Package Contained Household Bacteria

The package delivered last week to the international headquarters of B’nai B’rith - sparking an hourslong chemical hazard alert that closed several downtown streets - contained common household bacteria, FBI officials said Monday.

Thomas J. Pickard, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington field office, said the red gelatinlike material in the package was found to be agar, a harmless and readily available material derived from algae and used as a growing medium for bacteria. A common bacteria was growing on it.