The Constant Threat of Mail-Delivered Biological Attacks

Photo: Kenneth Lambert, AP

Jun 01, 2005 1711 GMT

Indonesia closed its embassy in Canberra, Australia, June 1 after officials received an envelope in the mail containing what is believed to be a "Bacillus-type bacteria." Australian Prime Minister John Howard said it would be a "remarkable coincidence" if the incident is not related to the case involving Schapelle Corby, an Australian woman who has been convicted in Indonesia on drug charges. Although the incident underscores the heightened threat of mail-delivered biological attacks during times of increased political tension between countries, government offices and corporations should be on guard against this threat at all times.

The threat has been taken seriously since several letters containing anthrax were sent to the offices of two U.S. senators in Washington, D.C., and to network news offices in New York City in the months following the Sept. 11 attacks. At the time, anthrax-laced letters also turned up in Florida, New Jersey, Washington and rural Connecticut. Five people, including journalists, health workers, mail handlers and a 94-year-old woman, died in the attacks.

In recent months, a number of anthrax scares have occurred at businesses and government offices in the United States and Japan.

· The New Mexico state capitol was evacuated May 20 after authorities received a letter containing white powder. The powder later was determined to be harmless and the capitol was re-opened three days later.

· Authorities in Salem Vista, Ore., closed a U.S. Post Office for 17 hours April 22 after discovering an envelope leaking white power and containing a letter threatening an anthrax attack.

· An employee at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo opened a letter April 16 and discovered a small amount of powder. The letter arrived amid escalating tensions between the two countries over growing anti-Japanese sentiment in China.

· After sensors at two Pentagon remote delivery facilities detected anthrax, the facilities were closed for two days in March while 300 employees were tested for exposure to the bacteria. The tests came back negative.

· In February, employees of a local business in Greenville, Miss., discovered anthrax threats scrawled on the inside of a shipping trailer. The local fire department and the Washington County Emergency Management Agency spent the day investigating the incident, which turned out to be a prank.

All of these recent scares turned out to be benign, though each incident must be taken seriously nonetheless -- regardless of first appearances or the size of the operation that receives the threat.

In many cases, letters containing suspicious powdery substances are sent to government offices or private companies as a form of protest against a policy or operation. The discovery of a powder -- regardless of whether it is a biological agent -- causes alarm and usually results in a work stoppage as HazMat teams move in to investigate. At the very least, these can hurt operations and cause loss of revenue. Incidents of "false positives" -- initial, but false, indications that anthrax is present -- also can cause emotional distress in the workplace. A real attack, however, can shut down a facility for months while it is decontaminated -- as occurred at the D.C. post office that handled the earlier anthrax letters.

Anthrax bacteria belong to the genus Bacillus (Bacillus anthracis), which includes other species that are much less harmful to humans. Bacillus thruingiensis, known as B.t., for example, often is used in gardening to protect plants from harmful insects. These bacteria can cause respiratory irritation in humans and will register as a Bacillus bacterium when tested. B.t. can be obtained commercially in a white powder form.

Most corporations have instituted protective procedures for handling incoming mail, but should review their procedures to ensure that the appropriate measures are indeed being taken. Over time, complacency can set in, especially in a mundane, repetitive operation such as mail sorting.

Source: Stratfor