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CNN Live At Daybreak

Anthrax: New Jersey Mail Carrier's Route May Lead to Suspect

Aired October 19, 2001 - 08:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Investigators are now telling CNN they believe the anthrax mailed to New York, Washington and Florida are the same strain, and may have come from the same source.

The number of confirmed cases of anthrax infection rises to six. Authorities say tracking the route of a New Jersey mail carrier, who came down with skin anthrax, could lead to a suspect.

CNN's Susan Candiotti is in Washington with the very latest on this anthrax investigation.

Susan, before you launch your report, how critical is it that this mail carrier has been found, and they're retracing the route of the carrier?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's very important, Paula, because homes and businesses along a mail carrier's route might be getting more than their mail this day. Investigators now picking apart the area serviced by a postal worker, who delivered mail in the Trenton, New Jersey area. She contracted an anthrax skin infection, presumably from mail she handled, and authorities are trying to trace where and who it may have come from. That's why it's so important.

A second worker from a mail sorting facility there may also have anthrax. Two letters postmarked Trenton are a key focus of the anthrax investigation. Centers for Disease control tests indicate similar strains, linking one of those letters sent to NBC in New York. Sources say Washington also believed to be a match -- final tests pending. The Florida strains are showing similarities as well.

The handwriting on both letters proving more difficult to analyze, because of the printing style. Fingerprint and DNA testing -- standard (ph).

In Florida, investigators and HAZMAT here revisiting American Media headquarters, going back to see if they can find any letters similar to the ones postmarked from Trenton. At this point, the Justice Department says it's impossible to say whether the source of the anthrax cases is right here in the U.S.

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JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: We have ruled out neither international terrorism nor domestic terrorism. And we think it may be ill-advised to think about the situation in terms of an either-or matrix.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Meantime, in Kenya, that letter we told you about that might contain anthrax sent from Atlanta. After preliminary tests in Nairobi, a sample is now being sent to the CDC for a more definitive answer. We'll keep you posted.

Now, between the anthrax cases and the September 11 attacks, the FBI is juggling a lot of leads.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEWIS SCHILIRO, FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: I think certainly what they'll be doing is prioritizing those things that they need to get done right now. The problem in the anthrax investigation is that they're working under the premise, I'm sure, that those responsible for it are still out there and still may have access to that type of material. So they do need to prioritize that in terms of identifying those responsible and being able to apprehend them before further damage is done.

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CANDIOTTI: A $1 million reward is now on the table, and for the second week in a row, the program, "America's Most Wanted," will be featuring these anthrax cases and the September 11 attacks. Last week, that program helped to develop another 1,600 leads worldwide.

And so, Paula, the case goes on and on, but the FBI is saying what we really need now is a big break.

ZAHN: And the case goes on and on, which means you'll be covering this around the clock as always. See you in the next hour, Susan -- thanks so much.

CANDIOTTI: You bet.

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