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2001 Anthrax Attacks
George W Bush was
the 43rd American President who served in office from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009. One of the important events during his presidency was the
2001 Anthrax Attacks.
2001 Anthrax
Attacks
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on
Anthrax Attacks for kids.
2001 Anthrax
Attacks
Facts for kids
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 1: What is Anthrax?
Anthrax is a serious disease caused by the bacterium
Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax disease primarily affects
livestock but the bacteria that cause anthrax has been
used as a type of biological warfare.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts -
2: Using a highly
complex process, bacteria can
be grown in laboratories and altered to made into a
biological weapon, making it possible for people to
become infected by inhaling the anthrax spores.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts -
3: Antibiotics can be used to treat the disease but,
if left untreated, it can be fatal.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts -
4: Countries such as
the United States, Russia and Iraq have all used anthrax
bacteria to create biological weapons.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 5: In the 2001 Anthrax
attacks, the terrorist(s) obtained microscopic Anthrax spores, that
had been converted into a powder, and sent spore-laden letters by
mail through the U.S. Postal Service.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 6: The Anthrax attacks in the
United States began in September 2001, just days after the United
States had been devastated by the
9/11 terrorist attacks. The
majority of Americans believed that they were a second-wave assault
by Al-Qaeda following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 7: When the lethal letters were opened, people
contracted a form of the disease called
'Inhalational anthrax' caused by inhaling thousands of airborne anthrax spores
or touching the powder.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 8: In the 2001 Anthrax attacks 5 people died and 17 others
contracted 'Inhalational anthrax' after exposure to the
deadly powder or 'Cutaneous Anthrax' through the skin.. The disease
was not contagious and could not be transmitted from person to
person.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 9: Of the 22 people who
contracted the disease, there were 11 cases of Cutaneous and 11
cases of Inhalational anthrax. The 5 people who died had contracted
the 'Inhalational' disease.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 10: Nine of the cases were sent to
targeted individuals at specific locations, 9 of the cases were
contracted by postal service employees and 2 of the cases were
contracted by handled cross-contaminated mail.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 11: Bacillus anthracis spores
themselves do not have a characteristic appearance, smell or taste -
but the powder it is converted does.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 12: The victims
stricken with the lethal disease suffered influenza-like
symptoms often accompanied by vomiting or shortness of
breath. After a few days the devastating illness
worsened, leading to severe breathing problems, skin
lesions
shock, meningitis and in many cases, death.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 13: Powdered Bacillus anthracis spores
were placed in envelopes and the first anonymous letters
were sent through the US Mail to news media companies in
Florida and New York City on September 18, 2001.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 14: On October 4, 2001
Bob Stevens, of American Media Inc. in Florida, was
hospitalized with inhalation anthrax, and died the next
day, the first fatality in the attacks.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts -
15: On October 8, 2001
mail containing the spores was found in the Boca Raton,
Florida offices of American Media, publisher of the
National Enquirer, and the building was subsequently
quarantined.
Anthrax
Attacks Facts - 16: The FBI began
investigating the incidents, code-named “Amerithrax”.
The genetic strain, as well as the method of creating
the biological or chemical weapon, suggested the
terrorist(s) had access to U.S. bioweapons research
facilities.
Continued...
2001 Anthrax
Attacks
Facts for kids
Facts
about the Anthrax Attacks for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about Anthrax Attacks for kids.
2001 Anthrax
Attacks
Facts for kids
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 17: The news of the
attacks were reported in the media and Time
Magazine published an article headed "Bioterrorism: The
Next Threat?".
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 18: The American
public, already in shock, were rocked by the news
reports and completely unfounded rumors began to spread
about poisoned water supplies.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts -
19: On October 8, 2001
a poison letter addressed to Tom Brokaw, NBC news anchor
in New York City. Tom Brokaw was not harmed, but two NBC
News employees were infected.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 20: Other cases began to appear at
media outlets in New York City and dozens of buildings were
contaminated as a result of the lethal mailings. Offices and
delivery hubs were closed down until the buildings were freed of any
spores.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 21: The crisis then reached
Washington D.C. when Senate Tom Daschle (D-SD) was targeted and
workers who had processed the letter became ill.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 22: Another poison letter,
addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), was found during the
search of quarantined mail.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 23: The Capital was shut down
amidst the scare and the US Environmental Protection Agency spent
millions of dollars on the clean-up.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 24: The discovery of envelopes or
packages containing a 'poison powder' created fear, panic and chaos
disrupting daily activities and the economy. False alarms, caused by
deliberate hoaxes, hindered the inquiry as dozens of suspicious
packages were reported. Tests found that the mailings contained
harmless powders.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 25: On October 23,
2001 two postal workers from the Brentwood postal
facility in Washington, D.C., were confirmed to have
died from the disease. The Brentwood postal facility
remained closed for two years, until December 2003,
after more than $130 million worth of renovation and
cleanup.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 26: Kathy Nguyen, an
employee of the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital
died on October 31, 2001 and on November 21, 2001
Ottilie Lundgren of Connecticut, becomes the fifth
person to die from inhalation anthrax.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 27: By the end of
November 2001, the spate of attacks had run its course
and no additional letters were discovered..
Anthrax
Attacks Facts - 28:
Following the 2001 terrorist attacks on the homeland the
USA Patriot Act was
passed on October 26, 2001 and the
Department
of Homeland Security became operational on January
24, 2003.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 29:
After a prolonged investigation into the
Anthrax Attacks, on August 6, 2008 the United States
Department of Justice concluded that Bruce Edwards
Ivins, an American microbiologist and biodefense
researcher, was likely to have been solely responsible
for the Anthrax attacks, although this was fiercely
contested by many others.
Anthrax
Attacks
Facts - 30:
Bruce Edwards Ivins died
before any charges were made on July 29, 2008, from an
apparent suicide from an overdose of Tylenol with
codeine.
2001 Anthrax
Attacks
Facts for kids
2001 Anthrax
Attacks
- Acts of Terror
For facts about
terrorist attacks on the US homeland refer
to:
Anthrax Attacks - President George W Bush Video
The article on the
Anthrax Attacks provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
George W Bush video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 43rd American President whose presidency spanned from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009.
Anthrax Attacks
●
Interesting Facts about Anthrax Attacks for kids and schools
●
Summary of the 2001 Bioterrorism Attacks in US history
●
2001 Bioterrorism Attacks - important, key
events
●
George W Bush from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009
●
Fast, fun facts about the Anthrax Attacks
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President George W Bush
● George W Bush Presidency and
Anthrax Attacks for schools,
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