US Embassy in Paris casts doubt on militant group’s claim it was behind suspicious letter

US questions claim over Paris embassy incident

PARIS — A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Paris has cast doubt on a claim by a previously unknown militant group that it sent a tear gas-laced letter to the embassy last week.

Paul Patin said Wednesday that French authorities are looking into the July 30 incident.

In a message posted on an al-Qaida site, the “Abu Dujanah al-Khorasani Brigade” claimed responsibility for a suspicious letter, which briefly sent two embassy mailroom staffers to the hospital for medical tests.

Paris police say they appeared to have been exposed to tear gas fumes.

Patin says the two employees are “doing fine” and were released from the hospital the same day. He adds “we have no indication (the letter is) connected to any organized group.”