The Hindu : White powder in Indian passport found harmless

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

International

International - India & World

White powder in Indian passport found harmless

WASHINGTON, FEB. 21. The white powder found in an Indian passport sent to a United States State Department visa office annexe, initially suspected to be anthrax, was found harmless after tests, officials said.

The office, on the seventh floor of a building in Columbia Plaza, was sealed after the powder fell from between the pages of the passport when an envelope containing it was opened on Thursday morning.

Officials sealed off the floor and briefly quarantined about 20 employees while preliminary tests were conducted on the powder. The tests found that the powder contained protein leaving open the possibility that it could contain anthrax spores.

Later, a sample was collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation which sent it for analysis, the State Department spokesman, J. Adam Ereli, said on Friday.

"The Department was notified last night by the FBI that the substance tested negative for presumptive biological agents. The affected area ... has been cleared for re-occupancy, and the area's air handlers have returned to service," he said.

Asked whether he could confirm that the package came from India, Mr. Ereli said, "No, I can't. Not that I won't, I just can't. I don't know." — PTI

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