How the 2001 anthrax attacks changed America

If you were alive in the fall of 2001, you probably have vivid memories of September 11th. But, what you might not remember, is that just weeks after 9/11 there was another attack on American soil.  As the country mourned, envelopes containing anthrax spores were sent to national media outlets like NBC and to the offices of U.S. senators. When it was all over, five people would be dead and 17 would be seriously ill. It was the worst biological attack in U.S. history. The FBI’s investigation would take nearly seven years, and leave a trail of collateral damage in its wake. By the time they figured out who was responsible, the story had faded from the public consciousness. Now, Jeremiah Crowell is taking a new look at the story in his podcast Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer, and trying to unpack the profound impact that these attacks had on American politics – and the American people.  To get episodes of Crime Story early and ad-free, subscribe to <a href="https://apple.co/cbctruecrime" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CBC True Crime Premium on Apple Podcasts</a>.

Episode 80 of the Crime Story podcast, hosted by CBC, titled "How the 2001 anthrax attacks changed America" was published on April 14, 2025 and runs 36 minutes.

April 14, 2025 ·36m · Crime Story

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Summary

If you were alive in the fall of 2001, you probably have vivid memories of September 11th. But, what you might not remember, is that just weeks after 9/11 there was another attack on American soil. As the country mourned, envelopes containing anthrax spores were sent to national media outlets like NBC and to the offices of U.S. senators. When it was all over, five people would be dead and 17 would be seriously ill. It was the worst biological attack in U.S. history.The FBI’s investigation would take nearly seven years, and leave a trail of collateral damage in its wake. By the time they figured out who was responsible, the story had faded from the public consciousness.Now, Jeremiah Crowell is taking a new look at the story in his podcast Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer, and trying to unpack the profound impact that these attacks had on American politics – and the American people. To get episodes of Crime Story early and ad-free, subscribe to CBC True Crime Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Episode Description

If you were alive in the fall of 2001, you probably have vivid memories of September 11th. But, what you might not remember, is that just weeks after 9/11 there was another attack on American soil.

As the country mourned, envelopes containing anthrax spores were sent to national media outlets like NBC and to the offices of U.S. senators. When it was all over, five people would be dead and 17 would be seriously ill. It was the worst biological attack in U.S. history.

The FBI’s investigation would take nearly seven years, and leave a trail of collateral damage in its wake. By the time they figured out who was responsible, the story had faded from the public consciousness.

Now, Jeremiah Crowell is taking a new look at the story in his podcast Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer, and trying to unpack the profound impact that these attacks had on American politics – and the American people.

To get episodes of Crime Story early and ad-free, subscribe to CBC True Crime Premium on Apple Podcasts.