US embassies receive envelopes with suspicious powder

The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that two more American embassies received suspicious envelopes with white powder after its 16 missions in Europe received similar white powder mails that were later found to be harmless.

Emergency workers stand inside the door at the U.S. embassy in Madrid after it received a suspicious envelope Dec. 17, 2008. [Xinhuanet.com]

The U.S. embassies in The Czech Republic and Japan received envelopes with white powder that is being tested for toxins, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Prior to the latest reports, U.S. embassies in Berlin, Bern, Brussels, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Luxembourg, Madrid, Oslo, Paris, Reykjavik, Riga, Rome, Stockholm, Tallinn and The Hague have had similar reports.

In addition, a statement released by the FBI said that offices of more than 40 governors across the United States also received similar envelopes with white powder that was tested negative.

According to the bureau, those receivers included Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice presidential candidate, and governors of Rhode Island, Michigan, Mississippi, Alabama, Minnesota, Montana, and Missouri.

The United States has been on guard against suspected letters since 2001, when envelopes laced with anthrax were sent to media outlets and to American lawmakers, killing five people.

Emergency workers stand inside the door at the U.S. embassy in Madrid after it received a suspicious envelope Dec. 17, 2008. [Xinhuanet.com]

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2008)