Police, fire and Works and Engineering staff were expected today to continue examining a suspicious package sent to Chief Justice Austin Ward which caused the House of Assembly and Supreme Court to be evacuated yesterday.

The contents of the package, sent to the Chief Justice from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was not known last night but there was a suspicion it could contain explosives or a biological agent.

The Chief Justice was not expecting mail from Dubai, so when he received the package, purportedly containing documents, from a DHL courier shortly before 11 a.m., he called Police.

With anxiety running high following several anthrax attacks in the United States and suspected cases in other parts of the world, it was decided to evacuate staff from the building while the package was examined.

A second suspect package was removed from the offices of DHL on Church Street at about 5 p.m. yesterday and staff were evacuated following reports that it contained a white powdery substance - similar to that used in the US anthrax attacks.

But later last night the package was found not to contain any explosive or biological agents, although the exact nature of the powder is not known.

Staff at DHL were taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for precautionary tests last night and were reported to have been given the all-clear, said Police in a statement.

Meanwhile Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith and acting Home Affairs Minister Randolph Horton urged the public not to be alarmed, but to be vigilant and report to the authorities any packages or mail which appeared suspicious.

Postmaster General Clevelyn Crichlow has briefed postal and private courier staff on the safe handling of suspect packages.

Mr. Horton said: "I am now advising the Bermuda public to be aware of any suspicious packages and substances.

"We must take incidents such as this seriously, but not with alarm.

"We know from the US experience that there have been hundreds of hoax incidents of this nature.

"We have a responsibility to inform the public and will keep the public abreast of any developments. However, by informing the public we do not want to alarm them, but we must be alert."

A criminal trial and civil hearing were halted at Supreme Court when court and House of Assembly staff were evacuated shortly before 11 a.m.

At 12.15 p.m., the building was deemed safe and staff were allowed to return.

Fire crews wearing breathing equipment and officers from the Explosives Ordnance Disposal team protected by decontamination suits had removed the package to outside of the building, where it was placed in a rubber container.

The package was x-rayed and then taken away in a Works and Engineering truck to be examined more thoroughly.

But before the package could be opened, the officers were diverted to the DHL office to a report that another parcel was suspicious and contained a powdery substance.

Commissioner Smith told ZBM television last night: "The call from DHL was to the effect that a white powdery substance was detected on an envelope there.

"The material found in the envelope is not believed to be a chemical or biological agent and that has provided us with at least some comfort at this stage

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. We don't know what the material is, it is not confirmed, but that has significantly removed the threat at this point.

"We were making progress with getting a fuller assessment on the first package and all resources were diverted to DHL, so at this stage we don't have the outcome of the examination of first package.

"It did not contain a powdery substance on the outside. The envelope which purports to contain documents, has not yet been opened."

Echoing Mr. Horton's calls for vigilance, he said: "In the US, a significant proportion of calls to law enforcement have been hoaxes and caused significant amount of resources to be used. It's too early to tell. We'll be in much more comfortable and informed position to tell once that first package has been examined.

"There is a need to be cautious, continue to report suspicious packages to us, but there's no need for alarm at this stage."

Police will want to thoroughly examine the package for fingerprints in case it does to contain hazardous material, or even if it is a hoax.

Acting Finance Minister Alex Scott said yesterday that the movement of the suspect package was being traced through Bermuda. It was handled by the postal service and Customs staff may also have touched it.

"There is the possibility of explosives or chemicals. Even opening it once it has been x-rayed, people will want to be cautious," he said. "Everyone has acted as professionally as they could have done anywhere."

A DHL statement last night said the Church Street office had been cleared by the Fire Service as safe and would be open for business today.

"DHL is taking every precaution possible to maintain the safety of its employees and is fully cooperating with authorities to resolve this matter as quickly as possible," said the company.

Members of the public watching the evacuation of Parliament and Supreme Court expressed alarm yesterday that the Island may have been hit in a bioterrorist attack.

Jamita Trott said: "It's scary, I know that. I read a little about it in the paper this morning, but didn't really get into it, but I know everyone is scared about it. (An attack) is possible. We have to keep our eyes open and can't take anything for granted in a small island."

Shadow Health Minister Kim Young, who also watched the evacuation, said: "It's very scary, even if it turns out to be a hoax.

"It would be a terrible hoax to play on anyone, particularly because it is our seat of Government and it would make people uncomfortable, even if it is a joke."