After ricin scare, FBI polygraphs postal workers

e-mail this story Related Previous coverage • Deadly poison found in letter at postal site • Weeklong delay on ricin threat draws scrutiny

Dennis Zimmerman, president of Local 168 of the American Postal Workers Union, said the polygraph tests began Wednesday at the Greenville Spartanburg International Airport's mail center off Pelham Road, where the poison was found.

He said his union has concerns over whether postal officials properly protected workers when the poison was discovered and may file a grievance.

The polygraph testing has included at least one truck driver, Zimmerman said, who he said became upset during the test and ripped off his attachments.

Tom O'Neill, the spokesman for the FBI's South Carolina headquarters, declined to comment on Zimmerman's statements, saying FBI agents cannot discuss an active investigation.

Postal officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The union president, who works at a downtown branch, said he has talked with workers at the airport facility about the testing. Zimmerman said workers have complained of stress from the polygraphs. He said at least two workers have complained about questions in the tests concerning their home life.

The union president said while the tests are supposed to be voluntary, workers feel pressure to take them.

"People who opt out are being questioned as if they have something to hide," Zimmerman said. He said one worker has seen a doctor about his stress and is now on medication.

"We're telling our people if you don't care to participate in that, don't do it but they are feeling a lot of pressure to do it," he said. "It seems ironic and almost cruel that the people who had their lives threatened are now being intimidated by the government forces."

The poison's discovery sparked local, state and federal investigations and, a week later, temporarily shut down the postal center until officials tested the facility to be sure it was not contaminated. Although the suspicious package was discovered Oct. 15, the public and some officials were not notified until Oct. 22, the day after samples from the package were tested by a federal health agency in Atlanta.

No illness has been reported, and testing of the postal center off Pelham Road found no contamination. The facility is used to sort mail coming to and going out of Greenville by plane.

Authorities have said they believe the package was an extortion attempt, even though the state's Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is made up of FBI and State Law Enforcement Division agents, investigated it. A note inside the package threatened to use the poison unless a federal regulation requiring rest for truckers was repealed, authorities said.

The package contained the words "caution - Ricin - poison" on the outside but no postmark or address, according to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.

Zimmerman said postal workers have no idea who is responsible for the package and have not been given any clues by investigators.

He said he does not believe proper postal procedures were followed, both because of the delays in reporting the package and in the evacuation of the facility the day it was found, which he said lasted 10 minutes.

Authorities have said a postal worker discovered the package at about 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 15 but did not report it to a supervisor until 8 a.m. Law enforcement was not called until 1:30 p.m., officials have said.

Zimmerman said the initial discovery was actually about 12:30 a.m. He said lawyers with his union are discussing what action may be taken.

"We're not looking to pick a fight but we are looking to protect people's lives and livelihood," Zimmerman said.

Tim Smith can be reached at 803-256-7367.