Anthrax Case Essentially Closed, But Doubts Remain

In the wake of the suicide of government biodefense scientist Dr. Bruce Ivins, the only apparent suspect in the 2001 anthrax letter attacks, the FBI and Justice Department says it will share case details once it has spoken to victims' families. The agencies consider the case closed, but Senator Tom Daschle – to whom one of the letters was addressed – said, "What troubles me is that Mr. Ivins wasn't indicted, and if he wasn't indicted, how confidant are they that they had the evidence and the information that they needed?" The Washington Post spoke to a friend of Ivins who said the scientist started to drink a liter of vodka and take "large doses of sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs" at night last fall, around the same time the FBI showed his daughter photos of anthrax victims, saying, "Your father did this," and offered his son a $2.5 million reward and a "sports car of his choice" to solve the case.