Ministry Says Suspicious Packages Contained Chalk Dust

An official from the Health Ministry has said a suspicious powdery substance that was sent to six consulates in İstanbul, leading to the hospitalization of more than 30 staff members, was a material similar to chalk dust.

Health Ministry Undersecretary Eyüp Gümüş said Tuesday that the powder tested negative for biological and toxic agents.

The consulates of Canada, Belgium, Germany, France and the United States were sent envelopes containing the powder Friday, leading to the evacuation of some of the missions and the hospitalization of 25 staff. The Hungarian Consulate received a similar package on Monday and six staff members were hospitalized.

Gümüs said the 25 were discharged Monday after authorities determined that the material was non-toxic. Six Hungarian consulate workers were scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

The government was put on alert when an envelope containing an unidentified yellow powder was sent to the Ankara Courthouse on Monday. Some units from the Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) were dispatched to the courthouse to conduct a detailed search of the building. The Ankara Governor's Office announced on Monday that there were no signs of biological or radiological elements in the packages sent to the courthouse.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported on Monday that 10 of the hospitalized staff were from the Canadian Consulate General, adding that Canadian diplomatic missions overseas were on alert due to terrorist attacks in Ottawa and Quebec last week.

(Cihan/Today's Zaman)