This week may see an announcement on the future of the investigation known as “Amerithrax,” the investigation of the mailings of anthrax-laced letters in September and October 2001 that resulted in five deaths and the sickening of 17 people and disrupted the US mail and Congress, according to online magazine HS Today.On Friday, Aug. 1, Bruce Ivins, a US Army researcher who was the chief suspect committed suicide at his home in Frederick, Md. Ivins was to have met with FBI agents to discuss a plea agreement in the case on Friday. The FBI, the lead agency in the investigation, which includes the US Postal Service’s Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security, must decide whether to conclude the investigation.
It is possible that the reigniting of media interest will generate a wave of white-powder copycat attacks from pranksters, and security managers are advised to ensure that contingency plans are in place. For advice on what needs to be in a contingency plan for biological threats by post go to:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/anthrax.htm
Since the 2001 attacks in the US ARC has trained mailroom staff from a number of organisations in the handling of suspicious items delivered by post. To discuss your mailroom staff training needs in confidence, contact Phil Wood MBE, who has specialist military training in the area of CBRN defence.
