In 2001 the United States suffered a major terrorist attack on September 11th. A week later a new attack began, that of anthrax. The attacks occurred over weeks. Anthrax is a type of bacteria that produces spores that, if infected, can kill people very quickly. It is not always easy to diagnose due to its nonspecific symptoms. In this case it was used as a biological weapon. The attacks were not known for a period of time until more cases occurred. Many people and organizations ended up working on the anthrax attack investigation, code-named Amerithrax by the FBI. During the investigation, the FBI had to collaborate with the scientific community to try to solve the case. The problem the FBI had, however, was that these scientists could also have been responsible for the attacks they were trying to solve. These 2001 anthrax attacks would end up being one of the most expensive and difficult cases for the FBI to solve to date (Shachtman 2011). The FBI closed the Amerithrax case 8 years after the attacks. The 2001 anthrax attacks were one of the worst biological weapons attacks in U.S. history. The attacks occurred via mail. The anthrax was placed in envelopes with a letter and mailed from various locations to different people and organizations. The anthrax-laced letters ended up killing 5 people, sickening 17, and exposing up to 30,000 people to anthrax. During the mailing process, anthrax spores escaped from the letters and landed on post office equipment, exposing postal workers. If a person was exposed to enough anthrax and developed symptoms, they typically died within a few days. Postal workers during the attacks were told that anthrax would appear as a white powder in the center of the paper. 24). Anthrax Redux: Did the Feds Catch the Wrong Guy? Wired.com. Retrieved December 16, 2013, from http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/03/ff_anthrax_fbi/Shane, S. (2010, February 19). FBI concludes investigation into deadly anthrax shipments. The New York Times. Retrieved December 12, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/20/us/20anthrax.html?pagewanted=allShane, S. (2011, March 23). Anthrax Letters Sent by Bruce Ivins, Psychiatrists Agree. The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/us/24anthrax.html?_r=1&Wilman, D. (2011, March 22). Reports Army flaws in 2001 anthrax shipments. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 16, 2013, from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/22/nation/la-na-anthrax-ivins-20110323/2history/ famous-cases/anthrax-ameritrace