Bruce E. Ivins

Bruce E. Ivins was a United States government research microbiologist who reportedly committed suicide on Tuesday, July 29, 2008, shortly before he was about to be charged with crimes in relation to the 2001 anthrax attacks.¹ The FBI believes there is enough evidence against Ivins to close the investigation into the anthrax attacks.²

Documents unsealed on September 24, 2008, revealed that Ivins sent himself an email where he claims to have found who was responsible for the mailings. The email didn't mention any names.³

Ivins attorney Paul Kemp claims that the Justice Department's case is based nearly entirely on speculation and circumstantial evidence. He maintains that his client was innocent.³

Fast Facts

1. Born: ca. 1946
2. Doctorate in Microbiology from University of Cincinnati
3. Worked at Fort Detrick
4. Was one of the nation's leading biodefense researchers¹
5. Fort Detrick was at the center of the FBI's investigation into the anthrax attacks¹
6. Tested initial anthrax samples in relation to attacks
7. Resided 198 miles away from area in New Jersey where attacks originated
8. Brother said Bruce "thought he was omnipotent"⁴
9. Ivins spent four weeks at a psychiatric hospital before he committed suicide⁵
10. Jean C. Duley, his addictions counselor, sought a protective order against him and publicly stated that he intended to kill coworkers⁵

Motive For Anthrax Attacks

The Los Angeles Times reported that Ivins would have collected patent royalties on a new anthrax vaccination. According to an anonymous executive who is familiar with the case, Ivin was a co-inventer of a new vaccination and he would have financially benefited from the public's panic related to the fear of anthrax. A company called VaxGen had a federal contract worth $877.5 million to produce the batches of the new vaccine. According to the source, VaxGen had an agreement where they would share the proceeds of the sale of the product with the inventors.⁶

Anthrax Attacks 2001

In the weeks following the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, letters containing anthrax powder were sent to lawmakers on Capitol Hill and members of the media in New York and Florida. Two of the letters were addressed to U.S. senators. The powder sickened 17 people who came in contact with the letters and five people were killed.¹

Anthrax Documents

On August 6, 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice released hundreds of pages of court documents detailing the investigation into Dr. Bruce Ivins and the 2001 anthrax attacks. Investigators said Ivins had access to genetically unique anthrax spores like the ones used in the attacks. They also said Ivins deliberately gave the FBI false samples of anthrax from his lab, in an attempt to throw them off course. Based on the evidence, officials said they felt "confident" Ivins was the lone person responsible for the deadly attacks.^{7 8 9}

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