The New York Times said today it had received in its mailroom an envelope containing white powder, raising fears of a possible recurrence of anthrax-tainted letters sent to newsrooms and other offices in late 2001.
"At about 12:30pm this afternoon ... an employee opened an envelope that contained a white powdery substance. The envelope was handwritten and addressed to the New York Times, not to any individual.
The postmark was from Philadelphia with no return address," said Times spokeswoman Catherine Mathis.
Emergency vehicles and an ambulance were parked outside the newspaper's offices on 43rd Street.
The New York Police Department confirmed it was investigating the incident. Conservatives have criticized the Times in recent weeks for writing about the Bush administration's covert efforts to stamp out terrorism financing.
This week protesters rallied outside the newspaper to object to its decision to publish details about terrorism financing and secret government programs to monitor phone conversations of US citizens.
Starting one week after the September 11 attacks in 2001, there was a series of anthrax attacks in the United States. Letters with a Trenton, New Jersey, postmark and containing anthrax bacteria were mailed to several news media offices and two US senators, killing five people and sickening 17 others.
Since those attacks, which remain unsolved, there have been a number of anthrax-related scares in the United States. The incident contributed to US stocks extending their losses. "The level of pessimism is extreme.
rom bombings in India, to the escalation of violence between Israel and Lebanon and now white powder sent to The New York Times - it all adds to the negative sentiment," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer at Solaris Asset Management in Bedford Hills, New York.