Bourgmestre receives suspicious letters

14 January 2005

BRUSSELS – Letters containing suspect white powder have been sent to a Brussels bourgmestre, it was reported on Friday.

Philippe Moureaux, the socialist bourgmestre of Molenbeek – one of Brussels’ poorest communes – received several anonymous threats in November.

Then on Tuesday this week, he was sent a letter, which was opened by a worker at his office at around 8 am.

The white powder inside turned out to be harmless.

On Wednesday, another letter arrived with a similar appearance and was collected by the local police.

Its contents are still being analysed.

Both letters were sent from Charleroi.

If the second letter contains a harmful substance, the case could be passed to the federal court for a full investigation.

Subject: Belgian news