Turkish authorities have begun an investigation into an unidentified yellow powder that was found in a package received at the Canadian Consulate in Istanbul.
The consulate has been evacuated, the CBC’s Jeff Semple tweeted Friday morning.
“The letter containing a yellow substance was examined in line with regular procedures,” Turkey’s disaster management agency, AFAD, said in a statement.
“The Canadian, Belgian and German consulates in Istanbul have all been evacuated after all three received a suspicious package this morning, according to reports in the Turkish media,” Semple said in London.
One consulate employee came directly into contact with the suspicious package, and six others had indirect exposure, the Turkish statement said.
Canadian consulate in Turkey evacuated after it receives suspicious package containing unknown yellow powder #cbc
— Jeff Semple (@JeffSempleCBC) October 24, 2014
The German and Belgian consulates, also in Istanbul, received similar packages containing the yellow powder, Turkish media reported.
The Belgian Consulate, asked by CNN about the security incident, said police were investigating a substance found in an envelope sent there.
The air conditioning system in the consulate has been turned off, Semple reported. “And … anyone who was exposed to the package has been kept in that room, cordoned off from everyone else as a precaution.”
On Thursday, Canadian Forces officials said they were assessing whether heightened security was necessary at bases after a shooting on Parliament Hill on Wednesday left an Ontario reservist dead. Also mentioned were installations abroad.
“We will carry on all our missions at home and abroad in a steadfast, resolute and vigilant manner, and serve our nation and her people,” said Gen. Tom Lawson, chief of Canada’s defence staff, in a statement.
