Senators question FBI's handling of anthrax inquiry
Some members of the Senate Judiciary Committee challenge the bureau's director, signaling that they are not convinced the case has been solved.
WASHINGTON — Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday vigorously challenged FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III for the bureau's handling of the anthrax mailings investigation, signaling that they were not convinced the case had been solved.
Both the panel's Democratic chairman and its most senior Republican said that, based on what evidence they had seen, the FBI had not proved that the mailings were perpetrated solely by Bruce E. Ivins, the deceased Army scientist who law enforcement officials say committed the crimes.
The anthrax-laced letters were mailed in September and October of 2001 and killed five people. Two of the letters were addressed to members of Congress, including Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Leahy, who shouted with emotion at times during the three-hour hearing, said that if Ivins was "the one who sent the letter, I do not believe in any way, shape or manner that he is the only person involved in this attack on Congress and the American people."
Leahy added: "I believe there are others involved, either as accessories before or accessories after the fact. I believe that there are others out there. I believe there are others who can be charged with murder."
Leahy did not provide the basis for his assertions. Afterward, an aide said the senator would not elaborate. "Based on the complexity of this case and the anthrax that was used, Sen. Leahy still has lingering questions," the aide said.
Leahy's Republican counterpart on the committee, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, criticized Mueller for not opening more investigative details for review -- and he chided the FBI director about the case rolled out so far against Ivins.
"I've looked over a good bit of the evidence on the anthrax case just to contrast prosecutors' opinions," Specter said, apparently referring to his and Mueller's former jobs as prosecutors. "And I have grave doubts about sufficiency of evidence for proof beyond a reasonable doubt."
The hearing was held in a room of the Hart Senate Office Building, which was closed from October 2001 to January 2002 after spores from one of the letters, addressed to then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), contaminated the structure. (Daschle has said he is satisfied with the evidence against Ivins.)
- FBI says evidence points uniquely to Bruce Ivins in anthrax case Aug 07, 2008
- Apparent suicide in anthrax case Aug 01, 2008
- Scientist concedes 'honest mistake' about weaponized anthrax Sep 17, 2008
