Toxin suspect told FBI he wanted to conduct research, or kill self

Edward Bachner told FBI agents he planned to do research, or kill himself if his life didn't get better, with vials of the deadly puffer fish toxin he stands accused of obtaining illegally for use as a weapon, federal prosecutors said in court documents filed this week.

Bachner, 36, of Lake in the Hills, made the statements while speaking with agents about an hour after they arrested him when he picked up what he believed to be 50 one-milligram vials of the lethal tetrodotoxin at a local UPS store.

Prosecutors filed the documents in response to defense motions last month claiming FBI agents illegally interrogated him without a lawyer present and repeatedly called him a "terrorist or murderer."

The defense is asking that Bachner's statements be barred from court because of how they claim FBI agents conducted the interrogation.

Prosecutors, however, say in court documents that agents read Bachner his rights before they began questioning, never denied him a chance to speak with a lawyer and "spoke courteously" to him at all times.

The filing offers some of the first details of what Bachner told authorities after his arrest June 30, 2008, and some insight into what he may have intended to do with the poison.

During the 21/2-hour interview, documents state, Bachner said he learned of tetrodotoxin, of TTX, while doing research online.

"(He) claimed he acquired it either to do research or kill himself if his situation with work, life and marriage did not improve," federal documents state. "He claimed that it was his understanding that it would take 50 (milligrams) of TTX to kill someone. If that did not work out, Bachner said he wanted to do something that had never been done before, like develop a cure."

Bachner, however, admitted on multiple occasions that he had no science or medical background.

When asked about a 2005 incident in which FBI agents questioned him about trying to hire a hit man online to kill his wife, Bachner said "those were dark times" and that he fantasized about something happening to his wife.

Prosecutors this week also filed responses to defense motions to throw out the 10-count indictment against Bachner. A federal judge could hear arguments on the motions when Bachner returns to court June 18.

Bachner, who has remained in federal custody without bond since his arrest, has denied the charges, which allege that the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task found 45 full or partially full vials of tetrodotoxin, along with evidence Bachner had obtained at least 19 more vials that were missing.

Prosecutors say agents also found a handgun, more than 50 knives, five garrotes, a phony CIA badge, a precursor to the poison ricin and books on how to poison people, make gun silencers and hand-to-hand combat.

Authorities say Bachner obtained the toxin by posing as a doctor doing medical research.