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.
That said and going back to our brainstorming session, I still think that the date is a red herring and the "G" is the most significant letter in those, uh, letters. I don't think this G could have been written upside down, or by a right hander writing with the south paw. A foreigner from a European or South American country will be confused for the rest of his life about the proper way to write a date in a country that calls a handball game 'football'. An Arab? I dunno; it would be interesting to find out how they react to American date writing.
Would he write "You are dying now" or "You will die now" or "You are going to die now'? If he's a guy who likes the idea of blitzkrieg-style killing he might like to get to use the habitual phrasing he would use if he were killing the people "in person." He'd probably like to use his use "Allah" phrase too.
How do Arabs handle their el's and al's in their own script? Do they ever minimize them in writing?
I have to agree there is another indication of a Westerner writing the phrase "OF THE AMERICAS" --the 'o' in "OF" IS small, almost like the person accidentally wrote it in lower case. The "F" that follows the "o" could just as easily been a lower case 'f" and have been the same proportionately. It's hard to tell if it is just a problem the writer had with keeping the letters even.
"Yeah, yeah. I have read with interest all the analysis and profiles of the sender, but I have yet to see a single comment on this: WHO writes "09"?????? "
The Enquirer and Sun, etc. have had a pretty good track record in publishing stuff that seems stupid on the surface, but is actually important (I believe they broke X42/Monica first, and the propensity for Hitlery to throw glassware).
What is bothering me, is the question: what else is out there? We have had the 2 dead in DC postal facilities who handled (per the eerie 911 call) of a person who had handled mutilated mail. None of the letters shown appear mutilated. Where, if anywhere did that mutilated letter go?
The problem with this whole thing is, of course, that we, as the public are being IMHO, sold wolf tickets wholesale by the spokespersons for the govt. Didn't we hear last week that the contamination was found in one North Jersey area? We have heard all kinds of "information" concerning the coating of the spores, and that only one country, Iraq, used this coating. Now, however, its back to the "nothing to see here, domestic whackjob, move along." Someone is getting pretty desperate at this point in the Feebs, as they issue this "You, the public, can help us, give us information, etc etc., then this rather nonspecific profile. I realize that I am talking tinfoilhat mode here, but something is wrong with this whole thing.
I worry that we (the USA), or at least the policy making bunch is deliberately trying to avoid what we at FR have been calling for since 9/11. Detention and deportation, along with a major move against the maker of this ChemBio Material. Since this (anthrax) is considered a WMD, the only logical response is anathema to those in charge. We have had this "no first strike nukes" mentality since the collective guilt bunch started up after WWII. If we admit terrorist activity from a Jihadist group, involving the use of WMD (admittedly not too successful, but a WMD none the less) we are rather committed to using a WMD in return. While the people are ready, the gov't isn't, and is stuck in the quagmire of left over liberal thought, backed up by the press. We won't declare war, we won't do this one right, and we, if we are not careful are going to wind up in Vietnam II, with the same WashDC micromanagement, and the same inconclusive result. Been there, done that, don't want it to happen again.
Any comments cheerfully accepted.
Keep the Faith for Freedom
MAY GOD BLESS AND PROTECT THIS HONORABLE REPUBLIC
Greg
"The author uses the words "can not," when many people prefer to spell it as one word, "cannot." "Author is used to using contractions and made an attempt to separate the contraction can't."
"Most likely profile, non-bio engineering field. Probably self-educated on the Anthrax handling, probably utilizing library computers and the internet. Perhaps a technician rather than an engineer. My guess is someone who was smart enough to be a good engineer but lacked either the money for the education or was a recluse in school and avoided the 6 year college course surrounded by peers and instead went with a 2 year tech school. Perhaps did 4-6 years in the military as some sort of electronics technician and is now 30-40, most likely post-vietnam, pre-gulf. Here's how I see "him" (almost certainly male)."
Excellent analysis...
No, I think it's clear it isn't the same writer.
One might suspect the writers shared certain personality traits though, especially if one believes that handwriting -even intentionally disguised handwriting- reveals clues about its author.
"You're only looking at half the oddity. Look again at the description of letters. All caps, but capitals a little larger. I work in printing and see that style of font regularly. It's mostly used in magazines with a snooty kind of attitude. (the New Yorker comes to mind, though I'd have to actually look at an issue to see if I'm right.)"
I hope so. I agree with your supposition that he could be a programmer or in a related field.
Manhattan hospital worker and Bronx resident Kathy Nguyen, 61, became on Oct. 31 the fourth person to die of inhalation anthrax in the United States. The way Nguyen contracted the disease has puzzled health authorities, who have been tracing her steps over the two weeks prior to her death for any clues.
``We'll be looking at the stops on her subway line,'' said Cohen.
Also, note how strange the 'G' and the 'R' look. These are interesting letters, unlike the more square letters like 'T' or 'A' and they should tell us something about the school of handwriting. They are written differently in different European cultures. Why no mention of that?
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