A package addressed to President Trump laced with the lethal poison ricin has been intercepted by Law enforcement at a screening facility for White House mail. The poison, a by-product of the manufacture of Castor oil, has no known antidote and will kill between 36 and 72 hours after ingestion, depending on dosage. The FBI has told news broadcasters CNN, “At this time, there is no known threat to public safety.”
Several other letters laced with ricin have also been intercepted after being sent to local law enforcement officials in Texas. The US Postal Inspection service is currently investigating whether any further letters with the substance are still circulating the postal system. Official investigators believe that the letters have been sent from Canada, and are working with the Royal Canadain Mounted Police to identify suspects. The Joint Terrorism task force in Washington has so far fount no links between these letters and any international terrorist organisation, yet they have commented that the investigation is still in its early stages, meaning nothing can be entirely ruled out.
This is not the first time ricin has been used in a plot against American government officials; in 2014 and 2013, ricin-packages were sent to former President Barack Obama, amongst others. In 2018, former Navy Veteran William Clyde Allan was charged with sending letters laced with ricin to people in senior positions in both the Whitehouse and Pentagon.
The Trump presidency has yet to comment on the situation.
Written by Emily Jenkins
Artwork by Zara Masood
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