The US embassy has reopened after initial tests on a suspicious powder in a letter received by the mission was found to be nontoxic, the State Department said today.

"The substance has now been identified as nontoxic," department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters. "The embassy will reopen (Friday)."

He said the result was based on preliminary tests.

"There are usually quick tests and then definitive tests that take a little longer," he added.

An embassy spokesman told AFP in Kuala Lumpur that the letter containing the powder had been opened by a staff member Thursday morning. A Malaysian police hazardous materials unit was called in to inspect it, he said.

Second scare

The incident was the second since Aug 16 in which sections of the embassy were closed briefly after receiving a letter containing a white powder with a threat to blow up the mission. Police later said it was a hoax aimed at frightening Americans.

Malaysia's government strongly opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq, but has recently offered to help in its reconstruction.

There have been no attacks by al-Qaeda or by other extremist groups on Malaysian soil.