Multiple federal agencies are now doing a joint assessment to see if accused Arizona killer Jared Lee Loughner has any possible link to the several fiery packages that were sent to the head of the Homeland Security Department and Maryland state officials last week, The Post has learned.
A federal source said that the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service are sharing evidence to determine if Loughner — who is accused of shooting 19 victims at an event in Tuscon hosted by Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords — was involved in assembling and sending the packages, which contained fire-starting materials but not explosives.
On Saturday, in the hours immediately after Gifford was shot through the head and six people were fatally gunned down, authorities did not believe that the 22-year-old Loughner was connected with the packages last week in Washington, DC, and Maryland.
However, federal agencies are now taking a fresh and more scientific look at the packages to see if there is a connection. They hope to either rule Loughner in as a suspect in those explosive cases, or out, within the next two days, the source said.
Full story: Feds probing whether Arizona ‘shooter’ sent explosive packages