By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Ricin has been identified in letters sent to both President Barack H. Obama and Senator Roger Wicker (R) from Mississippi. Now NBC is reporting that the FBI is investigating a package sent to Alabama Senator Richard Shelby’s office. Later news reports say that a “suspicious letter” was removed from Senator Shelby’s office.
NBC is reporting that Shelby’s office was not evacuated. Other news sources say that it was evacuated.
Both of the letters that tested positive for the poison ricin were sent from the same sender.
Both letters were intercepted at off-site mail facilities. A Secret Service official told NBC News that the letter sent to the President was “very similar” to the one addressed to Sen. Wicker.
Fox News is reporting that a Mississippi man, Paul Kevin Curtis, has been arrested as a suspect in sending the letters to both Sen. Wicker and President Barack Obama. There has not been an arrest in the Boston bombing despite CNN and Fox reports that there was an arrest.
Ricin is made from castor beans and can kill within 36 hours. There is no antidote for the deadly poison once in the body. Sometimes letters contain ground castor beans are found. These are not poisonous, but will resulting in a false positive field test for ricin. Results from full laboratory tests are expected at any time.
The ricin letter attacks at the same time as the Boston Marathon Bombings eerily parallels the anthrax letters sent at the same time as the 911 highjackings. No connection was ever found between the 911 highjackers and the anthrax attacks, which were never solved.
