MONTEVIDEO: POTENTIAL WHITE POWDER

UNCLAS E F T O MONTEVIDEO 000718 NOFORN SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT. FOR S/IP/CC, DS/SPS/WMD, DS/IP/WHA, DS/TIA/PII, S/ES-O DEPT. ALSO FOR WHA/EX E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC MCAP MOPS PARM PTER AR UY SUBJECT: MONTEVIDEO: POTENTIAL WHITE POWDER INCIDENT-SUSPICIOUS LETTER ¶1. (SBU/NF) On Tuesday December 23, 2008, at 1145, a local guard at U.S. Embassy Montevideo intercepted a suspicious letter while conducting routine screenings of local/international mail on the outside of the Embassy compound. The envelope matched the description and photograph of the letter in the DS/TIA/PII BOLO forwarded to RSO last week. RSO alerted Embassy Staff, the State Department Operations Center, and all appropriate DS offices soon after the suspicious letter was discovered. DCM also alerted WHA/BC and the Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry. RSO staff notified the local Fire Department and the Chief of Police, who in turn notified the local postal service. ¶2. (SBU/NF) The envelope was placed unopened in a sealed bag and then placed in the DS-approved "glove" box in a screening area located outside the Chancery. Embassy First Responders cordoned off the mail screening area. Per DS guidelines and EAP, one person, a FSN driver, was decontaminated. Samples were taken and sent to a local police laboratory, and via DHL to CDC in Atlanta, GA on December 23, 2008. Tracking number is 9883707901. ¶3. (SBU/NF) Embassy Medical staff provided the affected driver with guidelines on symptoms and precautionary measures. There was no disruption of Embassy activities or Consular services. The envelope was transported by first responders to the screening area via the main vehicle entrance and at no time ever entered any Embassy building, leaving the Chancery and CAC as well as clientele and employees unaffected. ¶4. (SBU/NF) Post is coordinating appropriate as-needed press guidance with Washington. As of COB December 23, no news reports about the incident had circulated. Matthewman