A top US scientist suspected of anthrax attacks in 2001 has died from an apparent suicide just as he was about to be charged, a newspaper reported.
The Los Angeles Times says government scientist Bruce Ivins was found dead after an overdose of painkillers.
The paper said that he had recently been told of the impending prosecution.
Five people died when anthrax was posted to media organisations and politicians in the US shortly after the 11 September attacks in 2001.
Mr Ivins, 62, had helped the FBI investigate anthrax-tainted envelopes as a microbiologist for a government laboratory.
The newspaper said Mr Ivins had worked at the government biodefense research laboratories in Fort Detrick, Maryland, for the past 18 years.
Security measures
The US justice department has not commented on the newspaper report.
Security measures in the wake of the 2001 anthrax attacks crippled the US mail service and temporarily closed a Senate building.
As well as the five deaths, more than 20 other people were made ill.
In June 2008, the US justice department agreed a multimillion-dollar settlement with another scientist at the Fort Detrick laboratory it had said was a "person of interest" in the anthrax attacks.
Dr Steven Hatfill sued the department saying it had violated his privacy rights by speaking to reporters about the case.
He has denied any involvement in the attacks.
(BBC)
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