- B. The Elimination of Dr. Steven J. Hatfill as a Suspect
In August 2002, it became widely known that Dr. Steven J. Hatfill was a person of interest to the Task Force. Early in the investigation, numerous individuals who suspected that he might be involved in the letter attacks contacted the FBI. While working as a researcher at USAMRIID from 1997 to 1999, Dr. Hatfill had virtually unrestricted access to the Ames strain of anthrax, the same strain used in the 2001 mailings. Dr. Hatfill also appeared to know the intricacies of conducting a successful anthrax dissemination by mail, although it was not uncommon for those in the bio-defense community to develop such scenarios for training exercises. In addition, he had filled multiple prescriptions for the antibiotic Cipro® in 2001, which was the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of inhalational anthrax; however, its use also was consistent with treatment for a persistent infection from which Dr. Hatfill was suffering at the time.
Ultimately, the FBI’s genetic analysis of the organism used in the attacks led investigators to exclude him conclusively as a suspect. Early in the investigation, it was assumed that isolates of the Ames strain were accessible to any individual at USAMRIID with access to the bio-containment labs. Later in the investigation, when scientific breakthroughs led investigators to conclude that RMR-1029 was the parent material to the anthrax powder used in the mailings, it was determined that Dr. Hatfill could not have been the mailer because he never had access to the particular bio-containment suites at USAMRIID that held the RMR-1029. In other words, although Dr. Hatfill had access to Ames strain anthrax while at USAMRIID, he never had access to the particular spore-batch used in the mailings.
- C. Summary of the Investigation of Dr. Bruce E. Ivins
Armed with new evidence from the scientific breakthroughs, the Task Force focused its investigation on those researchers who had access to the lab at USAMRIID where RMR-1029 was being stored between September 11 and 18, 2001, and again between October 1 and 8, 2001–the windows of opportunity to have processed and mailed the anthrax used to commit the crime. All of these individuals were interviewed and, when appropriate, polygraphed. The Task Force checked out alibis and examined laboratory notebooks and other records. For each of these individuals, an assessment was made of whether each possessed the requisite skill to produce and dry such concentrated, pure anthracis spores. The Task Force conducted searches of home and work computers and examined e-mails. Evidence obtained from these and several other investigative efforts helped rule out all of the other persons with access to RMR-1029, and demonstrated that Dr. Bruce Ivins committed the crime.[1]
- ↑ Dr. Ivins had transferred small quantities of live, virulent RMR-1029 to two other domestic labs between the time of its creation in October 1997 and the 2001 mailings. Any individual with potential access to those samples during that time also was thoroughly investigated and ruled out using these same methods.
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