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American Morning

In Florida, FBI Wants to Take Another Look at Anthrax-Infested Building

Aired August 26, 2002 - 09:53   ET

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

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In Florida, the FBI wanting to take another look at a building infested with anthrax last fall. Mark Potter on the scene has more with us now.
Mark, good morning. What do we know?

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Sorry about the audio problems as moment ago. We have them fixed. I hear you fine.

In about 20 minutes, the FBI is going to hold a news conference here to talk about its intention to go back into the AMI building this morning, the building where the anthrax scare in this country first began.

The FBI says that in the months, almost a year, since anthrax was discovered in the building new techniques have been developed, and they want to go back in to try to determine better how the anthrax was distributed throughout the building. They know that it came in through letters, but beyond that, they don't know the exact source, because those letters were never found. They appear to have been thrown away a long time ago.

Now they're going back in to try to retrace the anthrax through the building, and that's basically what we know. We're going to hear from the head of the FBI office in Miami, somebody also from the FBI lab in Washington. They are going to be talking at about 10:15 Eastern Time.

This, of course, was the site of the first anthrax attack. The photo editor, Bob Stevens, died from anthrax inhalation. A mailroom worker, Ernesto Blanco, became infected and critically ill, but he has recovered. We spoke to him less than a month ago, and he is doing fine.

Another worker was exposed, but she did not become infected, and she is now back to work, so we're awaiting word from the FBI on the fact that they are going back in the AMI building today.

HEMMER: Interesting development. Thank you, Mark. Mark Potter on the scene there in Florida.

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