (a) the police and (b) Ministers about the error that had been made in statements issued that ricin had been found in the flat occupied by Kamel Bourgass; and what action was taken by (i) the police and (ii) Ministers when it was found that an error had been made. [1304]

27 Jun 2005 : Column 1243W

Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 6 June 2005]: An initial test conducted by Dstl Porton Down on 6 January 2003 on an exhibit taken by police from the flat occupied by Kamal Bourgass gave an apparent positive result for ricin. However, confirmatory tests which were conducted throughout the period from 7 January 2003 to 28 January 2003 failed to detect the presence of ricin.

Ricin was identified and confirmed on 7 January, 2003 in a second exhibit, consisting of 22 castor beans seized from the flat. Nicotine poison was also identified and confirmed. Other materials, specifically mentioned in the poison recipes recovered from the flat were also found including acetone and isopropyl alcohol.

The Prosecuting Counsel (Mr. Sweeney QC), Crown Prosecution Service, was verbally informed of the ricin test result at a case conference on 20 March, 2003 by Dstl. The Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch was also represented at the meeting where the information was provided. The result was also provided in a written statement which was made available to the Crown Prosecution Service and the metropolitan police at that time.

Further tests on the first exhibit on 27/28 April, 2003 also did not detect ricin.

We do not have a record of the date this information was passed from the police to the Home Office and subsequently to Ministers.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date (a) the police first reported the discovery of traces of ricin in the London flat used by Kamel Bourgass and his associates and (b) Porton Down chemical and biological weapons research centre first indicated that there was no ricin in the flat; and if he will make a statement. [1852]

Mr. Charles Clarke: An initial test conducted by Dstl Porton Down on 6 January 2003 on an exhibit taken by police from the flat occupied by Kamal Bourgass gave an apparent positive result for ricin. However, confirmatory tests which were conducted throughout the period from 7 January 2003 to 28 January 2003 failed to detect the presence of ricin.

Ricin was identified and confirmed by Dstl on 7 January, 2003 in a second exhibit, consisting of 22 castor beans seized from the flat. Nicotine poison was also identified and confirmed. Other materials, specifically mentioned in the poison recipes recovered from the flat were also found including acetone and isopropyl alcohol.

The Prosecuting Counsel (Mr. Sweeney QC), Crown Prosecution Service, was verbally informed of the ricin test result at a case conference on 20 March, 2003 by Dstl. The Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch was also represented at the meeting where the information was provided. The result was also provided in a written statement which was made available to the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police at that time.

Further tests on the first exhibit on 27-28 April, 2003 also did not detect rich.


For those that don't know The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is an Executive Agency of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). It operates as a Trading Fund, owned by the Secretary of State for Defence.
It has a turnover of £353 million and an operating profit of £18.5 million.

source: wikipedia