Update: White Powder Sent to Wall Street Journal ‘Probably Flour’

Matt Haber — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:08:00 -0400

Shira Ovide has a follow-up report on yesterday's news that multiple envelopes containing white powder were sent to The Wall Street Journal's executives.

Apparently, the powder was non-hazardous, "probably flour or a food-based substance, police officials said, citing preliminary tests."

Ms. Ovide says the F.B.I. will still investigate the mailings since there may be a connection to a similar powder-filled card sent to attorney and Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz:

Mr. Dershowitz received a greeting card that said THANKS in jagged yellow capital letters. A spokesman for Harvard Law School said early testing indicated the powder in the envelope was harmless.

Mr. Dershowitz said that law enforcement authorities asked him whether there was anything linking him to the Journal, and that he told them about an opinion piece he published in the paper on Jan. 2 that supported Israel's military actions in Gaza. "I think they were already aware of it," he added, though he said it was impossible to know whether he was targeted because of the piece.

Observer » Update: White Powder Sent to Wall Street Journal ‘Probably Flour’

Update: White Powder Sent to Wall Street Journal ‘Probably Flour’