In brief: Anthrax evidence ‘not as definitive’ as FBI said, researchers say

Washington – Evidence linking anthrax that killed five people in a series of 2001 letters to a flask of the spores in the laboratory of federal scientist Bruce Ivins was “not as definitive as stated” by the FBI, researchers said Tuesday.

Although the panel gathered by the National Research Council said it had no reason to believe that Ivins was not the perpetrator of the terrorist act, it faulted the FBI’s conclusions that the perpetrator must have had a high level of skill to produce the powdered spores and that the spores must have come from Ivins’ lab.

Ivins died of what appeared to be an intentional overdose of Tylenol in 2008 as the government prepared to indict him for sending out the letters. He had denied involvement in the attacks to the end.

More illness linked to Playboy Mansion

Los Angeles – Los Angeles County health officials said Tuesday that the number of people who have fallen ill after a four-day conference that culminated in a fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion has reached 200, and that investigators have focused on the Playboy event as they look for the cause of the sickness.

The possible outbreak of legionellosis, or Pontiac fever, affected people connected with the DOMAINfest Global Conference, “with symptoms mostly consisting of fever, chills, general discomfort (malaise) and some cough,” according to a statement by the county Department of Public Health.