This incident is a bit too coincidental with this story which was mentioned on FNC yesterday. A test of the new machines, perhaps, but by whom?

NJ Postal Center Tests Anthrax Detection System

(Kilmer-WABC, July 14, 2003) — A new anthrax detection method is being tested in New Jersey today.

The system begins a trial run at the Kilmer mail processing center in Edison. The system will collect samples of air automatically as letters move through mail canceling equipment. A DNA test will then show whether anthrax is present in the samples. The results will be immediate -- allowing facilities to quickly respond if anthrax shows up.

Testing is taking place at 14 other mail processing centers across the nation, ranging from Los Angeles to Cleveland to Baltimore -- where it was first tried out for several months.

The postal service says it wanted different locales -- to cover various climates and environments.

The postal service developed the system after the anthrax-by-mail attacks two years ago that left five people dead.

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