U.S. Officials Defend Public Comments in Anthrax Probe

The Justice Department defended its use of the term “person of interest” to describe Dr. Steven Hatfill in the anthrax investigation, contending the designation never was intended to cast suspicion upon him. Meantime, FBI agents searched for evidence Thursday in at least one pond outside Hatfill’s former hometown.

In a letter to Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), Assistant Atty. Gen. Daniel J. Bryant said the “person of interest” term originated with unnamed FBI sources as speculation swirled in the media and on the Internet that Hatfill might be a suspect.

The phrase, Bryant said, was intended to “deflect media scrutiny from Dr. Hatfill and explain that he was just one of many scientists” being questioned by the FBI in the anthrax probe.

The release of the letter came as FBI agents began a search Thursday on wooded public land near Frederick, Md., several miles from Hatfill’s old apartment. Officials confirmed the search was tied to the anthrax investigation.

FBI agents closed off a 1 1/2-mile section of an icy two-lane road in the Catoctin Mountains. Two Justice Department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said divers were searching at least one pond.

An FBI official on the scene said the area would be blocked off throughout the weekend.

In a statement, the FBI said it was conducting “forensic searches on public land” and stressed that previous water, soil and sediment tests had ruled out any anthrax threat to public health or safety.

Hatfill, whose former apartment has been searched at least three times, worked until 1999 for Ft. Detrick’s Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Maryland. It is the primary custodian of the virulent Ames strain of anthrax found in the anthrax letters. Hatfill has said he never worked with anthrax.

Hatfill has denied any involvement in the anthrax attacks, which killed five people and infected 18 others when letters containing the deadly spores were sent to government and news media offices in Washington, New York and Florida.

Hatfill has said the Justice Department’s scrutiny has destroyed his career and left his personal life in turmoil. His friend and spokesman, Pat Clawson, denounced the latest FBI search.

“The FBI can search the planet until hell freezes over but it will find that Steve Hatfill was never involved in the anthrax attacks,” Clawson said.

The Justice Department letter, released by Grassley, acknowledged there is no formal definition for “person of interest,” but said it is a commonly understood term for “an individual whom law enforcement officials seek to question in connection with a particular matter.”

In a statement, Grassley said the letter shows use of the term to describe Hatfill is unprecedented and not supported by any formal policy or evidentiary standard.

“Government agencies need to be mindful of the power they wield over individual citizens, and should exercise caution and good judgment when they use that power,” said Grassley, of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Clawson said the letter shows that the department “makes up the rules as it goes along and is utterly shameless about trampling on due process and civil rights.”

A separate letter to Grassley states the Justice Department had the authority to demand that Louisiana State University not use Hatfill on any work related to government contracts. The school fired Hatfill from its National Center for Biomedical Research and Training after the Justice Department e-mailed the university to “cease and desist” using Hatfill as an expert or course instructor.