By Karen Gullo, Associated Press, 10/16/01

ABOUT ANTHRAX Anthrax becomes a weapon when bacteria (shown in top photo as small squiggles) are cultured into spores (larger clumps) and mailed. Anthrax background Anthrax Q & A Facts about anthrax ID tips for suspicious mail  GRAPHICS The disease Types of anthrax Anthrax as a weapon Inside an anthrax attack Disease facts Other bioterror threats Exposure Diagnosing anthrax Anthrax-fighting drugs Cleaning up contamination Suspicious mail What to look for Letters sent to Daschle, NBC  ANTHRAX EXPOSURES See complete list  LATEST NEWS Thousands of workers tested  FROM TODAY'S GLOBE Anthrax hits DC mail worker  REALVIDEO Inhaled anthrax in D.C. N.J. post office contaminated  RECENT COVERAGE 10/21/01 Anthrax in House mailroom N.H. mill was anthrax hot zone Anthrax may be domestic act Mexico rallies ranchers Mail workers receive antibiotics 10/20/01 Anthrax tied to single source Plans made in case of smallpox FBI eyes N.J. neighborhood Sales of Cipro limited 10/19/01 US: Germ was not 'weaponized' NY Post employee has anthrax CDC develops smallpox plan 2d NJ postal worker has anthrax 10/18/01 CBS staffer tests positive No new anthrax at Congress Small anthrax amounts in FL FBI offers $1m reward Anthrax found in Kenya letter Microsoft letter tests negative NJ postal workers has anthrax Pharmacist questioned on Cipro 60 on VT flight get antibiotics Thousands tested in DC 10/17/01 Two Feingold staffers exposed FDA publishes non-Cipro doses Cipro production increased FL, NY anthrax linked Pataki office exposed 10/16/01 Tests under way at ABC FBI: no direct link Man charged with hoax lie Several charged with hoaxes  CDC INFORMATION CDC: www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent /Anthrax/Anthrax.asp Hotline Number: 800-342-3557

WASHINGTON - Several people around the country have been charged with terrorism hoaxes, including phony anthrax scares, in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, federal officials said Tuesday.

The hoaxes have become a serious headache for law enforcement officials who are overwhelmed by calls from worried Americans about possible anthrax contamination.

A news conference was scheduled at the Justice Department Tuesday to announce several indictments.

Authorities want to get the word out that hoaxes are creating problems for law enforcement officials and are costly for companies that have to shut down operations. A disruption caused by an anthrax scare in Connecticut cost one state government office $1.5 million, said a federal law enforcement official.

In addition, valuable resources of police agencies are being wasted in dealing with the hoaxes, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The FBI arrested two people outside New York who had sent hoax anthrax letters, officials said.

In Connecticut, an employee of the state Department of Environmental Protection was charged Monday with making false statements during an anthrax scare.

White powder on a paper towel with the misspelled label ''anthax'' was found on Joseph Faryniarz's desk last week.

Faryniarz knew the incident was a hoax but didn't tell FBI officials, authorities said. He also tried to blame the incident on co-workers.

He later admitted that the colleagues were not involved, and admitted he had known almost from the beginning of the scare that it was a hoax.

Federal law allows a fine of up to twice the losses in such hoaxes. The state agency estimated that in addition to the two-day, $1.5 million cost of the disruption, decontamination will cost about $40,000.