By: Las Vegas Now Staff
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Police say there is no indication of any link to terrorist activity involving the discovery of the deadly poison ricin that was found in a hotel room near the Las Vegas Strip.
Seven people were sent to the hospital to be tested for poisoning, including three officers who first responded to the 911 call. All seven people are fine and have been released from the hospital. There was also a dog and two cats found in the room. The cats survived, but the dog had to be put down because of starvation.
The room belonged to a man, Roger Von Bergendorff, who had been admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 with breathing problems. Von Bergendorff is now in critical condition and police sources say he has slipped into a coma. Police say they don’t think foul play is involved, however they are still investigating why the man had ricin in his room.
Police say they were summoned to his room on Feb. 26, 2008 after apartment management called them to remove some firearms. The managers were going forward with eviction proceedings when they found guns and an anarchist-type textbook.
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When police arrived, they noted the ricin section of the textbook was highlighted. Officers called Metro’s bomb squad to check out the room, but they found no evidence of ricin.
A day later, a relative of Von Bergendorff found vials of ricin while cleaning out the room. He showed the vials to hotel management prompting a huge response by police and medical services.
Several federal and local agencies are involved in the investigation. The incident happened at the Extended Stay America Hotel, not far from the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel is located on Valley View between Flamingo and Harmon.
“Ricin is very serious. Something as small as the size of a pin can be deadly. An individual citizen, other than being involved in cancer research or cancer prevention, would not have any legal means or proper means to have it,” said Metro Homeland Security Capt. Joe Lombardo.
Lombardo says the ricin was in powder form and also some of it was in castor bean form. Police say there were several vials of the toxin in a plastic bag and it may have been there for more than two weeks.
“I want to assure everyone the valley is safe we don’t have any threat of contamination threat,” said Lombardo.
Police say the relative who turned in the ricin also stayed at Excalibur Hotel. As a precaution, Metro went to the hotel and made sure there was no contamination.
“This was precautionary. It would be irresponsible of us not to respond to Excalibur and conduct tests to see if there was ricin,” said Capt. Lombardo.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says ricin is a powerful poison made from castor beans. It has some legitimate medical uses but it has most recently made news as a terrorist weapon.
Accidental exposure is very unlikely. It takes a deliberate act to make ricin and use it as a poison.
Meanwhile, as police and even the National Guard converged on the Extended Stay America, guests were locked out with no place to go.
Eyewitness News talked with Dennis Clark, who was locked in his room for hours, not knowing what was going on.
“You have it blocked up here and you are letting me walk around here, and she says, “Well, we are not really. You either go back into your room or you have to leave.” and I said, “You are sure it is safe to stay?” and she said, “Yes, it is not a problem. We only have it blocked off to here.” He said.
Friday morning, Eyewitness News caught up with Chad McEwan and his wife Darbi. They were married on Wednesday, just one day before the scare. They say their honeymoon is ruined. Luckily, Chad’s mother lives in Las Vegas, so they stayed on her pull out bed — not the honeymoon either had hoped for.
“Aww, she was pissed. We were panicking. Couldn’t get to our room. We were tired,” said McEwan.
Eddie Moreira did not get back to his room until 3 a.m., too. He works for an events company and had a large moving van parked nearby. He was upset no one from Extended Stay or the police told him what was happening.
“Are you in Russia or something? You can’t have access to information and nobody can tell you anything,” said Moreira.
No one from Extended Stay’s local or national office had any comment Friday. A few of the guests did get refunds on their reservations, but many went elsewhere.
Ricin has been used in attacks overseas before, but Metro stresses this does not appear to be an act of terror.
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How convenient for a terrorist type of substance to be mysteriously found at the same time that there is a presidential election going on to unseat an administration that has a clear agenda in the middle east which is threatened by the call for change. If they can’t identify who the source of this substance is, then I have my money on this being a setup.
Comment by Allen — February 29, 2008 @ 3:54 am
Does anyone buy the story that this has no terror connection? I mean, who makes ricin to just have around? And if someone is just a “casual posessor” of ricin and they really believe that then why does Homeland Security show up? Huge pieces of the official story just don’t add up.
Comment by Harold — February 29, 2008 @ 4:09 am
An amount “as small as the size of a pin can be deadly” and a “serious investigation is just now beginning?”
Who, in their right mind would keep such a poison in their hotel room? Who is the “someone” who brought it to he front desk?
Are you just “ignoring” this story?
Comment by cj — February 29, 2008 @ 8:18 am
Who carries Ricin with them? If this is not some kind of criminal involvement, then how did the Ricen get into the room and why? There are a lot of things they are not telling us. This cannot be an accident. Ricin is used by terrorist. Was this some kind of foiled plot? We may never know.
Comment by Michael Pascoe — February 29, 2008 @ 11:40 am
I can’t believe this! This is a HUGH story and every “media” outlet is just brushing this aside as a no big deal thing!? WTF!! This is RICIN people one of the DEADLIEST things around. NO terrorist connection.. WHAT?!? Where the 4ell do you think this refined stuff comes from, Walmart?? Wake up people this is a very significant thing and where this was found there’s bound to be a lot more. 500 MICRO GRAMS (a pinhead) dose can kill a person. I’m just hoping the authorities are taking this more seriously behind the scenes. This is being down played way too much in the media.
Comment by Adam — February 29, 2008 @ 11:53 am
One other thing.. Might this be the start of a FALSE FLAG operation?
Comment by Adam — February 29, 2008 @ 11:56 am
This is crazy of course it is some type of terrorism, even if it is domestic in nature. Like you all have already said who/why would someone just have this stuff around. Plus some of the info I have seen published says there were still castor beans in the room too. Makes it sound like it was produced right there.
Comment by angie — February 29, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
Yep sounds like a total Black Op setup here.
Good to see others are not buying this BS either.
Is it time for Metro’s Homeland Security Cash giveaway again?
Hey KLAS TV, why not look deeper into this and find out the Truth?
Comment by Stephen — February 29, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
“Ricin…accept NO substitute”!
Comment by Donkey Kong — February 29, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
As a former Marine and out of state person now living here. I have to say the word “TERRORISTS” Ricin is extremely dangerous and since I was trained in HAZ MAT while in the Marines. I can honestly say that the FBI can say what they want not to cause great panic but this substance has no cure known to man.
Las Vegas is a great place for this considering how many people come from out of state and from around the world. Only ignorance from FBI agent spokes persons can we be mislead to believe this is not a plan by Terrorists.
Someone foiled this terrorist groups goal, whats to keep them from trying again?
Considering that illegals who come to this country are ignored by police so why not terrorists who look like them and blend in as well. I bet this will later be written up as a terrorist plot gone bad by the FBI and stuff. I personally think that Las Vegas is a target of great importance and there are probably other terroist cells near by watching all this carefully.
Time to have HomeLand Security readjust their schedules and quit sitting on their butts eating donuts and reevaluate this area and start doing their jobs. I trust no one and continue to be alert for anything. What makes America safe any more if illegals bring their families here and live off us for free and are ignored by the Federal Government?
Don’t you think the terrorist see this and adjust accordingly to blend in because police don’t care, the marshals don’t care or the government so why should the terrorists?
I believe it to be related to terrorism and I know it will come out later that it was. I do believe that Homeland Security has failed big time!!!!
This stuff is bad and I am glad they got to it before it got released into the public. I don’t even want to imagine what horrors lie in wait among the silent neighborhoods here in Las Vegas. God save us all!
Comment by Wolfster — February 29, 2008 @ 4:28 pm
Another question arises when the National Guard is brought in.
What are they doing here unless they claim it is part of a training excerise, whom do you believe?
Comment by Wolfster — February 29, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
Of course it’s terror related. How can it not be? You can’t buy ricin at your corner store.
Comment by mike — February 29, 2008 @ 8:15 pm
We had all of this under our wire tapping, however because the democrats would not renew the wiretapping act in congress we had to abandon our operation and we lost track of these individuals.
Comment by Nick Radiciff — February 29, 2008 @ 8:30 pm
Of course this is terrorism, the democrats are too busy trying to find out who took performance enhancing drugs, and fired federal attorneys, and cannot be bothered looking into something this serious..This should be on the news every hr till it is discovered who and why… and the mystery surrounding this mans name stunns me.. I bet my name would be released if it were me…
Comment by Joanne San Diego — February 29, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
This should of been found, or perhaps it was when all the politicians were in town for the caucusus, and it was hushed up…said it had been in the room for more than two weeks.. Had it been spread around during that time, perhaps the dim wits who love the terrorists would realize what the United States is up against.
Comment by Debbyred — February 29, 2008 @ 9:03 pm
How about a name and/or nationality of the person staying in the room? Until that is released I will make no further comment.
Comment by Rob — February 29, 2008 @ 9:21 pm
He must not be white since he’s not described. Thanks media, thanks pc police.
Comment by chigger wells — February 29, 2008 @ 9:24 pm
Does anyone know who this person is?? American?? foreign??
Comment by Lois — February 29, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
Why do we know NOTHING about this guy? What are they keeping secret? Are they afraid of racial profiling? Tell me if I’m getting warm. Was “Muhammad” part of his name?
Comment by Lone Ranger — February 29, 2008 @ 9:30 pm
Metro has not released the man’s name or nationality because he remains in the hospital. Apparently it violates HIPPA rules.
We’ll release it as soon as we get it.
Comment by Las Vegas Now Staff — February 29, 2008 @ 9:42 pm
It amazes me that they think that dismissing the terrorism angle will make people feel better. Just tell the truth and say you don’t know. If they knew, then there would not be further investigation. Remeber the major power outage of 2003 in the Northeast? As soon as it happened the statement was that it wasn’t terrorist related but they did not know what caused it. It took almost seven months to get the official report on that. The response for this ricin situation is exactly the same. But after they guy dies, we might be told that he was actually a junky who snorted some of the substance from a vile he found in a vacant lot. At least they could say is, “Since the guy is in a coma, he didn’t have a clue as to what he had and was probably not bright enough to extract it himself. We are investigating to see if others are involved.” Instead we are to believe that it is some nutty anarchist out to frighten the people. What a silly guy…
Comment by Lance — February 29, 2008 @ 11:08 pm
This story is full of holes - the guy is in the hospital with breathing problems, there were guns in his room, there was an anarchist book in the room, and there was ricin in the room…and they don’t know who it belonged too? I hope I’m reading it wrong…
Comment by Mark — February 29, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
I find it disturbing over the secrecy of the details of this story. Equally I find it disturbing at how quickly the FBI dismissed Terrorism as the motivation for the presence of ricin. Given the fact that the man who possesses it is in a coma, how do they know he wasn’t gong to sell it to a terrorist?
I want honesty in this case! The fact that this Ricin is just something that some guy had and no one had anything to worry about is in a word…BS!
Comment by Lex — February 29, 2008 @ 11:26 pm
No antidote or vaccine is available for ricin.
Comment by ben — March 1, 2008 @ 12:30 am
After reading the articles about this incident, and hearing what the authorities have to say about it, I can’t help but think that this doesn’t add up. How is having ANY ricin not considered “terrorist activity”? The post-9/11 anti-terrorism laws are so incredibly overboard, even peaceful protesters are considered “terrorists.” And we’re being told this guy had ricin for absolutely no reason at all, or what? Faux News said Al Qaeda started forest fires last year, but let’s see if they let this guy off the hook.
Common sense says he was planning on using the ricin. I suspect he was about to use it in Las Vegas but screwed up and made himself sick. If this guy’s such a novice he was most likely working for someone else. The fact that the authorities are covering his back MUST say something.
A FALSE FLAG TERRORIST ATTACK CARRIED OUT BY AMERICANS IS IMMINENT! BUSH AND THE NEOCONS WANT TO RETAIN POWER! A TERRORIST ATTACK WOULD GIVE BUSH DICTATOR POWERS! LOOK IT UP, GOOGLE FALSE FLAG TERROR, BUSH, and PATRIOT ACT!
Comment by Soul Survivor — March 1, 2008 @ 2:21 am
Anarchy? Firearms? Ricin?
Sounds like a terrorist to me!
Comment by Gary — March 1, 2008 @ 2:33 am
This is of great interest to Homeland Security, which, as you know, is present at all NASCAR races. This weekend (TODAY, THRU SUNDAY) is the biggest event the Vegas track - - all year long.
100,000 or so people tightly packed in the grandstands and the infield, you could just walk up and down a few rows of seats with a vial of ricin and…
Obviously, we don’t want to panic the public or hurt attendance at the Auto Club Speedway Track (Las Vegas) but maybe if the public knew that measures were being taken to protect them at the Nationwide race Saturday and the Sprint Cup race on Sunday, they would be at ease and more inlcined to go.
None of this will stop me from going where and doing what I want to do, I am an American and if I want to go see a race, I will. I am not letting these losers ruin my American freedoms and deep love for my country.
Thanks,
J.G.
Comment by John Gaffney — March 1, 2008 @ 2:55 am
“don’t piss on my shoes and tell me it’s raining.”
Not terrorism. What is it with our derelict and complicit media?
These are the same wads that told us the moslem fanatics attack on an El Al ticket counter at LAX wasn’t terrorism either.
Yeah, I just happened to have turned castor beans into a bunch of vials of ricin… and now i’m in a hospital because I can’t breathe.
ROFLMAO!
Comment by Yusef Jones — March 1, 2008 @ 2:58 am
all i want to know is the guys name,is it smith or alliakbar. thaey never tell you this stuff in the article. also,the current political race is not to unseat the current administration. he can’t run again,unlike fdr.
Comment by gary — March 1, 2008 @ 4:38 am
ok, so ricin takes the protein out of the body when exposed or ingested. what about the animals there? do you think maybe they were trying it on them to see how fast it works? lack of protein makes you look like you are starved. I hope the dog was checked. This is surely a plot gone wrong and no one is telling the real truth. What about the guy at the Excalibur? Was maybe he looking for a way to put it in the vent system, or water? This person is a person of GREAT interest. Maybe their are more people who think this is one of many events that are just now being caught. I hope our government is doing it’s best to find the truth and not letting us know, so we don’t panic. Maybe they want to keep us calm, maybe it is the time to let them know we want to be kept informed of any chance to be hurt, so we can be on the look out for suspicious characters when we travel or at home. God help us all, terrorists are alive and well and living among us. Don’t let your guard down Americans.
Comment by judy — March 1, 2008 @ 4:52 am
“Not terror connection…”
Excuse me Clouseau-An anarchist type manual that just happens to have the Ricin section highlighted? I really hope this is just some gasbag spokepersons spin and NOT the true belief of the LVPD.
Comment by Barry — March 1, 2008 @ 4:53 am
“Police say there is no indication of any link to terrorist activity involving the discovery of the deadly poison ricin that was found in a hotel room near the Las Vegas Strip”
Yet…
“Ricin is very serious. Something as small as the size of a pin can be deadly. An individual citizen, other than being involved in cancer research or cancer prevention, would not have any legal means or proper means to have it,” said Capt. Lombardo.”
Something is definitely wrong with this story???
Comment by MICHAEL — March 1, 2008 @ 5:09 am
These cases are regularly classified immediatly and the deputies intimidated to keep their mouths shut. This one got out and the FBI is trying to keep the same type lid on it they normally do. Do not worry, just go spend money.
Comment by Joe Six — March 1, 2008 @ 5:13 am
Have you noticed that every major event that has taken place in our country lately,IS NOT RELATED TO TERRORIST ACTIVITY! Every thing from Forrest Fires (that the authorities know were started intensionally) to Power outages & oil refineries catching on fire. It seems none of these activities have any relationship to Terrorist Activities. Oh! By the way is there not a Big NASCAR event near LV this weekend?
Comment by Honest Abe — March 1, 2008 @ 5:27 am
You guys are always looking at terrorist connections. This was a guy with a new pick-up line for the girls in Vegas. It goes this way:
Hi cuti — Do you want to go to my room and see some Ricin in a bottle.
Comment by Rick — March 1, 2008 @ 5:43 am
Some of you people need new foil for your hats. If this where a so called ‘False Flag’ event then it would not be a skid-row hotel room complete with a starved dog but a crowded mall or casino floor.
Do you really think that if the neocons wanted such a media event that they would leave it to amateurs and chance?
Comment by Sparky — March 1, 2008 @ 5:51 am
WHAT IS THE PERSONS NAME??????????????????
Don’t try to pee down my neck and tell me it’s raining, of course this is linked to terrorism, and again, why no name mentioned?? can anyone guess??
Comment by Tim — March 1, 2008 @ 5:53 am
When I first heard this story, I believe early Thursday, it was mentioned that the hotel was directly across from a water treatment plant - and then that story went poof. Can anyone confirm that?
Wouldn’t that have been a major concern if that was true?
Comment by Linda in NC — March 1, 2008 @ 5:57 am
You can blame all of this on Global Warming and Carbon Footprints and signatures causing ‘brainwave’ climate change! Excess heat in Vegas has caused folks to go nuts. We have to do our part to stop this ‘global warming’. Stop opening cans of beer and introducing terrible CO2 into the atmosphere, restrict heavy breathing, and please stop messing up the environment by living like a king. Cut back your lifestyle. Wear 2nd hand clothes, sell your car and use light rail, live in a concrete box in the city and give up suburban lifestyle destructive habits. Stop eating meat and no more sex, we have enough CO2 emmitters already.
Comment by Bob Snakely — March 1, 2008 @ 6:07 am
No terrorism involved? How ludicrous. Las Vegas is not just a tourist attraction, it is also the location of the HOOVER DAM folks. A few vials of ricin in the water supply and poof! entire populations of Nevada, California and surrounding states dependent on this water supply are dead.
Comment by Eaglemaiden — March 1, 2008 @ 6:20 am
This story makes no sense. The dog had to be put down because of starvation? But there were two cats in the room?
Why didn’t the dog eat the cats?
Comment by alex — March 1, 2008 @ 6:21 am
Stunning that people will twist themselves into pretzels to blame Bush for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!
Hmmmm, no terrorist attacks in 7 years and Bush wants to attack innocent people in Las Vegas before a big Democrat primary! Wonders never cease how ignorant people can be.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE PRESS IS TRYING NOT TO CAUSE A PANIC. HOW IN HELL CAN THEY BE SO CERTAIN SO QUICKLY THAT IT’S NOT TERROR RELATED???? That sort of suspicious is obvious and warranted. You go ahead and keep being afraid of man-made “global warming” while the adults deal with the real threats facing our country. Sad, sad, sad.
Comment by KAYKAT — March 1, 2008 @ 6:40 am
Publish his name….
Comment by Release the true facts — March 1, 2008 @ 6:54 am
I think they should take a look at those indian’s in california:)
Comment by john sloas — March 1, 2008 @ 7:20 am
HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act, under the Privacy Rule,
“”This is interpreted rather broadly and includes any part of a patient’s medical record or payment history.”"
So even if there is a WMD involved, in a heavily trafficked metro area, we have to respect the patient’s medical privacy? Sounds a bit off. Terrorism, even individual terrorism, is bad for business, and disrupting commerce is part of the terrorist’s MO.
Comment by kevin — March 1, 2008 @ 8:08 am
It’s obvious why the writer(s) wouldn’t put their name on this article. This is so poorly written. The piece jumps time throughout the paragraphs. First no poison was found then quotes a police officer saying they found some in a plastic bag and in bean form, but also a “relative” turned some in? WHAT?!? DID ANYONE read over this article and see if, in it’s entirety, made sence to someone not familar with the event? I think not. Crack team of journalists over there. I recomend the local community college for a writing class.
Comment by Meisha Weiss — March 1, 2008 @ 8:21 am
How much would news of terrorirst activites in Las Vegas hurt the tourist business? I wonder if the Las Vegas police dare tell us all they know. Remember Jaws? Don’t scare the tourists!
Comment by Paul — March 1, 2008 @ 8:25 am
Why aren’t they releasing any names? Could it be because they might have a middle eastern ring to them? Is it because we have a Presidential Candidate who is He whose middle name must not be spoken? Is the Ministry of Magic suppressing the information?
Comment by worddust — March 1, 2008 @ 8:39 am
“When police arrived, they noted the ricin section of the textbook was highlighted.”
These scratch and sniff articles can be pretty bad.
Comment by Joe Drager — March 1, 2008 @ 8:46 am
I make a great castor bean soup.
Comment by Bone Lee Tadpole — March 1, 2008 @ 8:46 am
What do you bet that the name of this individual is: John Hussein Clinton.
Comment by Info — March 1, 2008 @ 8:52 am
weapons, ricin, anarchist book…hmmm - why are they so quick to rule out terrorist activity in cases like this? Creeping Sharia maybe?
Comment by Addie — March 1, 2008 @ 9:04 am
I am a retired NY City E.M.S. paramedic with “haz_mat, (scott pack & ‘bunny’ suit wearing,
‘oh my god, here we go again’)” experience.
I rode the ‘orange & whites’, (now ‘red & whites, N.Y.F.D.), for 11 of my 22 years as a ‘1st. responder’…
The so-called ‘authorities’ are saying this ISN’T a terrorist incident?
Hmmm…
Since there isn’t any ‘legitimate’ reason for a private individual to posses ricin, (which is odorless, colorless and, (like a cheap science fiction movie ’special effect’), WILL, literally, go through the skin & kill individuals screwing around with it, (as the motel-person is apparently, just now aware!), I can only wonder WHY the so-called officials would say this, so early in the investigation, (claim the ’soon-to-die’ motel individual isn’t part of a terrorist effort)!
The question is:
…WHOSE terrorist(s) are involved here?
Have we all forgotten the Unibomber? or ‘Religious Crazies’? …O. Bin Ladin, Tim McVeigh, Baruche Goldstein, Meir Kahane, Erich Rudolph, M. Atta, are {living & deceased} examples…
Then, there is the past example of the U.S. Navy scandel in which a Lt. Marcinkus, participating in a ‘red team’ excercise, who, (so the story goes), managed to get his ‘S.E.A.L’ team onto submarines in Pearl harbor, (posing as civilian contractors), to test the feasibility of infiltrators attempting to launch unauthorized missil(s); He so embarrassed the chain of command that he went to jail, instead of getting a medal for his/his team’s (heroic) efforts!
Finally…almost every day, there are news stories of airport screeners so laxidaisical that one could get an ‘M1A2 Abrams’ onto an aircraft if the passenger entry were big enough!
…NOT a terrorist incident?
Yeah, right!! If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn, that’s for sale, rock bottom prices!!
Comment by R.G. Frano, A.-E.M.T.4.-Paramedic, A.C.L.S.(Ret.) — March 1, 2008 @ 9:07 am
1. Ricin has to be intentionally made. 2. Ricin is illegal to make willy-nilly 3. Ricin is one of the deadliest poisons known 4. There is NO antidote 5. There was a BUNCH of ricin found.
And they’re saying this is NOT terror related? Excuse me, I have a bridge I will sell you…
Comment by Art — March 1, 2008 @ 9:16 am
This article is written horribly. I never post on things like this, but I felt I should here because it is exceptionally bad. It makes no sense and it is painful to read. Fire the author.
Comment by Andrew — March 1, 2008 @ 9:29 am
Not this article, actually, but the longer one on this site that was linked to by Drudge.
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=7943629
Comment by Andrew — March 1, 2008 @ 9:30 am
why did the friend find the vials when the police did’nt.
Comment by kerry — March 1, 2008 @ 9:40 am
Have they released this guy’s name yet!?
Comment by Jim Sheridan — March 1, 2008 @ 9:42 am
It’s a plot. They’re all in the employ of forces that are spreading lies about the black bottom forces of spread shift double placement idiographs. Can’t you sheeple see that the Bush/Chaney/Queen Elizabeth/Monty Hall reactionary double dealing warmongering conspirators want to scare us into voting for blueberry preserves? Am I the only sane one here?
Comment by barnard — March 1, 2008 @ 9:43 am
Obviously, what is being reported is not what is happening, or has happened. This could be a small time nut-job operation or something much bigger, but in either case this is either an interrupted terrorist (terrorists aren’t just Al Quada) attack, or a part of something bigger that has yet to play out. And of course, we’ll not hear about it until it’s either over or it’s too late. The media will dutifully keep us busy with Britney, OJ, and Hillary. Bread and Circuses.
Comment by Bob G. — March 1, 2008 @ 9:52 am
Why is it that everyone here is an expert on what is happening. We have almost NO facts, yet most people here are screaming “renew FISA,” “Terrorism,” “Illegals,” “Democrats this,” or “Republicans that.” Maybe the problem is much bigger than what looks like a terrorist act that was foiled by an idiot who poisoned himself. Maybe we should wonder why the government is so secretive about this. I’m not saying there’s a conspiracy, what I’m saying is we’re being manipulated by the media and government. They should release all the facts once they have them. These stories with holes in them only create fear, hatred, and anger that is more than likely misdirected. People of other cultures aren’t the only ones with extreme views. There have been and will be again American born terrorists. Instead of pointing fingers, maybe we should try to figure out why people are so motivated to go to the extreme of terrorism to make a point. We can yell and scream at each other all we want, but until we get to the root of the problem all we are doing is making things worse. We’re all human, we all have to live here, and we need to find a way to stop hating each other and start living together for the good of EVERYONE.
Comment by M.S. — March 1, 2008 @ 10:18 am
We’ll never know what really happened. We’ll never get all the info. We’ll always think we know.. but we don’t.
Comment by RS — March 1, 2008 @ 10:34 am
How stupid do they think the American public is? NO TERRORIST CONNECTIONS? Just crazy…ricin=terrorism.
Comment by Chris — March 1, 2008 @ 10:42 am
There we go - comment #1 is by a sufferer of Bush Derangement Syndrome.
Comment by Gerry — March 1, 2008 @ 11:01 am
In order to save the rain-forest, the Ministry of Truth is now printing all of its news stories on eco-friendly paper made from bovine excrement fiber. The Ministry of Truth expects that its news stories will be even more widely read and accepted than ever before.
Comment by Winston Smith — March 1, 2008 @ 11:16 am
As to releasing information, the authorities are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. They know they can’t win, so they do their job.
Half of the posters here seem to grab at every event and happening as proof of their favorite conspiracy theory.
Please, enough with “the plastic ends of shoe laces are called aglets, and their purpose is sinister” mentality.
This incident will be investigated, and the information, such as it is, will be released.
A new president will be elected this November, and will take office in January of 09. This is true whether it be McCain, Obama or Clinton.
I am awaiting the inevitable calls of being part of the conspiracy.
Comment by Michael — March 1, 2008 @ 11:26 am
Let me get this strait. Ricin, a known weapon of Russian assassins is found in a hotel room in quantity. A so called Anarchists cook book is also found according to the news account. And this is not something of a terrorist nature?
Possibly someone intending a hit on someone?
Something about this story stinks as the idea of laying fears to rest by public statements from officials just isn’t getting it. Common sense has to come in at some point.
As for the political garbage, that’s just what it is. GARBAGE. Keep your crack pot politics to yourself. Every single forum on the web is not a place for your political filibuster for your hatred of anything conservative. The facts of this case are what the discussion and opinions posted are about, not leftist political GARBAGE.
Comment by John Campbell — March 1, 2008 @ 11:43 am
Yes there is a water treatment facility across the street. Yes we removed guns and an “anarchist style” textbook from the hotel room. Yes we found Ricin, one of the deadliest substances on the face of the earth in the room. What? Was this terrorist related? Absolutely not. What on earth gave you that idea?
OK boys and girls, can you say bulls**t? I knew ya could!
Comment by JMSeeker — March 1, 2008 @ 11:47 am
Nice try! When all else fails try to blame those Republicans….
ARE YOU CERTIFIBLY NUTS????????
Comment by C — March 1, 2008 @ 12:13 pm
Name and nationality please….unbelievable this is not public yet.
Comment by Mike — March 1, 2008 @ 12:26 pm
I guess we will have to wait for Michael Savage on Monday to get to the bottom of this…becasue the rest of the liberal press at worthless and weak.
Comment by Mike — March 1, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Ricin. I am a physician and wouldn’t know where to obtain ricin beans and/or make ricin out of them. This is a serious situation and hope Homeland Security, FBI and even CIA get involved. This is terrorism until proven wrong. I think I read long time ago that Vegas was in the sights of terrorists. I understand a person can make a lot of damage with a small ricin vial.
Comment by Eduardo M. Diaz — March 1, 2008 @ 12:31 pm
How could that NOT BE a terrorist threat? How stupid. Do you know that yelling at your spouse and saying..”I’m gonna break your dishes” or something like that and the judge throws the terrorist threat on the charges. Even to a woman or kid!And you say that poison and guns in the room are not a threat that terrorises everyone? Some one needs a check up from the neck up! LOL
Comment by John — March 1, 2008 @ 12:35 pm
Of course this freak was up to no good. Most likely a Democrat trying to make it look like Bush was trying to set up the Demcrats to make it look like they were the ones who were the ones doing the setting up of the no-goodness deeds of the other party.
Comment by Doctor of Manliness — March 1, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
The reason they are not releasing a name is because he is a Muslim. Duh! But, of course, there is no connection to terrorism. Keep letting bees build a hive in your house and eventually you will get stung.
Comment by The Viceroy — March 1, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
Could it be that Mr. Von Bergendorff is a terroist wannabe? Could he have manufactured the ricin himself? Otherwise why the raw materials (caster beans) and the anarchist handbook?
If he never comes out of his coma, we may never know for sure.
Disturbing
Comment by Richard — March 1, 2008 @ 1:04 pm
Police said the man is 57 years old and was staying in the suite at the Extended Stay America on Valley View Boulevard near Flamingo Road where the ricin was found.
Police have not identified the man, but a Homeland Security internal document obtained by the Review-Journal states that he is Roger Von Bergendorff.
Comment by green footballer — March 1, 2008 @ 1:07 pm
Wonder when the black heliocopters will be spotted?
Seriously, there is a guy by the same name and age who resides in Reno. I suspect any involvement here can be devined pretty rapidly through neighborhood interviews, search warrants, and reviews of his credit card purchases and telephone records.
Now then, assuming he had nothing to do with this except by happenstance, the question remains, whose was it and what did they intend to do with it? I think the comment it was not terrorism is premature. Of course, any WMD discovered in Las Vegas would not be made known till we get the report from our intelligence services and get the troops in place for an invasion, er, that was another item.
Vince
Comment by Vince — March 1, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
The police need to wake up—an anarchist type textbook and guns were found along with ricin and yet the police say there is no relation to terrorism–
from the paper “Police say they had been to his room on Feb. 26, 2008 after apartment management called them to remove some firearms. The managers were going forward with eviction proceedings when they found guns and an anarchist-type textbook”.
Comment by Tom — March 1, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
He is not a terrorist. The ricin was merely for “personal use”. Apparently, it worked.
Comment by rob shore — March 1, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
There you go. All of you people yelling that it must have been a Muslim or “let’s hear a name and nationality” just look like 1diots now. That name sounds pretty European to me. Those are your ancestors! Why don’t you go scream about European terrorists now? Obviously something was going on. The point is you need to stop profiling because not every brown person is a terrorist. Quit flashing your ignorance around!
Comment by M.S. — March 1, 2008 @ 2:48 pm
In short recap:
1) Roger Von Bergendorff, the suspect that has been taken to hospital, (which?), since February 14, 2008.
2) He stayed at the Extended Stay America Motel.
3) This was found in his room, (which?): Ricin, firearms, guns, an anarchist-type textbook, one dog, two cats. (Should he first test the ricin on the dog, and the cats, but became sick after handling the ricin?!)
In summary: In my book, he is clearly a terrorist suspect.
Comment by dAcB — March 1, 2008 @ 3:33 pm
No terror connection? yeah right! They just don’t want the public to know what’s really going on.
Comment by Radar — March 1, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
This case sounds like Sirhan and Oswald. The individual acted alone or in this case with someone else. Now we learn his name is Roger Von Bergendorff and a search of his Utah residence is underway. Any connection with the threat levied at Liberty High School. Oh thats right this is not a terrorist threat I guess that is only because it was carried out to its fullest extent. Where is the Las Vegas CSI when you need them.
Comment by RRS — March 1, 2008 @ 5:12 pm
Firearms, anarchist textbook, ricin … what part of terrorism don’t you understand?
Comment by Bill — March 1, 2008 @ 9:09 pm
Ok, so a guy walks into your manager’s office at the hotel…He has a plastic bag with numerous vials of white powder in them. The first thing YOU do as the manager is call the police, the feds, homeland security and the national guard? within MINUTES?????? Cmon, ppl!
This person was obviously under surveillance…He got sick and they staked the place out to see who came to fetch the goodies. And those pets are better classified *test subjects*.
Comment by TN — March 1, 2008 @ 9:47 pm
As for the suspect’s NAME: a few weeks ago a polish guy killed five students in Illinois. BUT..that is NOT the end of the story: he was also an Islamic radical. But WHO is telling that to the public? The only source i could find for THAT part of the story was WND.
Comment by TN — March 1, 2008 @ 9:51 pm
LAS VEGAS CAN SLEEP WELL, KNOWING THE SAME POLICE DEPT. THAT COULDN’T FIND THE RICIN IS PROTECTING AND SERVING THEM. A RELATIVE FOUND IT THE NEXT DAY! UNBELIEVABLE!!
UNTIL “PROVEN” WRONG WE CAN ASSUME IT WAS A TERRORIST PLOT OF SOME KIND. PROBABLY COMING THROUGH MEXICO. IF YOU WANTED TO ATTACK AMERICA WOULDN’T YOU COME THROUGH MEXICO? OH, I FORGOT THE “VIRTUAL FENCE” WAS GOING TO STOP UNWARRANTED INTRUSIONS INTO OUR COUNTRY. OUR POLITICIANS ARE LYING TO US, AND NOT DOING THEIR JOB.BUILD THE DAM WALL, BUILD IT NOW AND GET OFF YOUR BUTTS. HOW DO YOU DEPORT 15 MILLION ILLEGALS? ONE AT A TIME. JUST START.
WE HAVE HAD IT WITH BOTH PARTIES WHO ARE HELL BENT ON LETTING ILLEGALS INTO THIS COUNTRY, AND GIVING THEM AMNESTY WHETHER WE WANT IT OR NOT!
Comment by MR.MARIO ELIA — March 2, 2008 @ 4:27 am
My sympathy first and foremost goes to the poor dog that was starving. The guy was a nut and so was his relative. If these are regular people, why would they have this stuff to begin with. Was that idiot going to try it on the dog and cat for experiments? And this relative goes to the motel first instead of calling the police? No, the guy wasn’t a terrorist, he was just another moron that got his hands on a some white powder that didn’t know what it was. Yeah right. He had plans for that stuff but luckily it got him first!
Comment by springer — March 2, 2008 @ 6:28 am
No link to terror? Bwa-ha ha ha ha ha !
Comment by Ragu4u — March 2, 2008 @ 6:31 am
I can’t figure out which is worse….having yet another terrorist in our midst or having law enforcement officials that believe we really ARE “that stupid”…..
Comment by NurseZac — March 2, 2008 @ 7:34 am
When the man was brought to the hospitol, Im sure blood and urine samples were taken. Why is it, a week later, the police had not been notified that there was a possibility that there was a ricin posioning victim?
I find it hard to beleive that Las Vegas PD and Homeland are not on full alert, with the NASCAR event going on and the possibilities to posion a large group of people throught the country, I am amazed to the noncholant attitude being displayed.
Comment by Gritz — March 2, 2008 @ 7:57 am
Las Vegas is a Prime Target for Terror. We live in a very Dangerous City. One major event and this town could go dark for a long long time.
Those in Law Enforcement know the biggest fear is a Suicide bomber or chemicals..
I think if we knew who they followed everyday and what events they have stopped without us knowing.. we’d all be even more concerned…
We cannot rely on an understaffed Metro Police Department alone… we all need to keep our eyes and ears open… and just be aware of our visitors..
Comment by Dave — March 2, 2008 @ 9:21 am
Adam raises interesting questions. We all know that many events are hushed up and brushed aside by the Las Vegas media. It is a shame. The tourist industry could be impacted, so we just accept the statement that this was not a terrorist incident.
Only a fool would believe that. In a normal city, there would be proper concern shown.
Comment by Susan — March 2, 2008 @ 11:26 am
Wow! Some of you right-wing drudge-bots are nuttier than this Von Bergendorff character. Oh, and speaking of Von Bergendorff, I guess since we know his name now, you racists can back off the “he’s obviously not white” and “must be a muslim” comments and bs. We Americans are always so ready to villify the outsider, the “other,” that we forget the Timothy McVeighs in our midst. We need to be as vigilant against domestic terrorism as we pretend to be about imported terrorism. And yes, shame on anyone who suggests that this was not a terrorist act in the making.
Comment by xhepera — March 3, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
I love how their honeymoon was ruined, Ummm you where staying at the extended inn you already started off on a awful foot. Spend a few bucks high roller its your honeymoon not a strip rat. I smell a lawsuit from these idiots.
Comment by rob — March 3, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
First off, most of you people disgust me but I can’t blame you for it, for you are nothing more than products of your environments and I have love for you all, unconditionally.
First off, the media in its current state will take every opportunity to spin bad things into being terrorist-plots. Don’t believe me? Watch the news. Obviously the people directing the media didn’t think this one should be portrayed in such a way or they’d be running away with this story.
Less-known truths:
Roger Von Bergendorff is a far-right conservative republican and a Bush supporter. He was, reportedly, very interested in the history of Nazi Germany.
I know this because he worked with someone in my family who considers herself a liberal and she told me they used to debate politics in heated fashion. He left that job roughly five years ago. Contact was not maintained.
About a year ago, this family member of mine gets a phone call from Roger and he asks her to see to the care of his beloved German Shepard should he be unable to care of it. He mentioned that he didn’t think he’d be alive much longer and that he knew she would take care of the dog, regardless of their political differences.
That’s all I have. This is real and true information to the best of my knowledge. I have no desire to mislead people, only to spread the truth. Make what you will of it, I can only tell you that things don’t add up with this story.
Extremist Muslims are the least of your worries people. You’ve been coerced into giving up your constitutional rights because of a mysterious evil that you’ve been convinced wants you dead. Learn some history, this is not a new trick. Could this be a false-flag operation gone bad? Who knows but I will say that the imagination is the limit when all of the facts are not revealed.
This bipartisan system we’ve grown accustomed to is a big part of the current problem. Liberal this, conservative that.. Isn’t it about time we forgot about these petty differences and all start calling ourselves Constitutionalists? Divided we fall.
Ever so sincerely,
JD
Comment by JD — March 3, 2008 @ 1:25 pm
*Secondly* too.
-Susan, #94:
“Adam raises interesting questions. We all know that many events are hushed up and brushed aside by the Las Vegas media”
It’s not just the Las Vegas media, darling.
Comment by JD — March 3, 2008 @ 1:34 pm
@#88. . .Mr. Elia if I was to route a terrorist into the U.S. I would not do it through Mexico. Canada would be a much better option, frankly. No one pays attention to illegals that come through “white” countries. The large illegal populations of Irish origin in San Francisco and Boston are clear evidence of that in my experience.
Comment by xhepera — March 3, 2008 @ 1:59 pm
Does the Bidder Meinhoff Gang come to mind?
Comment by RRS — March 3, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
Citizen Eco Drive Watch…
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you….
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