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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US anthrax 'suspect' found dead | US anthrax 'suspect' found dead |
| (38 minutes later) | |
| A top US scientist suspected of anthrax attacks in 2001 has apparently killed himself just as he was about to be charged, a newspaper reported. | A top US scientist suspected of anthrax attacks in 2001 has apparently killed himself just as he was about to be charged, a newspaper reported. |
| The Los Angeles Times said government scientist Bruce Ivins, 62, had taken an overdose of painkillers. | The Los Angeles Times said government scientist Bruce Ivins, 62, had taken an overdose of painkillers. |
| The paper said that he had recently been told of the impending prosecution. The US justice department has not yet commented on the report. | The paper said that he had recently been told of the impending prosecution. The US justice department has not yet commented on the report. |
| Five people died when anthrax was posted to the media and politicians. | Five people died when anthrax was posted to the media and politicians. |
| The incidents took place shortly after the 11 September attacks in 2001. | The incidents took place shortly after the 11 September attacks in 2001. |
| Security measures in the wake of the anthrax attacks temporarily closed a Senate building and increased the public's fear of their vulnerability to terrorism. | |
| As well as the five deaths, 17 other people were made ill. | |
| Exonerated | Exonerated |
| The LA Times said Mr Ivins had worked at the government biodefence research laboratories in Fort Detrick, Maryland, for the past 18 years. | The LA Times said Mr Ivins had worked at the government biodefence research laboratories in Fort Detrick, Maryland, for the past 18 years. |
| As a microbiologist he helped the FBI investigate the anthrax-tainted envelopes. | |
| ANTHRAX PANIC, 2001 First anthrax-laced letter is mailed on 18 Sept, 2001Florida sees first of five deaths, three weeks laterPanicked Americans try to stock up on antibiotic CiproPostal depots shut for de-contaminationSenate offices shut for weeksHoaxes become an almost daily occurrencePlans to deal with a biological weapons attack updatedMail irradiated to kill anthrax spores | |
| The mail was sent to legislators in Washington and media offices in New York and Florida. | |
| Those killed were two postal workers in Washington, a New York hospital worker, a Florida photo editor and an elderly woman in Connecticut. | |
| The FBI focused more on Mr Ivins after the leadership of the investigation was changed in 2006. | |
| Another scientist at the Fort Detrick laboratory, Dr Steven Hatfill, who had been named a "person of interest" in the case in 2002, was exonerated of any involvement. | |
| He sued the justice department, saying it had violated his privacy rights by speaking to reporters about the case. | He sued the justice department, saying it had violated his privacy rights by speaking to reporters about the case. |
| In June, the US department paid Dr Hatfill $5.82m (£2.94m) to settle the lawsuit. | |
| The LA Times said the investigation had been making new progress based on analysis of anthrax-tainted letters posted to senators Patrick Leahy and Thomas Daschle. | |
| A doctor who worked with Mr Ivins at Fort Detrick, Russell Byrne, told Associated Press news agency the FBI had "hounded" Mr Ivins. | |
| Dr Byrne said Mr Ivins had had to seek treatment for depression. | |
| In 2003, Mr Ivins was awarded the highest honour for defence department civilian staff for his anthrax vaccine work. | |
| Associated Press quoted officials as saying that authorities were investigating whether Mr Ivins had released the anthrax to test his vaccine. |