Federal offices receive hoax anthrax threats

By Bill Estep and Dori Hjalmarson - bestep@herald-leader.com

Federal offices around Kentucky received letters Monday that contained anthrax threats, leading to lockdowns and safety checks in several places, authorities said.

The threats turned out to be false. Tests showed the letters contained no harmful substances, authorities said.

Mike Klein, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky, said he understood that an inmate at the Big Sandy federal prison in Martin County mailed 25 to 50 letters.

Klein said that the letters he was familiar with stated that whoever opened them had been exposed to anthrax.

Klein said he was told that the inmate later admitted that the substance in the letters was Sweet 'N Low artificial sweetener.

A spokesperson from the prison was not available to confirm information about the inmate, including his name.

Letters arrived Monday at the federal courthouses in London, Frankfort and Pikeville.

Threatening letters also arrived at the offices of U.S. Reps. Brett Guthrie in Bowling Green; John Yarmuth in Louisville; Geoff Davis in Northern Kentucky; and Ed Whitfield, according to the Associated Press.

It wasn't clear Monday that those letters came from the same source as those at the courthouses, though Davis' spokeswoman, Alexandra Haynes, said the letter to his office apparently came from a prison inmate.

Officials said the letters had been turned over to the FBI.

In Pikeville, Pike County emergency director Doug Tackett said several people who were exposed to the white substance were taken to Pikeville Medical Center as a precaution, but there were no reports of injury or illness.

The federal courthouse and adjoining post office were closed for about three hours Monday, Tackett said.

In London, threatening letters reached the clerks' office in the federal courthouse and an office used by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said Tiger Robinson, public-safety director in neighboring Pulaski County.

The federal courthouse was closed for a time, but it reopened late in the afternoon.

The Herald-Leader allows readers to comment on stories. The views expressed here are not those of the Herald-Leader or its staff. Readers must avoid personal attacks and libelous or inappropriate remarks. See our commenting policy here. Some comments may be reprinted in the newspaper. Registered user names are posted with comments.