Anthrax 'suspect' hits out at Ashcroft

It is the second time Hatfill faces the press

By Justin Webb BBC Washington correspondent

The American scientist who has come under suspicion as the possible source of the Anthrax contaminated letters that killed five people, last year, has repeated his claim that he is innocent and is being unfairly targeted.

I had absolutely nothing to do with this terrible crime

Dr Steven Hatfill

Dr Steven Hatfill, a former bio-weapons expert with the US Government, accused Attorney General John Ashcroft of mounting a personal campaign against him, in spite of a lack of evidence linking him with the crime.

It was the second time in two weeks that Steven Hatfill called the press to his front door and did his best to convince the world that the FBI have got it wrong.

"I want to look my fellow Americans directly in the eye and declare to them I am not the Anthrax killer, I had absolutely nothing to do with this terrible crime," he said.

The scientist accuses Ashcroft of persecuting him

And he went further, naming John Ashcroft as the source of, what he regards as, persecution.

The US Government, Dr Hatfill says, is mounting a campaign against him, in order to convince Americans that the Anthrax investigation is going well.

The FBI, for their part, do not claim that Dr Hatfill committed the crime, merely that he is a "person of interest".

They have searched the former government scientist's apartment twice, and seized his home computer, but it seems they have found no firm evidence that would enable them to bring charges.