SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Pentagon packages test positive for substance close to ricin
Washington, Oct 3 (AFP) Oct 03, 2018
Packages that were sent to the Pentagon this week have tested positive for a substance ricin is derived from, but not the deadly poison itself, an official said Wednesday.

The Pentagon's mail screening facility on Monday intercepted suspicious packages addressed to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Navy chief Admiral John Richardson.

"It seems to be that it was a substance that ricin is derived from," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told AFP.

"It wasn't ricin itself," she added, stressing that the matter is still under investigation.

Separately, the US Secret Service said it had obtained a "suspicious envelope" addressed to President Donald Trump on Monday.

"The envelope was not received at the White House, nor did it ever enter the White House," the Secret Service said.

Produced by processing castor beans, ricin is lethal in minute doses if swallowed, inhaled or injected. It is 6,000 times more potent than cyanide, with no known antidote.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
Trump-Musk showdown threatens US space plans
Japanese company aborts Moon mission after assumed crash-landing
In row with Trump, Musk says will end critical US spaceship program

24/7 Energy News Coverage
US seeks deals for Alaska energy as Asia representatives visit
Czechs sign nuclear deal with S.Korea firm KHNP: PM
US-China at trade impasse as Trump's steel tariff hike strains ties

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
Ukraine war 'existential', Russia says, launching revenge strikes
'Aces up the sleeve': Ukraine drone attacks in Russia shake up conflict
Trump says Iran 'slowwalking' as Khamenei opposes nuclear proposal

24/7 News Coverage
China lead mine plan weighs heavily on Myanmar tribe
Pledge to protect oceans falling billions short; as EU eyes 'leadership' role
Aid finally trickles in for Nigeria flood victims



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.