Review of the scientific approaches used during the FBI's investigation of the 2001 anthrax letters
By: Committee on Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI's Investigation of the 2001 Bacillus anthracis Mailings ; Board on Life Sciences, Division on Earth and Life Studies ; Committee on Science, Technology, and Law, Policy and Global Affairs Division, National Research Council of the National Academies
Contributors: National Research Council (U.S.). Board on Life Sciences; National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Science, Technology, and Law
Publisher: National Academies Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Washington, D.C
Language: eng
Number of pages: 209
ISBN-13: 9780309187190
Subjects: United States; Anthrax; United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bioterrorism
Description: Less than a month after the September 11, 2001 attacks, letters containing spores of anthrax bacteria (Bacillus anthracis, or B. anthracis) were sent through the U.S. mail. Between October 4 and November 20, 2001, 22 individuals developed anthrax; 5 of the cases were fatal. During its investigation of the anthrax mailings, the FBI worked with other federal agencies to coordinate and conduct scientific analyses of the anthrax letter spore powders, environmental samples, clinical samples, and samples collected from laboratories that might have been the source of the letter-associated spores. The agency relied on external experts, including some who had developed tests to differentiate among strains of B. anthracis. In 2008, seven years into the investigation, the FBI asked the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct an independent review of the scientific approaches used during the investigation of the 2001 B. anthracis mailings. Evaluates the scientific foundation for the techniques used by the FBI to determine whether these techniques met appropriate standards for scientific reliability and for use in forensic validation, and whether the FBI reached appropriate scientific conclusions from its use of these techniques. This report reviews and assesses scientific evidence considered in connection with the 2001 Bacillus anthracis mailings.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-159) and index.

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