NIH Worker Charged Over Anthrax Threat

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MIAMI (AP) - A Maryland woman who works at the National Institutes of Health was arrested on charges she threatened Florida tax assessors with anthrax after she lost a claim for tax relief.

Michelle Ledgister, 43, a quality control and assurance officer at the agency's Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was arrested Monday and charged with spreading false information and making a hoax under the Terrorism Prevention Act, the U.S. attorney's office said.

According to her arrest warrant, Ledgister left a threatening voicemail message last month at the Broward County Property Appraiser's Office after she lost a claim for tax relief on property she owns in Parkland.

Ledgister identified herself, said she worked for NIH and said, ``You guys now have anthrax spores once again, so do be careful,'' according to the warrant.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5184041,00.html

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1. She may have a defense, since anthrax spores are routinely found

in nature.