Eroglu powder was not anthrax

By a Staff Reporter

THE VETERINARY services said yesterday said the powder found in a letter sent to the ‘prime minister’ of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state was not anthrax.

At least four people were quarantined on Thursday after a letter containing white powder was opened in Dervis Eroglu’s office.

One of them was later hospitalised complaining of nausea.

Apart from the secretary, three other people working in Eroglu’s office touched and smelled the substance.

The powder was sent to the state veterinary services for testing through the United Nations.

UN spokesman Brian Kelly said the Turkish Cypriot side had asked the UN to communicate with the government services and ask for assistance.

“The Greek Cypriot side replied that they were very willing to assist,” Kelly said.

The suspect letter was placed in container and carried to the Ledra Palace checkpoint where it was handed over to the fire service.

Veterinary services director Phidias Loukaides said the powder was examined and cleared.

Asked why the envelope had been sent to the free areas instead of Turkey, Loukaides said the veterinary services agreed to help on condition the foreign ministry would give permission.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.