A 16-year-old boy from Manchester, UK, pleaded guilty to attempting to acquire a biological toxin or agent contrary to the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 and section one of the Biological Weapons Act 1974. The toxin in question – Abrin – is found in the seeds of the rosary pea and castor oil plant and, like ricin, is a ribosome inhibiting protein. It is considered 30 times more toxic than ricin and could be used to kill a human being.”]

