FBI investigating after Pentagon receives two packages containing poison ricin

WASHINGTON – A Pentagon spokesman says authorities found at least two packages suspected of containing ricin, a poison made from castor beans.

Spokesman Chris Sherwood said the FBI was investigating and few details were available. He said the packages had been found Monday at a delivery facility that is on the Pentagon grounds but not inside the main building that includes the offices of the defence secretary.

Sherwood said the packages were addressed to a person at the Pentagon. He would not reveal the name.

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Ricin is part of the waste “mash” produced when castor oil is made. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if it is made into a partially purified material or refined, ricin can be used as a weapon capable of causing death under certain circumstances.

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