UPDATED Details on the possible biological attack foiled in Paris

By Olivier Guitta

Further to my post on the arrests of members of the Bourrada cell linked to the Algerian GSPC, the Saudi Al Watan has interesting details about the terrorist attack in the works.
Indeed, French police discovered at the home of one of the cell members a vial containing seeds of a plant called �nigelle� ( no english translation), which is a deadly poison when in contact with the skin. This plant has also the characteristic of being used in the fabrication of explosives.
Also, the DST �roughly the French equivalent to the FBI- indicated that the members of this cell were trained in explosives nearby Tripoli, Lebanon.
They added that this training was organized on Zarqawi�s orders. This would only confirm the agreement between the GSPC and Al Qaeda�s strongman in Iraq.

Some readers have raised very good points about the "nigelle" substance. Here are some clarifications:
The article in the Saudi daily Al Watan translated in French here cites the substance as "nigelle". Here is the passage in question: "The investigators from the DST found seeds in a vial which worried them and decided to have it analysed. It turned out that the nigelle would transform itself in a deadly poison when in contact with the skin. The nigelle is part of the venimous wild plants and contains an alkaline product which can be used in the fabrication of explosives."
The only thing I can view at this point is an error of translation from the Arabic to the French regarding the name of the plant. I will try to get the original Arabic text and take it from there. After checking the Arabic version, the author of the article indeed mentioned "nigelle". So now either the journalist did get her facts wrong or we are not aware of other dangerous properties of that plant.
I will try to find out what the DST really discovered.
Thanks to our readers again for pointing that out.

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