This article is from page 12 of the 2008-06-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
CONTINUING the evidence on sus- pected poison found in Essam Eid’s cell in Limerick, a scientist said she found a “strong positive reaction” for ricin, the trial heard yesterday.
Last Friday, the court heard that the lens case was taken to the UK for analysis, in April 2007. One of the scientists who analysed the samples gave evidence to the trial.
Emma Stobberfield, a microbiol- ogist with a veterinary laboratory in Surrey, told the court that she carried out a test on samples in April 2007, for the purpose of detecting the pres- SN eemovan uO bee
‘“Ricin is a toxin that is poisonous if inhaled, injested or injected,’ she Sr NIGE
She said that one of the samples Showed a weak reaction, while an- other sample had “a very strong posi-
tive reaction”.
Asked by Prosecutor Tom O’Connell what the strong positive reaction was for, she replied, “For ju (on bn
Michael Collins, BL for Mr Eid, asked her why she had included the phrase ‘strong positive reaction’ in court when she had not included it in her statement made in March.
She replied, “It was more positive than the weak reaction.”
Meanwhile, an investigator with American Express, Paul Shingles, told the trial that charges to PJ Howard’s credit card, in September 2006, were disputed.
Five payments, totaling almost €2,000, were made from the ac- count. These were for two US Air- ways flights, one for accommodation with Alpha International and another for an international phone call to California.
Mr Shingles said that a dispute oc- curs when the account holder does LO] Mrs Res Kerem ALO Ors MC e-IKes08(o 81m
He said thaton September 22, 2006, a caller phoned the American Express call centre, with a query re- lating to the limit on Mr Howard’s card.
However, when the caller was asked what the cardholder’s mother’s maiden name was, there was a pause and the caller hung up.