A suspicious powder found in the Iowa State Daily newsroom turned out to be nothing but photo paper residue.

Around 4:30 p.m., ISD staff members explored the contents of a package in the newsroom mailbox. Inside a package contained two letters and a demo CD. The package had a return address label with the name Robert Alberg from Shoreline, Wash.

After opening one of the letters, a white substance was left on ISD staff member Levi Castle’s hands.

According to the Seattle Times, Alberg had a history of attempting to produce ricin, a highly toxic poison, which alerted the ISD staff and investigating officers. 

Jay Knox, United States Postal Service Inspector, said the FBI spoke to Alberg last week when he sent the mass mailing of his demo CD to make sure there was nothing suspicious about it. 

“There was no powder or anything suspicious, and we cleared the mailing,” Knox said.

Knox said the mass mailing was sent all over the country and this type of incident was considered by the FBI as a “credible threat.”

The ISD newsroom was evacuated and staff members were told to wash their hands and awaited further instruction.

Iowa State campus police, Ames and Des Moines fire departments, Des Moines Hazardous Material Services, and the FBI were present to investigate the substance.

Crew members suited in hazardous material suits retrieved the envelope and its contents.

Aaron DeLashmutt, Captain of Investigations for the Iowa State University police division addressed press waiting outside after the powder was determined safe.

“We were able to quickly determine there was no powder. There was no scare. What they were seeing in there was more of a photo type paper,” DeLashmutt said. “When the individual folded it up to put it in the envelope, it cracked that surface. So when they unfolded it, those pieces were flaking off and that’s what they saw.”

Speculation was raised as to why crews from Des Moines were needed to be involved in the case.

“This is standard procedure given the fact that the individual had a history in the past. We asked for additional resources so we could make sure we had the best response,” DeLashmutt said. “[Alberg] had sent out packages of CD’s all over the country. At this point, there has been no powder in any of the other packages.”

DeLashmutt did not know the contents of the letter or what the nature of Alberg’s conversations with FBI officials had been in the past. As for the CD, DeLashmutt said, “it contained some music to my understanding.”

There is no indication as to why Iowa State was one to receive one of the many packages sent out by Alberg.

“We don’t know. All we know is that the places he sent this stuff before is pretty random. We might just be one of the unlucky ones,” DeLashmutt said.