WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI (news - web sites) said on Monday it was draining a pond in a forest near Frederick, Maryland as part of its investigation into a series of anthrax attacks in 2001 which killed five people.
The FBI was searching public land near the city, the site of a military biological warfare research institute, as it tried to find out who sent the letters laced with anthrax in September and October 2001.
"To facilitate the search activity, one pond will be drained," the FBI said in a brief statement. The pond is in a municipal forest owned by Frederick, which is 50 miles northwest of Washington, D.C..
"Based on extensive environmental testing already conducted, there is no indication of any threat to public health or safety associated with our search activities," it said.
Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to news media offices in Washington, New York and Florida as well as the offices of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat from South Dakota, and Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), a Vermont Democrat.
This took place in the weeks after the Sept. 11 hijacking attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon (news - web sites) and prompted initial fears that extremist groups were responsible. Investigators now believe that is not the case.
Law enforcement officials have declined to link the draining of the pond to Steven Hatfill, a former U.S. Army scientist who as been identified as a "person of interest" in the investigation.
Hatfill, whose former home in Frederick was searched twice last year, has denied involvement in the anthrax attacks and criticized the government for its handling of the case.
Pat Clawson, Hatfill's spokesman, said Hatfill did not know what the FBI hoped to find in the pond.
"Steve has never had anything to do with the anthrax attacks. He has nothing to do with this," Clawson said, adding that Hatfill took a Boy Scout group to a park but is not sure if it was in the same forest the FBI is searching.
A medical doctor and germ warfare expert, Hatfill used to work for the Army Medical Institute of Infectious Disease at nearby Fort Detrick, which is the center of the nation's biological warfare defense research.
Clawson said the forest being searched is several miles from Hatfill's former house, but is also several miles from Fort Detrick where many employees could have had access to anthrax.
Hatfill, who has said he never worked with anthrax, has said reports that he was a suspect in the attacks have ruined his reputation and hurt his career
The FBI was searching public land near the city, the site of a military biological warfare research institute, as it tried to find out who sent the letters laced with anthrax in September and October 2001.
"To facilitate the search activity, one pond will be drained," the FBI said in a brief statement. The pond is in a municipal forest owned by Frederick, which is 50 miles northwest of Washington, D.C..
"Based on extensive environmental testing already conducted, there is no indication of any threat to public health or safety associated with our search activities," it said.
Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to news media offices in Washington, New York and Florida as well as the offices of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat from South Dakota, and Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), a Vermont Democrat.
This took place in the weeks after the Sept. 11 hijacking attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon (news - web sites) and prompted initial fears that extremist groups were responsible. Investigators now believe that is not the case.
Law enforcement officials have declined to link the draining of the pond to Steven Hatfill, a former U.S. Army scientist who as been identified as a "person of interest" in the investigation.
Hatfill, whose former home in Frederick was searched twice last year, has denied involvement in the anthrax attacks and criticized the government for its handling of the case.
Pat Clawson, Hatfill's spokesman, said Hatfill did not know what the FBI hoped to find in the pond.
"Steve has never had anything to do with the anthrax attacks. He has nothing to do with this," Clawson said, adding that Hatfill took a Boy Scout group to a park but is not sure if it was in the same forest the FBI is searching.
A medical doctor and germ warfare expert, Hatfill used to work for the Army Medical Institute of Infectious Disease at nearby Fort Detrick, which is the center of the nation's biological warfare defense research.
Clawson said the forest being searched is several miles from Hatfill's former house, but is also several miles from Fort Detrick where many employees could have had access to anthrax.
Hatfill, who has said he never worked with anthrax, has said reports that he was a suspect in the attacks have ruined his reputation and hurt his career
