On October 12 , 2001 , '' Times '' reporter Judith Miller became one of several victims of alleged anthrax attacks . The book '' Germs : Biological Weapons and America 's Secret War '' , which Miller had co-written with two other '' Times '' staffers , had been published ten days earlier on October 2 . It became a top '' New York Times '' bestseller a few weeks later . Its cover art depicted a white envelope like those used in the anthrax incidents . The text , written before the September 11 attacks , made reference to jihadist terrorists
alleged anthrax attacks
2001 anthrax attacks
Nicholas Kristof