"Terror Act": FBI says suspicious packages sent to CNN, Clinton containing homemade bombs – National

Latest updates:

• At least five suspicious packages have been sent to important US addresses in recent days, including CNN's New York office and Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's residences.
• Officials say that there is no information on other threats in New York for the moment
• FBI officials said white powder was found in the package sent to CNN, as well as the alleged homemade bomb
• The CNN mailroom package was removed and sent to a screening center
• A suspicious package found at Democrat Deborah Wbaderman Schultz's office was sent to former Attorney General Eric Holder, according to reports
• White House officials condemned incidents

Two explosive devices were found in the mail sent to former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Chappaqua, New York, and former President Barack Obama.

Another suspect package was found at Time Warner Center in New York, where CNN's New York office is located, resulting in an evacuation. CNN reported that the mine clearance team is on the scene.

FBI officials said the package sent to CNN contained "what appeared to be a homemade bomb" as well as an unidentified white power at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

A photo of the camera published on the CNN website shows a small tube wrapped in electrical tape.

A fourth package was found at the office of Florida Democrat Representative Deborah Wbaderman Schultz. The four packages were delivered after officials blew up a homemade bomb at billionaire philanthropic giant George Soros earlier in the week.

A source close to the case told Reuters that no suspicious packages were sent to the White House, despite previous reports that one of them was intercepted in an outdoor facility.

WATCH: Officials deal with suspicious packages at a press conference

NYPD confirms discovery of "living explosive" outside CNN building in New York

The White House condemned the incidents in a statement, calling them "acts of terrorism" and stating that they will be the subject of an investigation. According to officials, President Donald Trump has been informed of the situation.

"These acts of terrorism are heinous, and any responsible will be held responsible to the fullest extent permitted by law," said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders. "The secret services of the United States and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and taking all appropriate measures to protect those threatened by these cowards."

New York Mayor Bill de Blaisio said there was no information on other threats "at the moment", but that the police have strengthened the security in the city by measure precautionary.

"It was an act of terrorism aimed at undermining the free press and the leaders of this country by acts of violence," de Blaisio said, while asking people to continue living their lives daily.

The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, said he also received a suspicious package, but did not know if there were explosives in the package.

The device discovered near Clinton's home and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was found Tuesday night and described as a bady-trapped device, according to NY1. The New York Times reports that a technician who examines the couple's mail found the bomb.

The FBI, the secret services and the New Castle Police Department are investigating this incident. The FBI confirmed that he was investigating a statement on Twitter.

"We are doing well thanks to the secret service men and women who intercepted the package," Hillary Clinton said of the incident during a fundraiser for Florida Democrat Donna Shalala. Bill was apparently at home at the time.

"Every day, we are grateful for their service and commitment and, of course, never again today."

"This is a time of deep divisions, we must do everything in our power to bring our country closer," said Clinton, adding that the United States should elect the candidates who embody this.

WATCH OUT: Hillary Clinton: "We are doing well thanks to the men and women of the secret services"

A similar device sent to Obama was intercepted by agents in Washington DC, confirmed the secret services.

"The packages were immediately identified during routine mail check procedures as potentially explosive devices and were properly handled as such," said the Secret Service in a statement. "The beneficiaries did not receive the parcels and were not likely to receive them."

CNN reported that the suspect package was mailed to the Time Warner building and found in the mailroom. The incident was reported to the NYPD at 9:53 am ET. It was removed from the building around 11:38.

In a statement to employees, Jeff Zucker, of CNN, said the building had been evacuated with "great caution, as a result of receiving a suspicious package in the mail room".

WATCH: New York Time Warner Center Evacuated Due to Suspicious Package

The cable news channel reported that this package was addressed to former CIA director John Brennan, CNN's guest as a contributor but not working for CNN, and that he was accompanied by sons.

An unnamed official told the Associated Press that one of the packages had the return address of representative Deborah Wbaderman Schultz, an ironic reference to the former president of the Democratic National Committee.

His office was also evacuated after receiving a suspicious package Wednesday, police confirmed, and the mine clearance team was on the scene.

WATCH: Potential explosive devices have been sent to Obama, Clinton; suspicious package sent to CNN

The package was addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder, but he had a wrong address and was therefore sent back to the sender's address, reported NBC News and CNN.

The San Diego Union Tribune was also evacuated due to a suspicious package outside his building, which he shares with other companies. The local fire department investigates.

The potential bombs were discovered two days after the discovery of an explosive device in the mailbox of a house owned by George Soros, the billionaire liberal philanthropist who was denounced by US President Donald Trump.

Soros was not at home at that time and officials blew it up safely.

A law enforcement official told the New York Times that the device discovered near Clinton's home was similar to the one found near Soros's home.

READ MORE:
An explosive found near the house of billionaire philanthropist George Soros

Laura Silber, spokesperson for the Open Society foundations in Soros, blamed the incident on the country's toxic political environment.

"The heinous rhetoric that dominates politics in the United States and in so many countries of the world breeds extremism and violence," Silber said in a statement. "In this climate of fear, falsity and growing authoritarianism, simply expressing your views can lead to death threats."

WATCH: Crowd applauds as Trump asks if they want an investigation into Hillary Clinton (October 22)

Over the last days and weeks, Soros has been accused, without any evidence, of being the hidden hand behind some of the opposition to Brett Kavanaugh's candidacy in the Supreme Court and contributing to the creation of the caravan from Central America leading to the United States.

Cuomo also said the model appeared to be politically motivated, saying "we are at a boiling point".

De Blaisio also condemned the tone of recent political rhetoric stating that "the solution is to lower the temperature", adding that change must "come from the top".

"I will simply say this to all public officials of all partisan affiliations: do not encourage violence, do not encourage hatred, do not encourage attacks on the media," he said. -he declares.

WATCH: Cuomo, De Blasio call for civility without mentioning Donald Trump

Although De Blaisio did not mention a name, President Trump appeared to condone the violence against the media by praising Montana representative Greg Gianforte for criticizing a journalist during his election campaign last May.

Trump said, "All the guys who know how to slam their bodies, it's my guy," while imitating the physical movement of a body slam.

READ MORE:
Trump congratulates Republican congressman for punching journalist

In response to today's attacks, Trump wrote on Twitter that he "strongly endorsed" Vice President Mike Pence, who condemned the attacks and called them cowardly.

Prominent Republicans have also condemned the incidents, saying that even if political disagreements are healthy, they must remain civilians.

"The reports that bombs have been sent to Obama, Clinton and Soros are deeply troubling," Ted Cruz wrote on Twitter. "America is better than that. Political disagreements are good, even if they are in good health, but we must always demonstrate civility and respect the humanity of everyone. "

"The perpetrators of such wrongdoing must be brought to justice," House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Twitter. "We can not tolerate any attempt to terrorize public figures. I am grateful to the @SecretService, Capitol Police and all law enforcement agencies who protect against these threats. "

* With files from the Associated Press and Reuters