New York Times
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A truck carrying 10 tons of deadly sodium cyanide has been stolen in central Mexico, and officials said today that they believed the thieves sought only the truck and could cause serious contamination by dumping its contents.
Officials said it was unlikely that the three armed men who committed the crime, on Friday, were plotting to use the cyanide in a terrorist attack here or in the United States. Truck robberies are common in Mexico.
Rogelio Alvarado, spokesman for the police in Ixmiquilpan, near the robbery site, said it was most likely that the men had no interest in such chemicals, but wanted the truck so they could sell its parts.
“We’re just worried that they’re going to dump the cargo, not realizing what it is, and it is going to contaminate the area where it is left,” Mr. Alvarado said. Officials added, however, that they are not ruling out ties to terrorism because they have scant information.
Sodium cyanide is used in gold and silver mining. If inhaled or ingested, it attacks the nervous system and can cause death within minutes.