Pound of cyanide found in room where man died
hat tip ~ LegitGov
from legitgov
About a pound of highly toxic sodium cyanide was found in a hotel room where a man’s body was discovered, authorities said Wednesday. The Denver medical examiner was still awaiting test results to determine what killed Saleman Abdirahman Dirie, of Ottawa. Dirie’s body was found Monday in The Burnsley All Suite Hotel. Fire officials said they found a bottle of the white powder in Dirie’s room. Police said Wednesday it was cyanide. Cyanide can be mixed with certain acids to produce extremely lethal cyanide gas, according to the Department of Justice. Investigators have not said how long Dirie had been in Denver or whether anyone [such as Cheney's anthrax henchmen?] had accompanied him. [The Burnsley All Suite Hotel is listed in the '2008 DNC Accomodations Guide' under 'Denver Hotels, Rentals, Working Space and Temporary Headquarters for 2008 DNC visitors.' It's 1.74 miles from Denver's INVESCO Field at Mile High, where Barack Obama is scheduled to accept the Democratic nomination for president.]
By P. SOLOMON BANDA, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
(08-13) 20:02 PDT DENVER, (AP) –
About a pound of highly toxic sodium cyanide was found in a hotel room where a man’s body was discovered, authorities said Wednesday.
The Denver medical examiner was still awaiting test results to determine what killed Saleman Abdirahman Dirie, 29, of Ottawa. Police said they do not suspect foul play, and the FBI said there was no apparent connection to terrorism.
Dirie’s body was found Monday in The Burnsley All Suite Hotel. Investigators said he had been dead for several days.
Fire officials said they found a bottle of the white powder in Dirie’s room. Police said Wednesday it was cyanide.
Cyanide is a fast-acting chemical used in manufacturing, metallurgy and pest extermination that, when inhaled or ingested, prevents the body from processing oxygen. It can also be mixed with certain acids to produce extremely lethal cyanide gas, according to the Department of Justice.
Investigators have not said why Dirie had cyanide or whether he worked in a job that would have involved using it. They also have not said how long Dirie had been in Denver or whether anyone had accompanied him.
The Canadian Consulate in Denver said members of Dirie’s family were in Colorado to make arrangements to return his body to Canada.
Addirizuk Karod, manager of Ottawa’s Somali Centre for Family Services, told the Ottawa Sun that Dirie was a member of the city’s Somali community and had been to the center with friends.
Karod told the newspaper the Dirie family had left Somalia as refugees years ago and had become Canadian citizens.
Karod did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press.
