US authorities are investigating some 29 letters that have been packed with suspicious white powder and delivered to Washington-area schools, local media reported late Thursday. The powdered material is, however, thought to be harmless cornstarch, said FOX 5 News, citing an official source. The FBI said at a press conference that there had been no injuries related to the incidents.
The letters, which apparently originated in Texas, referenced the extremist group Al-Qaeda but did not a specific threat, said Fox 5. The killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Sunday at the hands of US commandos in Pakistan has prompted authorities to urge caution for possible retaliatory strikes on US soil.
