NSW: Bio-terror scare over flour

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2006
NSW: Bio-terror scare over flour

SYDNEY, Dec 7 AAP - The prime minister and the minister for foreign affairs are accused
of distorting test results to claim white powder sent to the Indonesian embassy was a
"biological agent".

Documents obtained under freedom of information laws, and reported by Fairfax newspapers,
show the microbiologist who examined the powder on June 1 last year and the federal police
never called it a "biological agent", and described it as a commonly occurring bacteria.

The documents also reveal that some days after testing began, the powder was shown to be flour.

The "biological agent" claim sparked one of Australia's biggest biological terror scares.

Alexander Downer announced in question time on June 1 that a suspicious package had
been sent to the embassy.

Soon after question time, he revealed "the initial analysis of the powder has tested
positive as a biological agent, though further testing will need to be carried out to
determine what the substance actually is".

John Howard then told reporters that sending the powder to the embassy was an act of
"murderous criminality".

He rejected a suggestion from a reporter the substance could turn out to be "rather benign".

"No, the reference biological agent does not mean it's benign," he said.

The description of the powder as a biological agent torpedoed a wave of public anger
directed at the Indonesian government and its justice system that had been building for
five days after a Bali court convicted Schapelle Corby of drug smuggling on May 27.

AAP pc/cjh

KEYWORD: POWDER

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