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KVOA (Tucson, Arizona) 02 March 06 Man accused of trying to produce biological weapon {Excerpts}
A man arrested last year for possessing explosives and illegal silencers has been indicted on charges of attempting to produce a biological weapon.
Authorities found a large amount of castor bean plants, which can be used to make ricin, in the Phoenix apartment of 58-year-old Denys Ray Hughes in July.
Ricin is a poisonous protein that can be used as a biological weapon. As little as 500 micrograms of the protein, roughly the amount that fits on the head of a pin, is enough to kill an adult, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"It was clear that we interrupted an individual that was infatuated and experimented with dangerous toxins and explosive weapons," said Tom Mangan, special agent and spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"And we interrupted him at an early stage," he said.
Authorities believe Hughes is not a member of a terrorist organization, and that he was working alone, he said.
Additionally, no evidence points to specific plans of attack, he said, adding that authorities still don't know why Hughes would have been attempting to make the biological weapon.
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When officials searched Hughes' Phoenix apartment of 16 years the next day, they found about 20 castor bean plants growing between 15 and 20 feet tall, Mangan said.
They also found four unregistered weapon silencers, two pipe bombs, more chemicals and two Gila monsters, a poisonous lizard. Authorities seized the items, along with the hard drive of Hughes' computer, which has been examined for Internet searches on how to make ricin.
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Hughes faces life in prison on the biological weapon charge, and an additional 20 years for each of the four silencers and each of the two pipe bombs authorities found.
His trial is set for May in Phoenix.
Man accused of trying to produce biological weapon
