Letters to the Editor

The FBI's selective release of documents in the anthrax case Some preliminary observations about the FBI's evidence. Glenn Greenwald [2008-08-06]

• Affidavit O 7- 5 2 4 - 0 1

  I have only review the first affidavit. I am trying to focus on the means that Ivins would have had to mail the letters from NJ. Here are the parts that relate to that:

  Information gathered to date suggests that all of the lethal anthrax letters were mailed from a single street collection box located at 10 Nassau Street, in Princeton, New Jersey. The letters were postmarked on either September 18,2001 or October 9,2001 at the same Hamilton Township Regional Postal Facility in Hamilton, New Jersey. The collection box on Nassau Street was identified through forensic biological swabbing of every U.S. Postal Service drop box that collects mail to be processed at the Hamilton facility. Further forensic examination of the contaminated mailbox recovered a number of Caucasian human hairs from inside the box, which are suitable for comparison. P. 6-7.

  The investigation examined Dr. Ivins's laboratory activity immediately before and after the window of opportunity for the mailing of the Post and Brokaw letters to New York which began at 5:00 p.m. Monday, September 17,2001 and ended at noon on Tuesday, September 18, 200 1. Beginning on Friday, September 14, Dr. Ivins worked the following three consecutive evening shifts prior to the mailings with time spent in Suite B3: [Sept. 14, 15 and 16, 2001, 2h 15min each night in B3]. P. 8.

  The investigation further examined Dr. Ivins's laboratory activity before and after the window of opportunity.for the mailing of the Daschle and Leahy letters to Washington, D.C. which began 3:00 p.m. Saturday, October 6, 2001, and ended at noon on Tuesday, October 9, 2001. Beginning on September 28, Dr. Ivins worked eight consecutive nights which consisted of the following times in building 1425 with time spent in Suite B3: [Sept. 28 through Oct. 5, 2001, times ranging from as little as 20 minutes (Oct. 1) to 3h 59min (Oct. 5) each night in B3]. P.9

  Although these exerpts discuss his access to the laboratory, there is nothing in the affidavit even suggesting that Ivins made any trips to NJ to mail any letters. Although the amount of time spent in the lab prior to each attack appears suspicious, without anything tending to show that he was in NJ during the possible times the letters were mailed, the late nights at the lab are meaningless. None of the subsequent affidavits, including the most recent affidaivt of July 11, 2008, contains any indication that the FBI can show that Ivins would have been in NJ during either of the windows for mailing the letters containing the anthrax.

  -- John PM
  [Read John PM's other letters]
  Permalink Flag Wednesday, August 6, 2008 03:25 PM
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel