Example research essay topic: Hydrogen Cyanide Chemical Weapon - 605 words

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So, what were the evidences, which supported the statement of the Judge Duffy, that there had been cyanide in the WTC bomb? The main question to be solved here lied in the following: what could be the consequences of mixing cyanide with nitric or sulfuric acids, both of which had been found in the bomb fragments? The FBI chemist Steven Burgmeister was the main person to be inquired about the results of the forensic chemical analysis. The thing is, that Burgmeister never made it clear, that he had come to any positive conclusions as for cyanide presence in the explosive. (Dwyer, 1994, p. 237) This is an abstract from the Burgmeister's interview by one of the prosecutors during the trial: Prosecutor: What happens, when sodium cyanide is mixed with nitric or sulfuric acid? Burgmeister: There is formed hydrogen cyanide, which is a gas, and which is extremely toxic. Prosecutor: When you say, that hydrogen cyanide is very toxic, could you give an idea of how toxic it is?

Burgmeister: Very toxic, if you breathe, you are dead (Burgmeister, 1994, p. 6911) One of the proofs for FBI agents was the discovery of the bottle with sodium cyanide at the place, where the terrorists were preparing their explosive. But it is clear, that this does not directly prove there was any cyanide in the bomb. The fact is that sodium cyanide may be used for different purposes, for example, for photography. Its cost is very low, and it is sold in tons for industrial use.

There have been also carried out technical analysis as for how much cyanide would be needed to create such an explosive, and how it is possible to create hydrogen cyanide and the assertions of the Judge Duffy were not confirmed by the FBI. (Dwyer, 1994, p. 240) It was stated by the former FBI official, that according to the chemical forensic analysis, there was no forensic evidence as for the presence of sodium cyanide at the bomb site. (Hoffman, 1998, p. 179) It should be said, that not much information could be acquired from the explosion site, because of the huge mass of physical and liquid debris around. The explosion was so powerful, that it had broken all the inner structure of the twin towers, and due to this fact the underground was full of water, sewage and constructing materials. The cars and their fragments were scattered around. The only evidence of the possible presence of cyanide in the bomb was the terrorist telephone talks and the chemicals, which had been found at the place of terrorist residence. So, there has been carried out a backward forensic analysis, starting from discovering of cyanide as possible proofs, to the ultimate investigation of the bomb fragments. (U. S.

Senate, 1998) The prosecution would not have hesitated to add the attempted mass killing with a chemical weapon to make the case more compelling. But FBI had not found any definite evidence at the bomb site to prove the presence of sodium hydrate. (Dwyer, 1994, p. 50) So, there has been found no forensic evidence as for the presence of cyanide in the explosive. There has been left only some remote suggestions that it could have been so, or that the FBI specialists had not found the concealed capsule with cyanide, or that the cyanide had been totally destroyed by the explosion. Still there is no evidence to prove any of the assertions.

In any case, it was impossible for the prosecution to charge the defendants with using a chemical weapon if there were no forensic evidence to support the charge. (Hoffman, 1998, p. 190)

Research essay sample on Hydrogen Cyanide Chemical Weapon