http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1200144/Suspicious-powder-sent-U-S-embassy-Rome-G8-summit-ashes-mans-wife.html
Suspicious powder sent to U.S. embassy during G8 summit was ashes of sender's wife By Nick Pisa<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Nick+Pisa> Last updated at 3:04 PM on 16th July 2009 A powder sent to the American embassy in Rome during last week's G8 in Italy was the ashes of the sender's wife, it emerged today. Officials at the embassy went into overdrive when the envelope arrived last Wednesday, just hours before President Barack Obama arrived in the Italian capital for the summit. The post room of the building was sealed off and staff evacuated as police scientists in protective overalls arrived to take the powder away amid fears it could be an anthrax terror attack. It was sent away for analysis but when the results came back from the police lab they showed the powder was nothing deadlier than ashes from a cremation. A letter found inside the package explained that they belonged to the sender's wife and that he had sent similar envelopes containing the ashes to other American embassies in London, Paris and Istanbul. The man, who was from Texas but who officials at the US Embassy in Rome refused to name, had sent a letter with the ashes asking if it was possible to scatter them in the city as they had spent a 'very nice holiday there once many years ago'. FBI officers had been sent to the widower's house to check out the story and it proved correct. Today a spokeswoman at the American embassy in Rome said: 'This is one of those bizarre but true stories. The envelope did contain a powder which turned out to be human ashes. 'I'm afraid I cannot name the person involved for reasons of privacy.' Another source at the embassy added: 'I understand that other envelopes were received at other embassies across Europe. The matter was taken very seriously as security was already high because of the G8 and President Obama's presence. 'We treat security very seriously and that's why when the powder arrived it was sent away to be tested to make sure it wasn't anthrax and a terrorist attack.' __,_._,___ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
