Suspect in anthrax case kills himself
The Army microbiologist who was working on a vaccine for anthrax poisoning was now being grilled as a suspect in the 2001 letter attacks that killed five people and sickened 17. FBI agents were staking out his house.
Ivins committed suicide this week before he could be charged with murder in the mailing of toxin-laced letters, which spread nationwide alarm just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York and Washington. Authorities said the letters, filled with anthrax powder, may have been a warped plot for Ivins to test his vaccine on victims.
Ivins' lawyer said the brilliant but troubled scientist was innocent but would never have a chance to prove it.
Friday's sudden naming of Ivins as the top — and perhaps only — suspect in the anthrax attacks marked the latest bizarre twist in a case that has confounded the FBI for nearly seven years. Last month, the Justice Department cleared Ivins' colleague, Steven Hatfill, who had been wrongly suspected in the case, and paid him $5.8 million.
Ivins worked at the Army's biological warfare labs at Fort Detrick, Md., for 28 years until his death on Tuesday. He was one of the government's leading scientists researching vaccines and cures for anthrax exposure. But he also had a long history of homicidal threats, according to papers filed last week in local court by a social worker.
And it caused near panic in many locations.
Workers in protective garb that made them look like space men decontaminated U.S. Capitol buildings after anthrax letters were discovered there. Major postal substations were closed for years. Newsrooms were checked all over after anthrax letters were mailed to offices in Florida and New York.
The Justice Department said Friday only that "substantial progress has been made in the investigation." The statement did not identify Ivins.
However, several U.S. officials said prosecutors had been closing in on the 62-year-old Ivins and planned to seek an indictment and the death penalty. Authorities were investigating whether Ivins, who had complained about the limits of testing anthrax drugs on animals, had released the toxin to test the treatment on humans.
The officials all discussed the continuing investigation on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The Justice Department is expected to decide within days whether to close the "Amerithrax" investigation now that its main target is dead. If the case remains open, that could indicate there still are other suspects.
Recent comments
If only more of these killers, rapists etc would just kill themselves…
Agreed Super | Aug. 2, 2008 at 12:09 p.m.
If,as some articles state,he was looking for test cases to establish…
Just a thought | Aug. 2, 2008 at 11:04 a.m.
No more threat, no more legal, no more investigation, and no incarncenation…
Super | Aug. 2, 2008 at 9:34 a.m.
