NY police investigating white powder reports

NEW YORK, Aug 21 (Reuters) New York police said today they were investigating suspicious mailings of white powdery substances received by several financial companies in the New York City, a police spokesman said.

''None of the material tested so far has tested positive for any dangerous substance, and was found in some instances to be flour or corn starch,'' said police spokesman Paul Browne.

He said envelopes containing Zip-lock bags with the powder inside and greeting cards without a message and postmarked from Hartford, Connecticut were sent to the companies yesterday and today. He did not name the companies that received the mailings.

In 2001, powdery anthrax sent in letters to news organizations and government offices in New York, Florida, Washington and elsewhere killed five people and made at least 17 people ill.

Suspicious white powders were found in buildings occupied by the Daily News, the Associated Press and The New York Times last year but in each case were found not to be hazardous.

Reuters CS VP0135