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CNN Sunday Morning

Tainted `New York Post' Letter Bore Trenton Postmark

Aired October 21, 2001 - 08:33   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Health officials in New York say they expect to finish their anthrax testing on Governor George Pataki's office today. Authorities began sweeping his Manhattan office base Wednesday, after a sample from one particular area came back positive. Apparently, all subsequent tests have come back negative. Officials say the governor's office could re-open tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in nearby Trenton, New Jersey, a meticulous investigation's going on. The goal? Tracing anthrax-tainted letters back to their origins.

CNN's Brian Palmer joins us now with details on this tedious search for evidence -- Brian.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a great way to put it, Martin, but we do have some information today. The latest information is that a letter sent to "The New York Post" has tested positive for the presence of anthrax. It bore a Trenton postmark, September 18, with handwriting similar to letters sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, as well as the letter sent to NBC TV news anchor Tom Brokaw.

Now the FBI here in New Jersey is saying, again they're being very, very cautious that it is likely that the letter came from the Trenton area, but they're not saying that definitively. There are 46 postal stations and post offices in this area and the investigation continues.

According to the FBI in Newark, they're also saying that what they're going to be today is very similar to what they were doing yesterday. Along with New Jersey State Police and United States postal inspectors, they're canvassing the neighborhood where a letter carrier delivered mail to about 250 homes. They're interviewing residence. And they're still taking samples from post boxes from various places.

They say that between one and there mailboxes have been seized. They say that there's no sign that these have anthrax, but they're randomly sort of just taking things and bringing back for testing -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: CNN's Brian Palmer reporting to us from New Jersey. Thank you very much.

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