Anthrax hoaxes explained

Anthrax hoaxes involving the use of white powder or labels to falsely suggest the use of anthrax are frequently reported in the United States and globally. Hoaxes have increased following the 2001 anthrax attacks, after which no genuine anthrax attacks have occurred. The FBI and U.S. postal inspectors have responded to thousands of "white powder events" and targets have included government offices, US embassies, banks and news organizations.[1] [2]

History

Anthrax hoaxes were sporadically reported in the 1990s,[3] including a petri dish in an envelope labeled "anthrachs"[sic] sent to B'nai B'rith in Washington in 1997 that contained harmless Bacillus cereus,[4] [5] [6] but a spate of anthrax threats followed the 1998 arrest of Larry Wayne Harris, a microbiologist and white supremacist. Harris released what he said was military-grade anthrax but was actually a harmless vaccine strain, but news coverage popularized the idea of anthrax among hoaxers.[7] [8] In response to these hoaxes, the CDC released guidance for public health authorities for handling bioterrorism threats.[9]

Post-2001

In the month following the 2001 anthrax attacks, hundreds of hoaxes were reported worldwide.[10] [11] [12] Legislation was enacted in the UK in October 2001 so that anyone convicted of a hoax involving threats of biological, chemical, nuclear or radioactive contamination would face a seven-year prison sentence.[13] The Anti-Hoax Terrorism Act 2001 was passed by the US House of Representatives[14] but never enacted,[15] and legislation making terrorism hoaxes a federal offence was finally passed as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.[16] [17] [18]

Cases

One of the most prolific hoaxers was Clayton Waagner, an anti-abortion activist who mailed hundreds of anthrax hoax letters to abortion clinics in late 2001[19] and who was convicted in December 2003.[20] [21] A Sacramento man, Marc M. Keyser, admitted to sending around 120 packages marked as containing anthrax in October 2008, which he says was to highlight the lack of preparedness of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and public for an anthrax attack. He was convicted in September 2009 of five counts of hoaxes and making threats[22] [23] and sentenced to four years in prison in late April 2010.[24]

In November 2008, white powder was mailed to temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, causing both to be closed temporarily while the mailings were investigated. There was speculation the mailings were in protest of the church's support for Proposition 8.[25]

Notable recipients of anthrax hoax letters include journalist Judith Miller, author of , who received one at the New York Times offices in October 2001.[26]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Anthrax hoaxes pile up, as does their cost. Drogin. Bob. 8 March 2009. Los Angeles Times. 10 December 2009.
  2. Book: Cole, Leonard A.. The Anthrax Letters: A Bioterrorism Expert Investigates the Attacks That Shocked America--Case Closed?. Skyhorse Publishing. 2009. 978-1-60239-715-6. registration.
  3. Book: Carus, W. Seth. Center for Counterproliferation Research . National Defense University . Bioterrorism and biocrimes: the illicit use of biological agents since 1900. The Minerva Group, Inc.. 2002. 8. Thrreatened Use (Anthrax Hoaxes). 1-4101-0023-5.
  4. News: Suspicious Package Prompts 8-Hour Vigil at B'nai B'rith. 24 April 1997. New York Times. 10 December 2009 . Matthew L. . Wald.
  5. News: Anthrax Attack?. Bailey. Ronald. 10 October 2001. Reason. 10 December 2009.
  6. News: The Anthrax Files. Kristof. Nicholas D.. 12 July 2002. New York Times. 10 December 2009.
  7. Tucker. Jonathan B.. July 1999. Historical trends related to bioterrorism: An empirical analysis. Emerging Infectious Diseases. CDC. 5. 4. 10458952. 10.3201/eid0504.990406. 2627752. 498–504.
  8. Web site: The Harris Hoax. ADL. 10 December 2009.
  9. 1999. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Bioterrorism Alleging Use of Anthrax and Interim Guidelines for Management -- United States, 1998. MMWR. CDC. 48. 4. 69–74. 10023627.
  10. 10.1071/NB03059. Leask. Alexander. Valerie Delpech . Jeremy McAnulty. Anthrax and other suspect powders: Initial responses to an outbreak of hoaxes and scares. New South Wales Public Health Bulletin. Csiro Publishing. 14. 12. 218–221. 2003. free. 14981556 .
  11. News: Anthrax hoax chaos. Harris. Paul. 21 October 2001. The Observer. 10 December 2009 . London.
  12. News: Anthrax hoaxes persist despite arrests. Kasindorf. Martin. Toni Locy. 6 November 2001. USA Today. 10 December 2009.
  13. News: Spore hoaxers face jail terms from today. Murphy. Joe. 21 October 2001. Daily Telegraph. 10 December 2009 . London.
  14. News: DeWine proposes tough law on anthrax hoaxes. DePledge. Derrick. 14 November 2001. Cincinnati Enquirer. 10 December 2009.
  15. Web site: H.R. 3209: Anti-Hoax Terrorism Act of 2001. Govtrack. 10 December 2009.
  16. Web site: Violators of Military Hoaxes Act could receive fines, prison time . CID Lookout . U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command . 10 December 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110717135437/http://www.cid.army.mil/documents/Lookout/Military%20Hoaxes_web.pdf . 17 July 2011 .
  17. News: Measure Expands Police Powers. Eggen. Dan. 10 December 2004. Washington Post. 10 December 2009.
  18. Web site: S. 2845: Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Govtrack. 10 December 2009.
  19. News: US anthrax hoax suspect arrested. 6 December 2001. BBC News. 10 December 2009.
  20. News: Man is convicted in anthrax hoax case. Associated Press. 10 December 2009 . 3 December 2003.
  21. News: The quiet fall of an American terrorist . Clarkson . Frederick . 10 December 2003 . Salon . 10 December 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110320083801/http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2003/12/10/waagner/index.html . 20 March 2011 .
  22. News: Sacramentan convicted for sending anthrax hoax messages. Walsh. Denny. 18 September 2009. Sacramento Bee. 10 December 2009.
  23. News: Calif. man convicted in nationwide anthrax scare . 17 September 2009 . Salon . 10 December 2009 .
  24. Web site: gsn.nti.org . 2010-04-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100430161431/http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100427_9709.php . 2010-04-30 . dead .
  25. News: White powder sent to Mormon temples. Associated Press. 13 November 2008. 14 October 2011.
  26. News: In America; Living With Fear. Herbert. Bob. 15 October 2001. New York Times. 10 December 2009.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Anthrax hoaxes".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.