October 23, 2001

The Real Cowards
By Ian McPherson

Last week, we had an Anthrax scare, just across the road from us in Crows Nest, Sydney. The victim of this scare was the local Titan Motorcycle store, a dedicated bunch of Harley Davidson lovers who produce beautiful custom bikes for clients.

The owners received a blank Christmas card from somewhere in Adelaide, in an envelope containing a suspicious white powder. Unwilling to risk contamination, they called the police. Soon, no less than 30-40 ambulance, rescue and police people were swarming over the premises and blocking the highway north. I grabbed the digital camera and took a few photos.

The scare, it seems, was a fraud. I can only imagine it was carried out by practical jokers or fundamentalist sympathizers. Nothing else makes much sense. But it was a bleak reminder of the foolishness and stupidity of some of these people. If the cowards who did this imagine that it was successful, either as a threat or a joke, they are gravely mistaken.

Australia has recently introduced tough new laws to deal with these frauds. The hoaxers will be forced to pay for the emergency services responses and additionally risk up to 10 years jail.

I don't agree with much that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has to say. But, on the subject of germ warfare, he is correct; "I cannot imagine that humans can use germs against other humans, whatever the degree of animosity between them. It is a cowardly, evil and irresponsible action putting in danger the whole of humanity."