US intercepts letter laced with ricin sent to Obama
FBI says investigations into the letter sent to Obama and another sent to Senator Roger Wicker showed 'no indication of a connection' to the Boston Marathon bombings
Two letters suspected of containing the deadly poison ricin and addressed to US President Barack Obama and a senator were related and bore a postmark from Memphis, Tennessee, it was revealed yesterday.
An FBI intelligence bulletin said both letters were dated April 8, and contained the message: "To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance." Both letters were signed: "I am KC and approve this message".
The FBI said the Obama letter contained a "granular substance that preliminarily tested positive for ricin" and had been intercepted at a facility outside the White House that screened the president's mail.
The revelation of the Obama letter came a day after authorities intercepted a letter containing ricin that was bound for the officer of Senator Roger Wicker.
On a day of drama in Washington yesterday, parts of two Senate office buildings were cleared after the discovery of suspicious packages. US Capitol Police confirmed a man was being questioned but the buildings reopened without incident.
The letter addressed to Wicker, a two-term Republican senator from Mississippi, was detected on Tuesday during a routine mail inspection at a Michigan facility. Wicker released a brief statement, saying the matter was under investigation by the FBI and US Capitol Police.