IP: 11/9 FBI "Amerithrax Press Briefing"

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

From: "RV Head" <4whp () home com
To: "Farber () Cis Upenn Edu" <farber () cis upenn edu

 Perhaps I'm not paying close enough attention to recent FBI briefings, but
this
 is the first time I've heard anyone use the word "Amerithrax" in an
official
 capacity. The following press briefing includes the FBI's psychological
and
 linguistic profile of the perpetrator responsible for the anthrax attacks.
An
 excerpt:

 <<Post-Offense Behavior: He may have exhibited significant behavioral
changes at
 various critical periods of time throughout the course of the Anthrax
mailings
 and related media coverage. These may include the following;

 1. Altered physical appearance.
 2. Pronounced anxiety.
 3. Atypical media interest.
 4. Noticeable mood swings.
 5. More withdrawn.
 6. Unusual level of preoccupation.
 7. Unusual absenteeism.
 8. Altered sleeping and/or eating habits.

 Whoah there, people. If you've made it this far on the post you're reading
now,
 the above-noted excerpt probably describes you pretty well.
 --XJ
 ----------------------------------------

 <<http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/amerithrax/amerithrax.htm

 On Friday, November 9, FBI officials held a press briefing about the
behavioral
 and linguistic patterns of anthrax-laden letters from September and
October. On
 November 6, the Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterterrorism
Division
 spoke about the investigation of and responses to recent Bioterrorist
threats.


 November 9, 2001 FBI Amerithrax Press Briefing

 Linguistic/Behavioral Analysis of Anthrax Letters
 Critical Incident Response Group
 National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime

 Today the FBI is releasing linguistic and behavioral assessments of the
person
 responsible for mailing anthrax-laden letters on September 18 and October
9,
 2001. We ask the American public to study these assessments and reflect on
 whether someone of their acquaintance might fit the profile. The safety of
the
 American people is at stake. If you have credible information that might
help
 identify this person, please contact 1-800-CRIMETV (274-6388), use
 www.ifcc.fbi.gov <http://www.ifcc.fbi.gov/, or call your local FBI field
office.

 EVIDENCE DESCRIPTION

 Letter 1
 One page, hand-printed letter
 Transmittal envelope, also similarly hand printed
 Addressed to "NBC TV - Tom Brokaw" - No return address
 Postmarked Trenton, NJ 09/18/2001 (Tues.)

 Letter 2
 One page, hand-printed letter
 Transmittal envelope, also similarly hand printed
 Addressed to "NY Post" - No return address
 Postmarked Trenton, NJ 09/18/2001 (Tues.)

 Letter 3
 One page, hand-printed letter
 Transmittal envelope, also similarly hand printed
 Addressed to "Senator Daschle - 509 Hart Senate Office Building"
 Return address - "4th Grade, Greendale School, Franklin Park, NJ"
 Return address zip code - "08852"
 Postmarked Trenton, NJ 10/09/2001 (Tues.)

 LINGUISTIC ASSESSMENT

 It is highly probable, bordering on certainty, that all three letters were
 authored by the same person. Letters 1 and 2 are identical copies. Letter
3,
 however, contains a somewhat different message than the other letters. The
 Anthrax utilized in Letter 3 was much more refined, more potent, and more
easily
 disbursed than letters 1 and 2.

 In the past, the public has helped the FBI solve high profile
investigations
 that involved writings by coming forward to identify the author, either by
how
 he wrote or by what he wrote. We are asking for the public's help here
again in
 the same way.

 While the text in these letters is limited, there are certain distinctive
 characteristics in the author's writing style. These same characteristics
may be
 evident in other letters, greeting cards, or envelopes this person has
written.
 We hope someone has received correspondence from this person and will
recognize
 some of these characteristics.

 The characteristics include:

 1. The author uses dashes ("-") in the writing of the date "09-11-01."
Many
 people use the slash ("/") to separate the day/month/year.

 2. In writing the number one, the author chooses to use a formalized, more
 detailed version. He writes it as "1" instead of the simple vertical line.

 3. The author uses the words "can not," when many people prefer to spell
it as
 one word, "cannot."

 4. The author writes in all upper case block-style letters. However, the
first
 letter of the first word of each sentence is written in slightly larger
upper
 case lettering. Also, the first letter of all proper nouns (like names) is
 slightly larger. This is apparently the author's way of indicating a word
should
 be capitalized in upper case lettering. For whatever reason, he may not be
 comfortable or practiced in writing in lower case lettering.

 5. The names and address on each envelope are noticeably tilted on a
downward
 slant from left to right. This may be a characteristic seen on other
envelopes
 he has sent.

 6. The envelopes are of the pre-stamped variety, the stamps denoting 34
cents,
 which are normally available directly from the post office. They are not
the
 traditional business size envelopes, but the smaller size measuring
 approximately 6 1/4" x 3 ½".

 BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT

 Based on the selection of Anthrax as the "weapon" of choice by this
individual,
 the offender:

 . is likely an adult male.

 . if employed, is likely to be in a position requiring little contact with
the
 public, or other employees. He may work in a laboratory. He is apparently
 comfortable working with an extremely hazardous material. He probably has
a
 scientific background to some extent, or at least a strong interest in
science.

 . has likely taken appropriate protective steps to ensure his own safety,
which
 may include the use of an Anthrax vaccination or antibiotics.

 . has access to a source of Anthrax and possesses knowledge and expertise
to
 refine it.

 . possesses or has access to some laboratory equipment; i.e., microscope,
 glassware, centrifuge, etc.

 . has exhibited an organized, rational thought process in furtherance of
his
 criminal behavior.

 . has a familiarity, direct or indirect, with the Trenton, NJ,
metropolitan
 area; however, this does not necessarily mean he currently lives in the
Trenton,
 NJ, area.. He is comfortable traveling in and around this locale.

 . did not select victims randomly. He made an effort to identify the
correct
 address, including zip code, of each victim and used sufficient postage to
 ensure proper delivery of the letters. The offender deliberately
"selected" NBC
 News, the New York Post, and the office of Senator Tom Daschle as the
targeted
 victims (and possibly AMI in Florida). These targets are probably very
important
 to the offender. They may have been the focus of previous expressions of
 contempt which may have been communicated to others, or observed by
others.

 . is a non-confrontational person, at least in his public life. He lacks
the
 personal skills necessary to confront others. He chooses to confront his
 problems "long distance" and not face-to-face. He may hold grudges for a
long
 time, vowing that he will get even with "them" one day. There are probably
 other, earlier examples of this type of behavior. While these earlier
incidents
 were not actual Anthrax mailings, he may have chosen to anonymously harass
other
 individuals or entities that he perceived as having wronged him. He may
also
 have chosen to utilize the mail on those occasions.

 . prefers being by himself more often than not. If he is involved in a
personal
 relationship it will likely be of a self serving nature.

 Pre-Offense Behavior

 . Following the events of September 11, 2001, this person may have become
 mission oriented in his desire to undertake these Anthrax mailings. He may
have
 become more secretive and exhibited an unusual pattern of activity.
 Additionally, he may have displayed a passive disinterest in the events
which
 otherwise captivated the Nation. He also may have started taking
antibiotics
 unexpectedly.

 Post-Offense Behavior

 . He may have exhibited significant behavioral changes at various critical
 periods of time throughout the course of the Anthrax mailings and related
media
 coverage. These may include the following;

 1. Altered physical appearance.
 2. Pronounced anxiety.
 3. Atypical media interest.
 4. Noticeable mood swings.
 5. More withdrawn.
 6. Unusual level of preoccupation.
 7. Unusual absenteeism.
 8. Altered sleeping and/or eating habits.

 These post-offense behaviors would have been most noticeable during
critical
 times, including but not limited to: the mailing of the letters (09/18/01
and
 10/09/01), the death of first Anthrax victim, media reports of each
anthrax
 incident, and especially the deaths and illnesses of non-targeted victims.


 AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE CREDIBLE INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HELP IDENTIFY THIS
PERSON,
 PLEASE CONTACT THE FBI IMMEDIATELY AT 1-800-CRIMETV
 (274-6388), AT WWW.IFCC.FBI.GOV <http://www.ifcc.fbi.gov/, OR BY CALLING
YOUR LOCAL FBI FIELD
OFFICE.

 # # #



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