LONDON, 18 October— Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, yesterday received two envelopes containing the white powder feared to be carrying anthrax spores. One envelope was sent from New York while the other originated from Leeds. The police, who were called in immediately, took away the packets for laboratory tests.
As a precautionary measure, the office of the editor in chief’s secretaries which received the envelopes, has been evacuated and will remain closed until the tests are over.
Prince Ahmad ibn Salman, chairman of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group, which publishes the international Arabic daily, said he was very much concerned with the security of employees working at the company’s headquarters.
“Although the nature of the company’s work exposes them to security hazards, we have always managed to overcome such situations,” the prince said.
