NYT: US concern grows over al Qaeda poison threat

The Obama administration is concerned that a dangerous regional arm of al Qaeda is trying to produce the deadly poison ricin to use in attacks against the United States, the New York Times reported on Friday.

Citing unnamed intelligence officials and classified intelligence reports, the newspaper said al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen has been trying to acquire large quantities of castor beans, used to produce ricin.It said the apparent intent was to pack the poison around small explosives that could be exploded to disperse the ricin, a white powdery substance so deadly that a speck can kill if inhaled or taken into the bloodstream. (Reuters)