FBI: Traces of Ricin Found on Letter

AP via My Way ^ | October 22, 2003 | Curt Anderson

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Traces of the deadly toxin ricin were found on a letter at a South Carolina postal facility, federal officials said Wednesday. The FBI was investigating but terrorism was not suspected.

The letter appeared to be connected to an extortion plot, government officials told The Associated Press.

"Based on the evidence obtained so far, we do not believe this is linked to terrorism but is related to threats criminal in nature," said Brian Roehrkasse, spokesman for the Homeland Security Department.

Officials also said that the ricin did not pose a health threat to workers or the public.

The ricin on the outside of the letter was identified by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday night. It was discovered on a sealed envelope found last week in a postal facility in Greenville, S.C., said three government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The envelope also included a small, sealed container containing an unidentified substance that is currently being tested, the officials said. A letter also found inside indicated some sort of extortion plot.

Officials would not say why the envelope was singled out for inspection.

[Dolphy]

Last summer a Washington state man was convicted of making and possessing about 3 grams of ricin, enough to kill 900 people.

3 grams, 900 deaths. Not only were the anti-war types not concerned with the unaccounted for ricin in Iraq, they seem to believe it should have been readily discovered in the aftermath.

[berkeleybeej]

Probably another college student -- trying to alert us to the failure of security. (remove tongue from cheek)

[appalachian_dweller]

>> guy who almost nailed me was picked up in less than an hour <<

Sounds pretty sketchy. What happened? How'd you almost get nailed? Glad they caught the creep.

[muawiyah]

Latest USPS News on the matter:

 Posted October 22, 2003 | 7:47 p.m. ET
Greenville, SC, AMF closed for tests
The poison ricin found in small, sealed container

A suspicious envelope discovered by an employee processing mail at the Greenville, SC, Airport Mail Facility (AMF) was later found to contain a small sealed metal container with the poison ricin inside.

As a precautionary measure, the AMF was closed so it can be tested for the presence of the toxic chemical. When the envelope was found last Wednesday, the supervisor on duty took immediate action to isolate the item from the mailstream and notified county officials and the FBI.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tested the envelope's contents and found that it contained ricin (pronounced RICE-in). Additional testing is being done to make absolutely sure about the container's contents.

The CDC said there are no indications of employee exposure or adverse health effects as a result of the incident. The Department of Homeland Security said it doesn't believe the incident is an act of terrorism. The department noted that the sealed envelope contained a threatening note and said the FBI and the Inspection Service — along with other federal, state and local law enforcement officials on the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force — are cooperating to determine the source of the ricin.

USPS sent a nationwide message to all employees today alerting them to the incident and asking them to remain alert for suspicious letters or packages.

[OXENinFLA]

I heard this mentioned on FNC about 6am.

They stayed on it for a whole 5 seconds.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Didn't they also find Ricin at a terrorist training camp in Iraq?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Same for the Today show.

[OXENinFLA]

Nothing to see here folks, Move along now, Move along.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

:)

[terilyn]

I'm not sure about Iraq, but they did find it in a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Thanks for the info.

[Calpernia]

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