The Utah man who staged a botched ricin poison attack against a number of top US officials, including President Trump, claimed he has also sent toxins to foreign leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, court documents show.
William Clyde Allen III, who was caught mailing a biological toxin to Donald Trump, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Adm. John Richardson, also sent letters containing ground pieces of castor beans, from which the ricin poison is derived, to the British queen and the Russian president.
The suspect “further informed he had sent other letters with the same contents to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Queen of England, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the Secretary of the Air Force (whose name he did not recall),” a 10-page court document filed on Friday revealed.
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The FBI managed to track the perpetrator because Allen was careless enough to write his return address on the envelope. While the 39-year-old Navy veteran claimed he “sent the letters to send a message,” the suspect failed to elaborate what kind of message he intended to convey to such a wide range of addressees.
During the suspect’s questioning Wednesday, following his detention at his Logan, Utah, residence, Allen allegedly told the investigators that he purchased the beans on eBay in December 2017, to weaponize them and defend the nation “in case World War III broke out”. Overall Allen made two purchases for a grand total of 130 beans.
While authorities this week managed to intercept the parcels that were mailed out on and around September 24, the investigation into the case continues. Investigators claim all four letters intercepted tested positive for ricin. Allen already confessed to the FBI to mailing out identical letters with the note saying, “Jack and the Missile Bean Stock Powder.”
On Friday he was charged with five counts, including threatening to use a biological toxin, according to the federal complaint filed. In the complaint, Allen is also being accused of making threats against the government in 2015 when he allegedly emailed the CIA threatening to kill the president unless the spy agency stops “infringing on his constitutional rights.” In addition, in February 2017, he allegedly threatened to bomb the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Among other threatening activities, just last month the Navy veteran also allegedly sent an email to the Utah Department of Public Safety, titled “Multiple Imminent Radiation Attacks.”
On Friday, Allen was ordered by the US District Court Judge to remain in custody amid ongoing legal proceedings. The accused is expected appear before the grand jury on October 15, where additional charges might be brought. Shocked by the decision, the suspect reportedly began to cry over the disappointment that he won’t be able to watch The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints general conference this weekend and also because he won’t be at home to cater for the needs of his disabled wife, who suffers from spina bifida. According to Utah court records, Allen was already convicted of attempted aggravated assault in 2008 and two counts of child abuse in 2005.
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