An envelope containing ricin, a very potent poison, was addressed to the White House this week and intercepted before reaching President Donald Trump, for whom it was intended, US media reported on Saturday (September 19).
“FBI, US Secret Service and Postal Inspection Service Investigate Suspicious Letter Received at Government Mail Center”, according to the federal police. “At present, there is no security threat”, added the FBI in an exchange with Agence France-Presse (AFP).
According to anonymous sources, cited by the New York Times and CNN, two tests conducted on the product found in this suspicious mail established that it was ricin.
An identified suspect
Ricin is the most violent poison in the plant kingdom, 6,000 times more powerful than cyanide. It is a deadly substance if swallowed, inhaled or injected, and for which there is no antidote.
According to the New York daily and the American chain, investigators believe the mail came from Canada. According to New York Times, they also reportedly identified a woman as a suspect.
Other federal agencies, located in Texas, have also received letters containing this poison, according to the newspaper, which however states not to know which agencies were targeted.
In the past, there have been several incidents involving envelopes sent with ricin to US officials. In 2018, a Utah resident was charged with making ricin-related threats. He had notably sent letters containing castor seeds to Donald Trump and other federal officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray. Two people were also convicted in separate cases for sending letters containing ricin to President Barack Obama.
