Somalia native buried in Denver after mysterious cyanide death
By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 14, 2008 at 7:54 a.m.
Updated August 15, 2008 at 9:53 a.m.
The Canadian man found dead next to a jar of cyanide in a Denver hotel room was buried Thursday at Hampden Cemetery in Denver after a service at Masjid Abu Bakr mosque.
Family members said Saleman Abhirahman Dirie, 29, had schizophrenia, lending credence to the theory that he may have committed suicide.
FBI and hazmat teams got involved in the incident because cyanide can be used to make chemical weapons, and the foreign national had arrived in Denver shortly before the start of the Democratic National Convention.
Dirie's body was found Monday in his room on the fourth floor of the Burnsley Hotel at 1000 Grant St.
The Denver coroner confirmed Dirie was killed by cyanide poisoning, but the death has not been ruled a suicide pending further laboratory testing.
"We have no idea the mode of what he did with the cyanide or if he (ingested) it intentionally or not," Denver Chief Deputy Coroner Michelle Weiss-Samaras said today.
For example, she dismissed media reports that Dirie "drank" the cyanide.
"We've got a lot tests out still," she added. "We still have to find out what else is going on in his system, to find out if he's on any medications and if he has any disease processes going on."
While authorities haven't ruled on whether the death was an accident or suicide, Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said: "We still don't suspect foul play."
"We don't see anything to make us believe that there's any terrorist involvement," he said.
"He was not a terrorist," Dirie's sister told CanWest News Service on Wednesday from the family home in Ottawa.
"We don't want to hear that word," she said. "It is against our religion."
The sister, who would not give her name, told CanWest that Dirie had been doing well with medication for the past three years to treat his schizophrenia.
She said that he simply had gone to Denver on vacation.
"He was doing fine," she said. "He was just a normal person."
She said Dirie didn't seem suicidal.
She told CanWest that another brother, Hassan Dirie, arrived in Denver on Wednesday to claim the body.
Sodium cyanide is an ideal ingredient for making a chemical weapon but also is found in rat poison and such items as gold-plated watches.
The telltale odor of almonds indicated to investigators that Dirie may have died from exposure to cyanide.
Investigators still want to know why so much of it — about a pound in crystal form — was found in the room.
Members of Ottawa's Somali community expressed surprise that Dirie's death is now the subject of so much concern among U.S. authorities.
A leader of Ottowa's Somali community, Abdirizak Karod, told the Ottawa Citizen, "It's a tragic story. This is a good family."
Karod said the Somali community in Ottawa has no radical Islamic elements.
"It's not our culture," said Karod, who told the Citizen that he knows Dirie's brother, Hassan, and once met Saleman.
Friends have said that Dirie's family came from Somalia as refugees in the early 1990s and that they are now all Canadian citizens.
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August 14, 2008
8:19 a.m.
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yeastyc writes:
"Sodium chloride is an ideal ingredient for making a chemical weapon but also is found in rat poison and such things as gold-plated watches."
And my dinner, you might want to change that to sodium cyanide....
August 14, 2008
8:23 a.m.
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AC writes:
Terrorism is against her religion? Which religion would that be?
August 14, 2008
8:27 a.m.
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LadyBird112 writes:
"Terrorism is against her religion? Which religion would that be?"
Yeah, I wanna know too, because a religion without terrorism? That's kerrazy.
And all of you people who can be religious without killing people over it, don't yell at me for that, I'm talking about your fundamentalists.
August 14, 2008
8:40 a.m.
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Videobarbs writes:
This is intriguing. 1st - He was Canadian, but wasn't his home country somewhere in Africa?
2nd - How'd he get in here without a passport - oh that's right, open borders.
3rd - This is the best - I'm sorry the man was mentally ill, but I find it strange - where did the money come from to house him at the Burnsley Hotel whose rates, according to their Internet site, run $200. + a night. The city needs to interview the man's sister as this gives "Denver's Road Home" a new perspective. At best, these poor souls are usually found in some low-rate motel.
I don't think we're getting the full story. It remains highly suspicious.
August 14, 2008
8:51 a.m.
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LadyBird112 writes:
"I don't think we're getting the full story."
Well, it is RMN.
August 14, 2008
8:58 a.m.
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theairdog writes:
Howard Hughes was mentally ill, and still managed to stay in some pretty nice hotels......
:-)
August 14, 2008
8:59 a.m.
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yeastyc writes:
"I'm sorry the man was mentally ill, but I find it strange - where did the money come from to house him at the Burnsley Hotel whose rates, according to their Internet site, run $200. + a night."
Schizophrenics are often highly intelligent and often finish college and get good jobs before the disease takes over, but can continue a semi-normal life with medication. It would be interesting to know what his line of work was, because sodium cyanide can also be found in some research labs--it may have been taken from a lab he worked in? Also, where did you hear he didn't have a passport--its not in this story. In addition, he is likely a Canadian citizen, there are many foreign nationals that move to Canada and gain citizenship.
August 14, 2008
9:13 a.m.
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Cowboy63 writes:
How does a guy with mental issues, no passport and a pound of cyanide get into this country in the first place?
I guess the only thing that matters is that DHS didn't "profile" this guy at the border. Our tax dollars at work.
August 14, 2008
9:43 a.m.
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ThomasMc writes:
Interesting how all the right wing wackos go on and on about him not having a passport and sneaking across the border. Nothing in the story indicates that. But Republicans sure do love to lie, don't they?
August 14, 2008
9:59 a.m.
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Cowboy63 writes:
ThomasMc - ???
Every online and TV report says the guy didn't have a passport. So if you acknowledge that FACT you are automatically a "right wing wacko"?
You need to do your research, Junior.
August 14, 2008
10:23 a.m.
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Heidi writes:
Just because the sister says so makes it true?
August 14, 2008
10:26 a.m.
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COLibertarian writes:
ThomasMc,
Look at other sites to get a better picture of what the facts are here. RMN is notorious for leaving out facts.......What of the Liberals attacking people on here? Multiple people are saying the Arkansas Shooting is because of Republicans even though no motive given for a 50 yr old man quitting or being fired from Target.............. Attack of people questioning article week or so back about lady and her townhome burning because her power was shut off.........oh by the way they forgot to mention she was at the movies with daughter at time of fire.....................
It goes both ways on here Thomas. And BOTH Parties are guilty of this......
August 14, 2008
10:44 a.m.
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GlacierDragon writes:
And the story still says "Sodium Chloride". Nice.
August 14, 2008
11:12 a.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
Excuse me but...if the guy was a Canadian citizen then he doesn't need to present a passport to visit the USA. That's likewise for US citizens visiting Canada. Come to think of it, neither do you need a US passport to cross into Mexico. We're all kinda friendly that way here in North America.
If the dude needed medication to treat schizophrenia then he was mentally ill. One of his imaginary friends might have convinced him that sodium cyanide would be a magic cure that would bring him universal wisdom.
So, you conservatives ought show a little more sympathy to the deceased. You guys have a lot in common.
August 14, 2008
11:25 a.m.
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COLibertarian writes:
Holier refer to my comment above......I see how you and others are so sensitive to the deceased.................
In 2009 we will need to have a passport to travel between countries.........or that is the scheduled timeline for passport requirements to travel.........
August 14, 2008
1:30 p.m.
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EnlightenedOne writes:
For some reason, knowing he was just a psychopath, rather than a terrorist, doesn't make me feel any better about this.
August 14, 2008
2:07 p.m.
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buffsblg writes:
Enlightened, you need to clarify your psych terms. This man was schizophrenic, meaning he suffered from an organic brain malfunction likely genetically based. That disorder can cause a variety of symptoms and conditions including hallucinations, paranoia and potentially severe dissociative breaks from reality. In many ways they may act like the classic "crazy person" talking to people that are not there etc. While they may be dangerous especially in the throes of hallucination or paranoia they are not inherently violent.
On the other hand a psychopath is defined as a person who has: "superficial charm, high intelligence, poor judgment and failure to learn from experience, pathological egocentricity and incapacity for love, lack of remorse or shame, impulsivity, grandiose sense of self-worth, pathological lying, manipulative behavior, poor self-control, promiscuous sexual behavior, juvenile delinquency, and criminal versatility among others" They do not look crazy, and that is their biggest danger. Ted Bundy was a classic psychopath.
I am not thrilled with a person with either condition having a gallon of poison, but a schizophrenic would be much less dangerous.
August 14, 2008
2:21 p.m.
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LadyBird112 writes:
"Excuse me but...if the guy was a Canadian citizen then he doesn't need to present a passport to visit the USA. That's likewise for US citizens visiting Canada. Come to think of it, neither do you need a US passport to cross into Mexico. We're all kinda friendly that way here in North America."
Check your facts. You most certainly do need one, and have for awhile now. My dad tried crossing into Canada without one and was kept at border patrol until he produced his. When my boyfriend and I went to Mexico last May, we could not enter the country until we, along with everyone else, produced a passport for customs.
August 14, 2008
2:21 p.m.
HolierThanThou writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
August 14, 2008
2:22 p.m.
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LadyBird112 writes:
HTT, I do like your crack about conservatives, though.
August 14, 2008
2:28 p.m.
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Buckwheat writes:
"Man found dead NOT a terrorist".. Oh, and you think that you would see anything in print this close to the DNC if he WAS? Nothing would keep people away from Lodo faster.. Not even the homeless would show up for their free movie tickets.. Lets hope she was right.
August 14, 2008
2:35 p.m.
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JB writes:
LadyBird-
You are 100% wrong. The passport requirement for traveling over land to/from Canada was suspended until Summer 2009. I don't want to sound rude, but your condecending attitude "Excuse me but you most certainly do need one..." is unnecessary, especially given the fact that you are dead wrong. Check the US Department of State's website for additional passport requirement info.
For the rest of you who have been good enough to explain the mechanism of this particular mental illness, Thank you. Mental illness still faces a stigma that prevents many people from seeking treatment and/or confiding in others when they need help.
I feel badly for this man's family and am thankful that his misguided suicide attempt didn't end up harming others.
August 14, 2008
2:38 p.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
Producing a passport is necessary when you fly to southern resorts in Mexico. The last time I drove into Tijuana to go camping in Baja, the Mexican border guard just waved me through without checking my passport or anything. Having Mexican insurance is necessary though.
Getting back into the USA is a much bigger pain.
If your Dad had a passport on him when he tried to go to Canada, why did he not simply show that? If you travel by land or sea into Canada, a driver's license will suffice. To fly in, you need a passport because US Customs will demand to see it before letting you on your flight back in.
This may change next year, sadly.
August 14, 2008
2:50 p.m.
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LadyBird112 writes:
JB-I did not say "excuse me, but..." That was something we call a quote. If you want to attack someone for using that phrase, you'll have to speak with Holier Than Thou, as that was the one who said it. Good observation. And if it was suspended, than why was there trouble getting in? This was just this summer--maybe you should let the border patrol agents up there know this, since obviously they didn't get the memo. Make sure to get your information and quotes straight first.
HTT: Because he was operating under the assumption that he could use a driver's license. That wasn't the case when we got there, though.
August 14, 2008
3:47 p.m.
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only1ness writes:
It is impossible to see the world any differently than one sees one's self.
When one expresses suspicion of another, he/she expresses their doubts regarding his/her own capacity to be trusted.
It cannot be any other way.
Recall what was learned as a child: it takes one to know one.
August 14, 2008
3:48 p.m.
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EnlightenedOne writes:
Buffs and Holier: Thanks for "enlightening" me. I should have been more careful with my words. My bad.
August 14, 2008
4:27 p.m.
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FCZ writes:
Sheikh Abdalla Ali, a founder and high-ranking official in the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia, said: "He who does not perform prayers will be considered as infidel and Sharia law orders that that person be killed."
Ali added that it was the duty of every Somali to implement the provisions of Sharia law, which after fully accepted would allow "everybody to enjoy life based on peace and prosperity".
http://waridaad.blogspot.com/2006/07/...
the Somali community in Ottawa has no radical Islamist elements. "It's not our culture," said Karod
August 14, 2008
8:01 p.m.
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PaleoConservative writes:
HolierThanThou writes:
"So, you conservatives ought show a little more sympathy to the deceased. You guys have a lot in common."
If we have so much in common, then why does Hamas support B. Hussein Obama?
August 15, 2008
9:32 a.m.
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temurlan writes:
Why wasn't he shipped back to Canada?
August 15, 2008
2:54 p.m.
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coarizona writes:
"he was just a normal person"...my normal scale is tipped a little differently. Normal people don't have a pound of cyanide sitting around in there room.
August 16, 2008
10:53 p.m.
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Dollarhide writes:
To cross the border between Canada and the US on the ground, you only need two forms of ID, and only one needs to have a photo on it. A passport would definitely work, but it's not required.
And to all the ignorant folks out there: people with mental illnesses can function perfectly well in society. It is a common misconception that all, or a majority of homeless are metally ill. It's perfectly reasonable to suggest that he could afford anything that anyone else could.
That being said, the Burnsley is not as nice or expenisve as they say on the website. I live directly across the street from it, and it's not anything special!
August 19, 2008
8:58 a.m.
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patchsl writes:
Wow... an awful lot of coincidences (a.k.a. questions)... same hotel that will house conventioneers... same poison used to kill rats... same religion of fundimentalist terrorists... same method of entering US that other ne'er-do-wells have used... same kind of confused, lost soul recruited to conduct suicide missions... Good thing I'm not prone to pre-judging.