◆ SpookStack

To: Counterterrorism From: Washington Field Re: 279A-WF-222936-USAMRIID, 07/20/2007 designated as suite| | The purpose of the search is to be collect environm samples from logical locations within bE the rooms of the suite, where biological organisms may have settled. The environmental sampling will be conducted —_ ursuant_ to consent as provided pyf Background USAMRIID is a U.S. Army research institute located on the base of Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland. Prior to the anthrax attacks in the Fall of 2001, USAMRIID was one of lo U.S. laboratories which possessed the Ames strain of Ba which was used in the attacks. Genetic analyses conducted by the FBI Laboratory and several contract laboratories, has led be investigators to conclude that the Bacillus anthracis used in bTE the 2001 letter attacks is directly related to RMR-1029. RMR- 1029 was a very pure and highly concentrated batch of Bacillus anthracis Ames spores, which was produced to conduct numerous anthrax aerosol challenges. RMR-1029 was assembl nd stored im a USAMRIID containment suite within Building[ | The anthracis spore powder recovered from the anthrax letters addressed to the New York Post and Tom Brokaw contains low levels of a bacterial contaminant identified as a strain of Bacillus subtilis. The Bacillus subtilis contaminant has not been detected in the anthrax spore powder mailed to either Senators Leahy or Daschle. Bacillus subtilis is a non-pathogenic bacterium found ubiquitously in the environment, however, genomic DNA sequencing of the specific isolate of Bacillus subtilis discovered within the Post and Brokaw anthrax powders reveals that it is genetically distinct from other known isolates of Bacillus subtilis. Analysis of the Bacillus subtilis from the Post and Brokaw envelopes revealed that these two isolates are identical. Analyses to date have not defined the origin of the Bacillus subtilis contaminant, in that it could rom a laboratory stock or from the environment. Suite is a suite of LD laboratories used to perform experimentation on non- pathogenic organisms to include Bacillus subtilis. Ls possible that organisms being manipulated within the[_] suite may be identified by environmental sampling of the laboratory, to include, but not limited to, the biological safety cabinetry, drain traps, and air handling returns.