'Eco-terrorism' threat in New Zealand

Story highlights New Zealand police reveal threat to poison infant formula Letters were sent containing contaminated formula and a demand to government The letters called for government to halt use of 1080 poison in pest control efforts

Police appealed for public help to find the alleged blackmailer, at a press conference in Wellington Tuesday.

They revealed an investigation had been underway since November, when anonymous letters were sent to giant dairy cooperative Fonterra and a farmers' lobby group.

The letters were accompanied by small packages of milk powder containing a concentrated form of 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate), a poison used by New Zealand's Department of Conservation to control introduced pest species such as possums and rats.

The letters threatened to contaminate infant and other formula with 1080 unless New Zealand stopped using the poison for pest control by the end of March, police said in a statement. The letters said the threat would be made public if the demand was not met.

New Zealand's heavy use of 1080 -- it uses about 80% of the world's manufactured stocks, according the country's Environmental Protection Agency -- has been a controversial issue, with conservationists and farmers generally supporting the measure, and some hunters and animal rights activists opposed.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said the threat amounted to "eco-terrorism."

Prime Minister John Key said at a press conference that police had advised that there was a low likelihood of the threat being carried out.

Meanwhile, government officials said supplies of formula had not been contaminated, and urged consumers to continue using the products.

"We are confident that New Zealand infant and other formula is just as safe today as it was before this threat was made," said Scott Gallacher, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries.

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'Eco-terrorism' threat in New Zealand

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