01-01-16          …..

            This morning sent the following email to Dr. BROWN regarding AES, and included a comment regarding keeping a copy of his material of this file.

From: "Tom Juby" <tom.juby@ns.sympatico.ca>

To: "Jim BROWN" <jrbrown@NRCan.gc.ca>

Subject: Arson Investigations & AES       Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 09:37:34 -0400

Jim

Hope you all had a great Christmas and didn't get snowed under.  We ended up with a couple of feet of the white stuff for Santa's sleigh, and it has been snowing ever since.

Had a talk with a couple of fire investigators the other day, and the subject of the ANDERSON Theory came up.  While the principle looks promising, I haven't had a chance to ask if you have been able to give the idea some more thought for the more normal structure type fires - other than aircraft.  As you know, particularly where arson is used to cover other crimes including murders, any help that we can get would be of great benefit.  I am looking down the road several months, after we finish up with this file, and what would be required to create a usable base of knowledge and experience that could be applied to regular investigations.  I think I mentioned this to you some time ago.  However, these people are connected to Insurance Companies, and this could be an avenue to get something started.  It is my feeling that insurance companies have much to gain from this, as we seem to have a great number of electrical fires.  Some of those I have been involved with have certainly been arson files, yet the insurance companies were required to pay off the claim because we could not prove otherwise.  Your thoughts on the matter would be of great benefit. Maybe I could work myself into a retirement job, who knows!

Regarding the aluminium alloy samples that I sent up to you, I was wondering how you made out with them.

Also, just a reminder about this file.  Undoubtedly this matter is headed to civil litigation, and the AES material will be of great interest to those concerned in that process.  This is just a reminder to keep all of your data, photos, and notes, etc., or at least good quality copies, as they will undoubtedly have to be disclosed, no matter what may be said to the contrary.  It has been my experience that one should not depend on someone else (particularly another agency) to keep copies of one’s own material, as things tend to get lost or thrown out, if you know what I mean!

Anyways, regarding arson investigations, give the idea of follow-on testing some thought when you have some time.  I also have some contacts with the Provincial Fire Marshals office.  They are not yet aware of the technique but would certainly be very interested.  They have the ear of similar offices in other Provinces, and of Insurance Companies.  It would be one more tool for us to use.

All the very best to you in the New Year.

Tom JUBY,  RCMP,  Swissair Task Force

            The reason for this caution to Dr. BROWN regarding notes is the fact that John GARSTANG has repeatedly advised me that the head of TSB archives and informatics for this file has repeatedly put forward the argument that once material is scanned to computer, the originals will be destroyed.  She is apparently concerned over space and trying to find the hard copies once they are stored.

(Clarification:)  It will be shown that the TSB will be unable to supply any of their notes or records without a major search of their more than 250 boxes of material.  They will not even know that there had been a computer program for the file, or that everything had been scanned to that program.