Amount of cyanide found in hotel room could have 'killed hundreds'

DENVER – While the amount of sodium cyanide found in a Denver hotel room was enough to kill hundreds of people, the FBI says they do not believe there is any link to terrorism.

Police on Wednesday identified the white powder as sodium cyanide. Fire officials say they found a bottle containing about a pound of the white powder, or between a pint and a quart by volume.

FBI spokeswoman Kathy Wright said the agency's Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting in the investigation, but she said the incident has no apparent connection to terrorism.

The medical examiner's office said it is still awaiting test results to determine whether cyanide killed 29-year-old Saleman Abdirahman Dirie of Ottawa.

His body was found Monday at The Burnsley Hotel, about four blocks from the state Capitol. Investigators say he had been dead for several days.

University of Denver expert Andrew Ternay says one pound of cyanide could kill hundreds of people. He says it is not regulated because it would be impossible to regulate every dangerous chemical. Cyanide is not equal to nuclear waste.

Ternay says it is easy to buy the cyanide because it is frequently used to clean and purify metals like gold.

Police spokesman John White said foul play is not suspected and investigators believe it's an isolated incident.

Authorities have not listed Dirie's occupation or said why he may have had cyanide.

Cyanide is a fast-acting chemical that prevents the body from processing oxygen. It is used in manufacturing, metallurgy and pest extermination.