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© St. Petersburg Times, published December 13, 2002
WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department defended its use of the term "person of interest" to describe Dr. Steven Hatfill in the anthrax investigation, contending the designation never was intended to cast suspicion upon him. Meantime, FBI agents searched for evidence Thursday in at least one pond outside Hatfill's former hometown.
In a letter to Sen. Charles Grassley, Assistant Attorney General Daniel J. Bryant said the phrase "person of interest" was intended to "deflect media scrutiny from Dr. Hatfill and explain that he was just one of many scientists" being questioned by the FBI in the anthrax investigation.
Release of the letter came as FBI agents began a search Thursday on wooded public land near Frederick, Md., several miles from Hatfill's old apartment. Officials confirmed the search was tied to the anthrax investigation.
Hatfill has denied any involvement in the anthrax attacks.
NEW YORK -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Thursday unveiled his vision of a revitalized Lower Manhattan with green spaces, neighborhoods, a public marketplace and a transit hub linked to the region's airports.
His announcement came one week before the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. was scheduled to present seven proposals for redeveloping the World Trade Center site.
Most of the redevelopment plan would take years and cost more than $10-billion to complete.
MELBOURNE -- A Florida Institute of Technology professor warned Sen. Bill Nelson on Thursday that radioactive waste dumped along the nation's coastline could be used by terrorists to make a "dirty" bomb.
Iver Duedall, an oceanographer, told Nelson, D-Fla., that the federal government should begin monitoring the dumpsites and undertake a study to clean them up.
Florida Tech proposed a two-year study of the issues.
Nelson promised to share Duedall's proposals with the new Homeland Security Department.
"When it comes to terrorists, we've got to consider every possible threat," Nelson said.