Packages Destined to Pentagon, White House Tested for Poison

Packages Destined to Pentagon, White House Tested for Poison

Neither package entered the Pentagon, and they were both turned over to the FBI for further analysis, according to authorities.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Oct 04, 2018

Initial analysis of two suspicious letters sent to the Pentagon has tested positive for the deadly poison ricin. Another suspicious envelope sent to President Trump, which was intercepted before reaching the White House, is still undergoing investigation by the Secret Service.

Authorities at a Pentagon mail screening facility found on Monday two envelopes suspected of containing Ricin, a poison made from castor beans. One letter was addressed to Defense Secretary James Mattis and the other was addressed to Chief of Naval Operations John Richardson.

Neither package entered the Pentagon, and they were both turned over to the FBI for further analysis, according to authorities. Investigators are currently trying to learn whether the packages were sent by one person or a group.

Currently, all U.S. Postal Service mail received at the Pentagon’s mail delivery facility, which is on the Pentagon grounds but separate from the main building, is under quarantine and “poses no threat to Pentagon personnel,” according to Pentagon spokesperson Col. Rob Manning.

According to bioweapons experts, field tests are inconclusive and authorities must perform lab tests to confirm that the substance is indeed ricin. Ricin can only be manufactured deliberately, and can cause death in 36-72 hours.

Another suspicious letter was sent to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign office in Houston on Monday, but tested negative for any dangerous substance. It is unclear whether the incidents are connected, but no injuries have been reported thus far.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.