Last Updated

08 Jan 2003

Source: CNN, November 16, 2001.

Did tabloid get multiple anthrax letters?

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) -- Anthrax has been found throughout the headquarters of a tabloid publisher, leading health officials to suspect it received more than one tainted letter.

Investigators said Thursday it was unlikely just one letter spread anthrax spores to all three floors of the 68,000-square-foot American Media building in Boca Raton.

"You still cannot rule out the theory that (the letter) was shared among people in the building," said Tim O'Connor of the Palm Beach County Health Department. But "there was evidence on three different floors. That would indicate there's more than one letter."

The nation's anthrax scare began in Boca Raton on October 5, when a photo editor at one of American Media's tabloids died of the disease. Since then, more than a dozen cases have been identified.

Authorities believe the tainted mail at American Media was thrown away before then. O'Connor said the spores could have been spread while investigators searched for evidence.

Anthrax spores have also been detected at six county postal facilities, including those that received misdirected mail sent to an old address of one of American Media's newspapers.

The Environmental Protection Agency scoured the American Media building for three weeks, collecting samples from desks, floors and air ducts. Partial results of the testing showed spores in 32 places.

AMI has hired a microbiologist to devise a plan to clean up its headquarters. It will ask employees whether they want to return.

Meanwhile, Miami TV station WPLG was forced to broadcast its evening news from an office in Fort Lauderdale because of a threatening letter that contained a white powdery substance. The building was evacuated, and the substance was being tested.