Washington: Powder not anthrax

5 hours ago

Washington: Powder not anthrax
18/08/2003 20:38 - (SA)

Washington - Field tests on a suspicious white powder that sparked a brief anthrax scare at the US state department have determined that the substance is not harmful, officials said on Monday.

The powder was found in a letter addressed to Secretary of State Colin Powell but spokesperson Richard Boucher noted that even if it had been hazardous it would not likely have done any damage as all mail to the department is irradiated.

"The mail had been irradiated, thus rendering it harmless prior to its arrival at the department's mail facility," he told reporters.

Boucher said further testing would still required to determine the exact nature of the powder, but stressed that preliminary tests were "not showing any positive indications of hazardous materials".

The discovery of the powder had forced the limited closure of the department's office of public communications and prompted the as well as a shut-down of the ventiliation system in the area of the office.

An announcement made over the department's public address system said a "suspicious piece of mail that contains an unknown white powder" had been discovered in the office.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1404137,00.html

Let's see what else I can find on this???

It is just faster this way:

http://news.google.com/news?q=anthrax+&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn