Results tagged “anthraxletters”

Some more details emerge about why FBI investigators suspected government biodefense scientist Dr. Bruce Ivins was behind the 2001 anthrax letter attacks. They matched "specific DNA patterns to anthrax cultures" that Ivins was responsible for in his lab. The FBI enlisted the Institute for Genomic Research to analyze the samples, and J. Craig Venter said the evidence suggested the "[culprit] almost had to be a government scientist." However, someone briefed on the investigation said that the evidence gathered so far was "circumstantial"--plus there's no evidence that Ivins traveled to NJ (where the letters were mailed from). Still, the Justice Department is rumored to be shutting down the investigation this week.