Threat to contaminate baby formula with 1080 poison

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1eStar

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#1256335 11-Mar-2015 14:18

Dratsab:
throbb: This guy cant be to smart, he couldn't even spell Fonterra correctly.

OK...let's not mention your grammar...

It pais wen ewe R mokking spelling too you's tha rite wurds + punctuation.

MikeB4

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#1256344 11-Mar-2015 14:32

1eStar:
Dratsab:
throbb: This guy cant be to smart, he couldn't even spell Fonterra correctly.

OK...let's not mention your grammar...

It pais wen ewe R mokking spelling too you's tha rite wurds + punctuation.

ye gods I must read too much Stuff comments etc that was understandable

MikeAqua

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#1256353 11-Mar-2015 14:45

I don't think the withholding of some information (e.g. the letters) is a cause for suspicion. There is an on-going investigation. Letters may contain particular information known only to the offender(s). It's an investigative technique to withhold information from the public. Anyone who reveals knowledge of that info is suspect.

As for timing, I assume the media had got a sniff of it.

I don't think the police sensationalised it, if anything the police spokesperson at the media conference tried to calm it down.

I think it was appropriate to have Key, Guy and the Police there. It showed solidarity and the investigative, assurance and executive arms of government were there to answer questions.

Mike

mattbush

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#1256367 11-Mar-2015 15:18

MileHighKiwi: My theory is the person behind this does not intend to or hope to harm babies. They are hoping to cause panic and disrupt the supply chain. If China get worried and cancel their baby powder imports it's a huge hit to the economy. Dairy is something like 7% of GDP and 25% of our export dollars.

John Key's 'terrorist' line does seem sensationalist, but eco-terrorism is apt IMO.

Eco-terrorism is defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as "the use or threatened use of violence of a criminal nature against people or property by an environmentally oriented, subnational group for environmental-political reasons, or aimed at an audience beyond the target, often of a symbolic nature."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-terrorism

This jerk sent tainted product to 2 Organisations and threatened to taint a lot more if his demands wern't met. This is simply eco terrorism.... He is threatening to kill babies world wide by his actions. Whilst I like the PM believe its a hoax...it is still terrorism.

A lot of these threats world wide are never released to the public due the over reaction of the hoax. NZ had no choice to release it after media got hold of it.

It seems to me the NZ authorities are so far doing a fine job on this.

freitasm

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#1256372 11-Mar-2015 15:22

Terrorism or extortion?

Everything now is terrorism...

MikeB4

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#1256376 11-Mar-2015 15:28

freitasm: Terrorism or extortion?

Everything now is terrorism...

what it is called is irrelevant, it's outcome are relevant.

freitasm

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#1256381 11-Mar-2015 15:29

Not at all. Calling "terrorism" for everything makes the word meaningless. Different threats require different responses.

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MikeB4

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#1256385 11-Mar-2015 15:30

using the definition it could well be terrorism

"the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims."

"the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially forpolitical purposes."

MikeAqua

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#1256414 11-Mar-2015 16:03

It's a threat to poison essential food, that will scare some people.

Under NZ's terrorism suppression act this is a terrorist act because issuing the threats: -

Is intended to induce terror [i.e. extreme fear] in a civilian population - s2(a); and
Is intended to force the government to abstain from using 1080 - s2(b); and
These outcomes would cause major economic loss - s3(c)
If carried out the threat it is serious risk to the health of a population s3(a) and may result in death s3(b).

If we accept that the threats are intimidation, then we have unauthorised use of intimidation in pursuit of political aims, which is terrorism according to the good folks at the Oxford Dictionary.

Terrorism - yes it is.

Mike

Fred99

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#1256497 11-Mar-2015 17:27

I'd call it a terrorist act.

It would surprise me if they don't have a very short list of suspects. Compound 1080 powder isn't easy to get hold of. If it was sourced locally, it either came from Animal Control Products, or pilfered from a lab using it for research or analysis (you wouldn't use up the fingers on one hand counting those).
From ACP, it's supplied as solution - not sent out in powder form. If you contacted the sole manufacturer, they aren't going to send you a sample. If you pilfered the sample from overseas and smuggled it in, then you're an extremist/zealot - and probably through other actions would have appeared on the radar.
In any case - not some spur of the moment erratic brain-fart from some so-called greenie.

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