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Setting the scene
The anthrax letters attacks occurred September-October 2001, weeks after 9/11, when letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to media outlets and U.S. senators. Five people died and 17 were infected. Letters were sent to NBC, New York Post, and Senators Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy, postmarked Trenton, New Jersey.
What happened
The attacks caused widespread panic and shut down Capitol Hill and postal facilities. The FBI investigation, lasting 7 years, concluded the anthrax came from U.S. Army scientist Bruce Ivins, who committed suicide in 2008 before charges were filed. The case remains controversial, with some experts doubting Ivins' guilt.
Why it still matters
The anthrax attacks led to billions spent on bioterrorism preparedness and changed mail handling procedures. They demonstrated vulnerability to biological weapons and compounded post-9/11 fear. The attacks remain the deadliest bioterrorism incident in U.S. history.
Background
Bioterror fears reshaped mail handling.