NcDeuce
10-22-2003, 11:49 PM
Toxic ricin found at U.S. postal facility
http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/US/10/22/ricin.letter/story.postoffice.jpg
The postal handling facility in Greenville, South Carolina, where the ricin was reportedly found
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI and postal authorities are investigating traces of the deadly toxin ricin found last week in a sealed envelope at an airport postal handling facility in Greenville, South Carolina, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday.
Authorities said the envelope contained an unsigned, threatening note that "demanded an action," but they said no connection to terrorism was apparent.
One law enforcement official said the note expressed anger over legislation regulating the trucking industry.
"Based on the evidence obtained so far, we do not believe this is linked to terrorism but is related to threats criminal in nature," DHS spokesman Brian Roehrkasse told The Associated Press.
Authorities said they have received no reports of illness. The Department of Health and Human Services and law enforcement agencies stressed no threat to public health was apparent.
Federal agents said they are conducting a criminal extortion investigation. "The demand is not for money, but we can't disclose the contents of the note at this time because it contains significant leads," an FBI official said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the presence of ricin Tuesday night, authorities said. (What is ricin?)
Postal Service spokesman Gerry McKiernan said the ricin was inside a metal container that was found inside the envelope by a processing clerk last Thursday. Roehrkasse said markings on the envelope "seemed suspicious."
The container was removed by a supervisor, who alerted authorities, McKiernan said.
Officials said the toxic substance was confined to the metal container and was not found on the envelope.
"There's no cross-contamination, so there seems to be no threat to the postal workers," said FBI spokesman Ed Cogswell.
McKiernan said the postal facility at the Greenville airport was closed Wednesday as a precaution after the ricin was confirmed.
The AP reported that British authorities earlier this year arrested members of what it called "an Algerian extremist group" who were charged with a conspiracy to terrorize London by using ricin to kill a small number of victims.
The FBI has said that directions on how to make ricin were discovered some months ago in an al Qaeda meeting place in Afghanistan, according to the AP.
CNN's Terry Frieden and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.
http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/US/10/22/ricin.letter/story.postoffice.jpg
The postal handling facility in Greenville, South Carolina, where the ricin was reportedly found
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI and postal authorities are investigating traces of the deadly toxin ricin found last week in a sealed envelope at an airport postal handling facility in Greenville, South Carolina, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday.
Authorities said the envelope contained an unsigned, threatening note that "demanded an action," but they said no connection to terrorism was apparent.
One law enforcement official said the note expressed anger over legislation regulating the trucking industry.
"Based on the evidence obtained so far, we do not believe this is linked to terrorism but is related to threats criminal in nature," DHS spokesman Brian Roehrkasse told The Associated Press.
Authorities said they have received no reports of illness. The Department of Health and Human Services and law enforcement agencies stressed no threat to public health was apparent.
Federal agents said they are conducting a criminal extortion investigation. "The demand is not for money, but we can't disclose the contents of the note at this time because it contains significant leads," an FBI official said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the presence of ricin Tuesday night, authorities said. (What is ricin?)
Postal Service spokesman Gerry McKiernan said the ricin was inside a metal container that was found inside the envelope by a processing clerk last Thursday. Roehrkasse said markings on the envelope "seemed suspicious."
The container was removed by a supervisor, who alerted authorities, McKiernan said.
Officials said the toxic substance was confined to the metal container and was not found on the envelope.
"There's no cross-contamination, so there seems to be no threat to the postal workers," said FBI spokesman Ed Cogswell.
McKiernan said the postal facility at the Greenville airport was closed Wednesday as a precaution after the ricin was confirmed.
The AP reported that British authorities earlier this year arrested members of what it called "an Algerian extremist group" who were charged with a conspiracy to terrorize London by using ricin to kill a small number of victims.
The FBI has said that directions on how to make ricin were discovered some months ago in an al Qaeda meeting place in Afghanistan, according to the AP.
CNN's Terry Frieden and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.