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.
Also to read this they say that the 3 letters were hand-written. As we determined on FR, 2 of the letters are identical in their layout (even though the paper size is different).
If one of the letters is not a photo-copy of the other, then it was manually duplicated using carbon paper. There are not 3 letters to compare hand-writting samples, however. Only 2 "unique" letters and 3 "unique" envelopes.
Also, this statement is a stretch:3. The author uses the words "can not," when many people prefer to spell it as one word, "cannot." Many more people prefer the contraction "can't".
Great detail is made to document that the author selected his 3 targets deliberately. Why aren't the Florida cases tied to this? Mere coincidence? An opportunist using the Florida attack to add confusion to the east coast attacks? Why have the Florida attacks been dropped off the "radar"?
The early report on the envelopes (within days of the attacks) was that the flaps were not sealed, rather they were tucked in "loose". This is why the powder could be leaking on equipment during handling and contaminating adjacent envelopes (not always to a lethal level, but to a measurable degree).
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.
Additionally there is that pesky Florida Anthrax attack with a questionable link to Atta.
The spores were able to infiltrate the paper and go right through the walls of the envelopes anyway.
My scenario would have Mr. Atta's friends dropping off 3 or 4 envelopes in local curbside collection boxes down there in the Boca Raton area.
Normal postal operations would then serve to bring those letters together in the same stack of "empty" trays. Here's how:
1. All the collection boxes were in a wealthy neighborhood - theirs! The USPS frequently places collection boxes in such neighborhoods even though there is rarely any mail dropped in them.
2. Each collection box has a large "flat tray" in the bottom. This is that larger postal tray made out of corrugated polypropylene that the general public likes so much - for gardening, in the garage, trash collection, etc.
3. When mail is dropped in the top of the collection box it drops into the tray in the bottom.
4. The carrier or collection route employee replaces the tray, taking the supposedly "full" tray and putting it in the back of the collection vehicle. That way no letter is missed - and you better believe, those rich old people with nothing better to do than watch the collection box know if the carrier has done the job correctly - and if not they will instantly call postal management and complain.
5. The carrier stacks the trays taken from the collection boxes up in her vehicle. At the end of the route, those trays are transferred to the collection platform.
Since these trays are virtually empty they will be mistaken for empty mail transportation equipment (MTE). Because Florida is a mail destination area and generates little of its own, lots and lots of postal equipment would pile up down there unless they shipped it back North. Those empty trays were stacked with other trays on a pallet, then wrapped in plastic sheet and shipped North to places that needed more empty trays - e.g. Philadelphia BMC which, in turn, supplies equipment to Trenton.
As the stack of trays was "worked", the letters were found and tossed into 010. That particular stack of trays was "worked" down over a period of days which is why I believe the trays were sent to a major mailer in the Trenton area and not directly to a postal facility. Later unexplainable contamination occured when those very same contaminated trays were sent around to other jobs.
There was no text or pictures of the first "2" letters released before the third letter arrived. This means that the similarity of language was not known by the public at large (eliminates the likelihood of a copycat who read about the first "2" letters).
If you make a mistake growing pot, the plant may die. If you make a mistake growing Anthrax, you get exposure (or expose those who come over to your dwelling).
It's funny how all guns need to be registered, fertalizer and explosives need "tagging" to identify where it was sold, but our nation did not have adequate tracking of those "legally" possessed Anthrax.
The "light" is better over here so this is where they will look, regardless of where the problem originated.
Add to that the partisan investigators that are too myopic to consider all suspects in this case. Not all FBI agents are out to prove a VRWC exists, but certainly there was an agenda in the actions of this "protective" agency.
Mail delivery has been chaotic since the 9/11 attack. Mail service was interrupted and delivery slowed down when the planes were grounded (mail continued to move on train).
Mail delivery is still affected. I had a Priority Mail envelope that took 2 weeks to arrive and it was mailed on October 25th.
Regarding the confusion as to whether the envelopes were sealed, it would be a good thing to know at any rate. I did hear (initially) that the envelopes (1, 2 or all 3?) were not sealed, rather the flap was tucked in. It could have been closed with tape.
Another small detail that was botched during reporting of these 9/11 incidents was that Atta played pinball the night before the attack. Later this "pinball machine" was identified as Golden tee, a golf simulation video game. The journalist who wrote the article that identified the machine still referred to it as a pinball machine. In the grand total, it means nothing. But it goes to show that journalists haven't got a clue as to what details are important and are making sloppy errors in reporting the "facts".
There was a lead FBI investigator who referred to letters and trays as "boxes". Another lead FBI investigator actually told members of the media (who were equally ignorant) that he/she had no idea how anthrax could be spread through the mail unless there were more letters.
Stupidity like that - if not that very stupidity - killed two people in the Postal Service and allowed many others to be infected, and hundreds to be exposed.
CDC people actually thought anthrax particles as small as 1 to 5 microns couldn't migrate through paper envelopes. It turned out those envelopes have holes 100 microns in size. CDC people were also saying you had to breathe a minimum of 18,000 spores to develop inhalation anthrax. Later on they revised this number all the way down to 1 spore.
Postal managers were rightly criticized for having no contingency plan in case of an anthrax attack that infected postal equipment; on the other hand, both the CDC and the FBI had never examined that problem themselves, and when confronted with the reality, denied that it was at all a problem - except to Senator Daschle who was acting all so brave over it.
Lots and lots of bureaucrats in Washington should be sacked and replaced. Let's start with the CDC guys, then the FBI, and work our way through the Postal Service - but only after we get a few idiots suspended from the US Senate!
Doesn't this make it likely there are at least two individuals involved? Once you get two, doesn't it seem likely there are a bunch?
Quite possibly they were given discrete quantities acquired over the years. I doubt that anybody who handled the stuff bothered to check it out for granularity.
One possibility discussed to some degree here at FR is that they tried the crop duster trick and found that it just didn't work. This mail thing was an experiment, and it didn't work either!
Remember, these terrorists are particularly stupid - after all most of them boarded airplanes which crashed.
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