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Anthrax Letter Writer Profile
FBI Home Page ^ | FBI, Critical Incident Response Group

Posted on 11/09/2001 1:33:50 PM PST by Fearless Flyers

This profile was reached directly from the FBI Home Page. Do you know this man?

November 9, 2001

Amerithrax Press Briefing

Linguistic/Behavioral Analysis of Anthrax Letters

Critical Incident Response Group

National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime

Today the FBI is releasing linguistic and behavioral assessments of the person responsible for mailing anthrax-laden letters on September 18 and October 9, 2001. We ask the American public to study these assessments and reflect on whether someone of their acquaintance might fit the profile. The safety of the American people is at stake. If you have credible information that might help identify this person, please contact 1-800-CRIMETV (274-6388), use www.ifcc.fbi.gov, or call your local FBI field office.

EVIDENCE DESCRIPTION

Letter 1

One page, hand-printed letter
Transmittal envelope, also similarly hand printed
Addressed to "NBC TV – Tom Brokaw" – No return address
Postmarked Trenton, NJ 09/18/2001 (Tues.)

Letter 2

One page, hand-printed letter
Transmittal envelope, also similarly hand printed
Addressed to "NY Post" – No return address
Postmarked Trenton, NJ 09/18/2001 (Tues.)

Letter 3

One page, hand-printed letter
Transmittal envelope, also similarly hand printed
Addressed to "Senator Daschle – 509 Hart Senate Office Building"
Return address – "4th Grade, Greendale School, Franklin Park, NJ"
Return address zip code – "08852"
Postmarked Trenton, NJ 10/09/2001 (Tues.)

LINGUISTIC ASSESSMENT

It is highly probable, bordering on certainty, that all three letters were authored by the same person. Letters 1 and 2 are identical copies. Letter 3, however, contains a somewhat different message than the other letters. The Anthrax utilized in Letter 3 was much more refined, more potent, and more easily disbursed than letters 1 and 2.

In the past, the public has helped the FBI solve high profile investigations that involved writings by coming forward to identify the author, either by how he wrote or by what he wrote. We are asking for the public's help here again in the same way.

While the text in these letters is limited, there are certain distinctive characteristics in the author's writing style. These same characteristics may be evident in other letters, greeting cards, or envelopes this person has written. We hope someone has received correspondence from this person and will recognize some of these characteristics.

The characteristics include:

1. The author uses dashes ("-") in the writing of the date "09-11-01." Many people use the slash ("/") to separate the day/month/year.

2. In writing the number one, the author chooses to use a formalized, more detailed version. He writes it as "1" instead of the simple vertical line.

3. The author uses the words "can not," when many people prefer to spell it as one word, "cannot."

4. The author writes in all upper case block-style letters. However, the first letter of the first word of each sentence is written in slightly larger upper case lettering. Also, the first letter of all proper nouns (like names) is slightly larger. This is apparently the author's way of indicating a word should be capitalized in upper case lettering. For whatever reason, he may not be comfortable or practiced in writing in lower case lettering.

5. The names and address on each envelope are noticeably tilted on a downward slant from left to right. This may be a characteristic seen on other envelopes he has sent.

6. The envelopes are of the pre-stamped variety, the stamps denoting 34 cents, which are normally available directly from the post office. They are not the traditional business size envelopes, but the smaller size measuring approximately 6 1/4" x 3 ½".

BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT

Based on the selection of Anthrax as the "weapon" of choice by this individual, the offender:

• is likely an adult male.

• if employed, is likely to be in a position requiring little contact with the public, or other employees. He may work in a laboratory. He is apparently comfortable working with an extremely hazardous material. He probably has a scientific background to some extent, or at least a strong interest in science.

• has likely taken appropriate protective steps to ensure his own safety, which may include the use of an Anthrax vaccination or antibiotics.

• has access to a source of Anthrax and possesses knowledge and expertise to refine it.

• possesses or has access to some laboratory equipment; i.e., microscope, glassware, centrifuge, etc.

• has exhibited an organized, rational thought process in furtherance of his criminal behavior.

• has a familiarity, direct or indirect, with the Trenton, NJ, metropolitan area; however, this does not necessarily mean he currently lives in the Trenton, NJ, area.. He is comfortable traveling in and around this locale.

• did not select victims randomly. He made an effort to identify the correct address, including zip code, of each victim and used sufficient postage to ensure proper delivery of the letters. The offender deliberately "selected" NBC News, the New York Post, and the office of Senator Tom Daschle as the targeted victims (and possibly AMI in Florida). These targets are probably very important to the offender. They may have been the focus of previous expressions of contempt which may have been communicated to others, or observed by others.

• is a non-confrontational person, at least in his public life. He lacks the personal skills necessary to confront others. He chooses to confront his problems "long distance" and not face-to-face. He may hold grudges for a long time, vowing that he will get even with "them" one day. There are probably other, earlier examples of this type of behavior. While these earlier incidents were not actual Anthrax mailings, he may have chosen to anonymously harass other individuals or entities that he perceived as having wronged him. He may also have chosen to utilize the mail on those occasions.

• prefers being by himself more often than not. If he is involved in a personal relationship it will likely be of a self serving nature.

Pre-Offense Behavior

• Following the events of September 11, 2001, this person may have become mission oriented in his desire to undertake these Anthrax mailings. He may have become more secretive and exhibited an unusual pattern of activity. Additionally, he may have displayed a passive disinterest in the events which otherwise captivated the Nation. He also may have started taking antibiotics unexpectedly.

Post-Offense Behavior

• He may have exhibited significant behavioral changes at various critical periods of time throughout the course of the Anthrax mailings and related media coverage. These may include the following;

1. Altered physical appearance.
2. Pronounced anxiety.
3. Atypical media interest.
4. Noticeable mood swings.
5. More withdrawn.
6. Unusual level of preoccupation.
7. Unusual absenteeism.
8. Altered sleeping and/or eating habits.

These post-offense behaviors would have been most noticeable during critical times, including but not limited to: the mailing of the letters (09/18/01 and 10/09/01), the death of first Anthrax victim, media reports of each anthrax incident, and especially the deaths and illnesses of non-targeted victims.

AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE CREDIBLE INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HELP IDENTIFY THIS PERSON, PLEASE CONTACT THE FBI IMMEDIATELY AT 1-800-CRIMETV (274-6388), AT WWW.IFCC.FBI.GOV, OR BY CALLING YOUR LOCAL FBI FIELD OFFICE.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
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To: Askel5
"I wish you hadn't had your thread pulled."

Actually, here's the thread: LINK I requested that my post #53 be pulled.

I can't find the thread where I originally got the old Atlanta media threats letter pics (suspected sender, Eric Rudolph), but it was posted on 10/16/01, and had to do with anthrax. You're better with search engines than I am, so maybe you can track it down.

"You saw the article today wherein abortion clinics were being targeted for anthrax threats, right?"

Yeah, I heard fundraising is down at PP after 9-11. How timely.

101 posted on 11/09/2001 3:32:14 PM PST by Artist
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To: vetvetdoug
Most any rancher or herder in the US or Pakistan and Afghanistan knows enough about anthrax to get it.

About a dozen animals a year in the US die from anthrax and hundreds die each year from anthrax in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Billions of spores are in the soil below a dead aninmal.

Anthrax is also called the "Fur Handler's Disease."

There is even a location in the US (NW Nebraska) that has the "Mueseum of the Fur Trade (Chadron, Nebraska); deposits of bentonite (NW Sheridan county Nebraska); and anthrax outbreaks in cattle (26 dead 1994, Sheridan county herd).

102 posted on 11/09/2001 3:33:00 PM PST by Terrorista Nada
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Comment #103 Removed by Moderator

To: muawiyah
CDC could check death records for the period September 8, 2001 to the present and find some Middle-Easterner, possibly a child, who died of symptoms suspiciously like those of anthrax.

Whoa. Good thinking. Check the envelope flap for saliva and DNA (unless a sponge was used to dampen the glue or the envelopes were self-sealing). They could also look for some Middle-Easterner, who was murdered (before developing anthrax.) or was given Cipro. Come to think of it, I wonder if Kathy Nguyen was asked by anyone to lick envelopes.

104 posted on 11/09/2001 3:36:56 PM PST by syriacus
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To: Terrorista Nada
There is even a location in the US (NW Nebraska) that has the "Mueseum of the Fur Trade (Chadron, Nebraska); deposits of bentonite (NW Sheridan county Nebraska); and anthrax outbreaks in cattle (26 dead 1994, Sheridan county herd).

Was that Nepalese guy (7 knives, a stun gun, at O'Hare) heading to Nebraska to try to get some of these anthrax making items?

105 posted on 11/09/2001 3:47:02 PM PST by syriacus
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To: vbmoneyspender
Another place where the month is written w/a zero, if a single digit, is in entering credit card expiration dates on an electronic authentication system. Perhaps the person worked at a retail job, as well. Maybe mail order,
106 posted on 11/09/2001 3:49:33 PM PST by reformedliberal
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To: Fearless Flyers
FBI Profile: Anthrax Mailer Probably a Man With a Grudge
By David Pace Associated Press Writer
Published: Nov 9, 2001

WASHINGTON (AP) - The anthrax mailings probably are the work of a man who is familiar with hazardous material, works where he has little contact with other people and may have held a grudge against the addressees, the FBI said Friday. In a fresh appeal to the public for help in solving the anthrax mailings, FBI officials released a profile of the suspected mailer.

The profile, developed by the agency's behavioral experts, does not address the question of whether the person is foreign or from the United States.

FBI officials said the person may work in a laboratory and "is apparently comfortable working with extremely hazardous material. He probably has a scientific background to some extent, or at least a strong interest in science."

The person "did not select his victims randomly," making the effort to find the correct address and ZIP code of each victim and ensuring that proper postage was used.

NBC, the New York Post and Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., were selected, the FBI said, because "these targets are probably very important to the offender. They may have been the focus of previous expressions of contempt which may have been communicated to others or observed by others."

The FBI has come under public criticism for its inability to answer many of the questions surrounding the anthrax attacks. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., took the bureau to task at a congressional hearing this week. Feinstein received an FBI briefing Friday afternoon that lasted so long it delayed a briefing for the news media by nearly an hour.

While profiling the suspect in some detail, the FBI said it has reached no conclusions.

"No suspects are ruled out," said FBI behavior analyst Jim Fitzgerald. "No groups are ruled out. There's a possibility it's al-Qaida-related. There is no direct or clear linkage between this incident and any cell or network."

The person who mailed the letters "lacks the personal skills necessary to confront others," the FBI said, suggesting that the man may have held a grudge against the targets for a long time.

After the Sept. 11 hijacker attacks, FBI officials said the person may have become more secretive and changed his usual pattern of activity.

"He may have displayed a passive disinterest in the events which otherwise captivated the nation," the FBI said. "He also may have started taking antibiotics unexpectedly."

During the anthrax mailings and the intense media coverage, the man may have altered his physical appearance, displayed pronounced anxiety or noticeable mood swings, and appeared more withdrawn or unusually preoccupied, the profile said.

107 posted on 11/09/2001 3:51:20 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: Nita Nupress
Not Harvey. Lashandra.
108 posted on 11/09/2001 3:51:36 PM PST by Fred25
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To: Fred25
Good point.
109 posted on 11/09/2001 3:55:03 PM PST by Nita Nupress
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To: anniegetyourgun
the man may have altered his physical appearance, displayed pronounced anxiety or noticeable mood swings, and appeared more withdrawn or unusually preoccupied, the profile said.

Oh no, my ex is going to report me after this, especially since I changed my haircut and underwear as well around the time!

110 posted on 11/09/2001 3:57:34 PM PST by Revolting cat!
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To: Revolting cat!
I am your ex and I suspected you all along....
111 posted on 11/09/2001 3:58:35 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: bvw
That's pretty good! Personally, I don't see why the FBI published a psychological profile. Their track record with the Unabomber was pretty bad.
112 posted on 11/09/2001 4:02:41 PM PST by Nita Nupress
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To: anniegetyourgun
The names and address on each envelope are noticeably tilted on a downward slant from left to right. This may be a characteristic seen on other envelopes he has sent.

Left handed.

113 posted on 11/09/2001 4:04:24 PM PST by Imauntmeanie
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To: syriacus
Bentonite 1

Bentonite 2

Bentonite 3

114 posted on 11/09/2001 4:04:32 PM PST by Fred25
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To: Fearless Flyers
He may hold grudges for a long time, vowing that he will get even with "them" one day. There are probably other, earlier examples of this type of behavior.

So, this guy might already have been a serial killer? Maybe the FBI should look for other deaths in NJ. Especially in towns near medical and pharmaceutical labs.

115 posted on 11/09/2001 4:09:32 PM PST by syriacus
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To: Fred25
Thanks for the links. I can't believe I'd never heard of bentonite before Sept 11th. It seems to be very available.
116 posted on 11/09/2001 4:15:43 PM PST by syriacus
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To: Fearless Flyers
This is the lone nut theory, they always use this one when they have nothing else to go on. The writing style sounds like someone who may have been trained in manual drafting of engineering drawings. Slanted block letters hmmmmmm.
117 posted on 11/09/2001 4:15:55 PM PST by SSN558
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To: Angelique
"I thought that quite curious, and could be a clue in some tie"

Yes it is. Notice the other letters to the news outfits are copies with no return @. The folks there don't care about return @'s. The letters also tell them to take penicillin. The perps not interested in a kill, just a slime for effect. Notice those letters had their anthrax cut with something, it was lower grade/same bug.

The letter to Daschle was sent from the "4th grade", the perp wanted to give it the best chance of hitting the target. He was posing as "the children" to the senator. It was uncut, high quality, potent stuff. He was intending harm.

These letters weren't sent by jihadists. The first priority with them is the big kill, big time blood and guts massacre. These letters were sent by a single authoritarian, masquerading as a jihadist. He was set to go before 9-11, and the jihadist action gave him the opportunity to act to forward his agenda.

118 posted on 11/09/2001 4:18:09 PM PST by spunkets
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To: aristeides
All right - any computer programmers out there? I thought Y2K did away with the two digit reference for a year, ie 01. Anytime I fill out any kind of a form online the date format has to be dd/mm/yyyy. Wouldn't this hold true for programmers as well?
119 posted on 11/09/2001 4:19:55 PM PST by terilyn
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To: spunkets
These letters weren't sent by jihadists. The first priority with them is the big kill, big time blood and guts massacre.

But didn't they probably try on September 11th to get the Congress, big time, by plane? After September 11th they would have had to use another route of attack.

120 posted on 11/09/2001 4:26:37 PM PST by syriacus
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