London letter in 'anthrax' scare

Anti-war activists may be behind a hoax anthrax letter with a London postmark that briefly paralysed the heart of American government.

The letter, which contained a white powder and a warning to stop the American military campaign in Afghanistan, brought emergency decontamination teams rushing to Capitol Hill in Washington yesterday.

It had been sent to senate majority leader Tom Daschle who received a letter containing real anthrax last year. The latest scare saw offices emptied and all visitors banned from the complex for several hours. Senator Daschle, who was not in the building at the time, said last night that it included the phrase: "This was anthrax, death to America."

Scotland Yard is to work with the FBI to track the letter which is thought to have been sent in mid-November.

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