While giving extensive coverage to the incidents, The Times of India said in an editorial that a far greater threat to global security was posed by stockpiles of smallpox virus in the US and Russia.
"Should the smallpox virus turn into a biological weapon, it would be obvious where the leak has come from," the newspaper said. "Another Frankenstein's monster in the making?"
Elsewhere, Brazil's Health Ministry said three staff members of the Rio de Janeiro office of The New York Times are being tested for anthrax and are receiving precautionary treatment after their office got a suspicious letter posted in New York.
The letter, which was turned over to authorities unopened, was received by the office on Oct. 16. It was postmarked in New York on Oct. 5 without a return address, the newspaper said in a release.
The release, citing Brazilian authorities, said that preliminary tests had suggested spores consistent with anthrax had been found on the letter. But Brazilian health authorities were unable to confirm this.
In Europe on Friday, parliaments in Britain and Croatia were disrupted after receiving suspicious packages.
American Express Co said it would send letters of apology to some 40,000 Swedish card holders who received a promotional Christmas mailing containing an envelope with plastic snowflakes marked "spread these out." The mailing prompted angry phone calls.



