As part of the “Amerithrax” investigation into last fall’s anthrax attacks, the FBI plans to administer several polygraph tests to employees at U.S. biological defense research centers, an FBI official said yesterday.

Investigators plan to administer tests to workers at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Md., and the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.  The FBI has already administered polygraphs to a few scientists who might have had access to anthrax, including about 10 USAMRIID researchers, according to the Baltimore Sun.  The new round of tests, however, would be administered to 200 current and former employees of the two Army research facilities, the FBI official said.

There are 80 USAMRIID employees who have had access to anthrax during the last few years, according to Fort Detrick sources.  While fewer Dugway researchers have had access to anthrax, Dugway has produced small amounts of weapon-grade anthrax that is similar to the powder used in the attacks, the Sun reported (see GSN, Jan. 2).

The new round of polygraph testing could mean the FBI has run out of leads in its investigation and that the bureau is expanding its scope in an attempt to trip up whoever is responsible, said experts.

“It looks to me like desperation,” said one USAMRIID scientist.  “The trail has kind of gone cold.”

The FBI also might be expanding polygraph testing because investigators believe there might be a suspect or suspects at the two facilities and do not want to broadcast their suspicions, according to the Sun.

“Maybe they really have one or two specific people and they’re covering it with a large number of polygraphs,” said Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, a biologist at the State University of New York who has carefully followed the FBI’s investigation (see GSN, April 24).

Some USAMRIID employees, however, feel the FBI and the media have singled them out and that more polygraph tests will not reveal any new information, a Fort Detrick employee said.

“I think there’s going to be resentment,” the USAMRIID worker said.  “People feel we’re getting beaten up already” (Scott Shane, Baltimore Sun, May 21).

New Policies

There will soon be a new program to help clarify procedures for handling, shipping and storing biological weapons agents at USAMRIID, said Maj. Gen. Lester Martinez-Lopez, the facility’s commander.  The new rules should help increase the public’s confidence in the facility, he said.  Last month, an accidental release of anthrax was discovered within USAMRIID (see GSN, April 26).

“We have good systems, but we’re going to make them even safer,” Martinez-Lopez said.  “The safety and surety of USAMRIID is of overreaching concern” (Associated Press/New York Times, May 21).

World Bank Scare

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 World Bank employees in Washington were sent home yesterday after a batch of mail tested positive for anthrax in a preliminary check, the Washington Post reported (see GSN, May 20).  A second, more sophisticated test later contradicted the first, according to the Post.

In the first reported anthrax scare for the bank, 1,200 people in the bank’s Africa and training divisions were told to work from home for most of this week as a precautionary measure, according to bank spokeswoman Caroline Anstey.  Investigators will conduct more tests in West Virginia, and results are expected by Thursday, she said (Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, May 21).

“We’re taking every precaution,” Anstey said (Reuters, May 21).

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