Suspicious powder found at two LDS Temples

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Story Published: Nov 13, 2008 at 6:30 PM MDT

Story Updated: Dec 18, 2008 at 4:02 PM MDT

By Todd Kunz

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Suspicious envelopes containing unknown white powder have been found on the grounds of two different LDS Temples.

One envelope containing the powder was mailed to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was opened inside an office in the annex building next to the temple. This building is open to the public. The temple was not evacuated, but the area was closed down for a few hours.

Meanwhile, the temple grounds in Westwood, California had to be closed down while FBI agents and a haz-mat crew took care of a similar powdery envelope situation.

Both the Los Angeles LDS Temple and the temple in Salt Lake City were targets in last week's protests by opponents of California's Proposition 8. However, the FBI in Salt Lake City does not believe there is a connection right now.

"We've got to follow the evidence and at this point we have not received anything that would lead us to believe the opponents of Prop. 8 are behind any kind of terroristic activity. It would be irresponsible to say that at this point," said FBI Special Agent Juan Becerra from the agency's Salt Lake City office.

Becerra says it will take about 24 to 48 hours for the FBI to get the results of the powder test. He also confirmed there was something else in the envelope with the white powder, but it was all bagged up so quickly and rushed away.

The temple itself was never evacuated, but investigators kept people from going in or out during the incident.

Earlier Thursday night, a white powder was also found at a printing press operated by The Knights of Columbus in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

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