Hazmat units respond in midtown Manhattan | Courtesy of The Daily News | Taggar
Posted: Wednesday, 11 November 2009 10:34AM
NYPD: Suspicious Powder Sent to 3 NYC Missions
NEW YORK (AP/1010 WINS) -- Envelopes containing suspicious powder were sent to three foreign missions to the United Nations in Manhattan on Monday, but initial tests suggested the mailings were a hoax, police officials said.
Sonia Rincon reports
A field test done on the powder sent the Uzbekistan mission came back negative for Anthrax or any other dangerous substance, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said.
Envelopes containing a powder were also sent to the French and Austrian foreign missions to the United Nations.
All three envelopes had Dallas, Texas, postmarks, and at least one contained a note referencing al-Qaida, Browne said.
The potential threat prompted an emergency response from federal and local authorities, including hazardous material units that decontaminated employees of the consulates who handled the envelopes.
"The FBI is working with the NYPD to determine the origin of these letters,'' said Richard Kolko, spokesman for the FBI's New York Office. "Our field office will follow all leads to locate the sender.''
TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO & EYE Logo TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. TheAssociated Press contributed to this report.