Security Scare at Eleven Embassies

(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Embassies of eleven countries were subjected to security scares when envelopes suspected of containing anthrax powder were received. The first envelope arrived Tuesday at the Japanese Embassy at 1440 local time and, subsequently, envelopes were received by the Thai, German, Canadian, Singaporean, and Philippine foreign missions. Although emergency and hazardous materials teams were mobilized, apparently only harmless substances were found in the envelopes.

On Wednesday, the Australian, American, British, French, and Russian foreign missions in Malaysia received similar suspicious packages by mail. According to Abdul Aziz Bulat of the Kuala Lumpur Police, the parcels contained messages which "warned of retaliation for perceived injustices against the Muslim world."

From TheStar.com:

Kuala Lumpur Chief Police Officer Deputy Commissioner Datuk Mustafa Abdullah believed that it was the work of pranksters.

"We checked the first two parcels. I believe that it was just some harmless liquid, some kind of oil," he said.

He said the envelope addressed to the Japanese Ambassador, bearing a Kelantan stamp, had a note which read: "Now you have biological weapons. You deserve what is happening to you after what you have done to Muslims."

As a prank, it's sick. As a project, it seems to have required a plan, at least a modicum of money, and some coordination to assure that the parcels all arrived at their destinations within a short time frame. In my opinion, it seems like a lot of effort and complexity for a simple hoax.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.