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Devlin Barrett
A Journalist Specializing in National Security and Law Enforcement
Matt Zapotosky
A National Security Reporter Covering the Department of Justice
Oct. 26 At 4:03 pm
A Florida man with a criminal record was arrested on Friday and charged with sending 13 packages containing improvised explosive devices to prominent figures across the country, officials said. authorities.
The arrest took place on the same day that law enforcement authorities found three other spare gear, in Florida, New York. and California – and crowned by an increasingly tense five-day period during which at least one explosive device was found every day, alerting officials and potential targets. None of the devices exploded. All were sent to people who criticized President Trump or clashed with him, and the authorities continued to warn Friday that other people may still be present.
Authorities arrested 56-year-old Cesar Sayoc, who, according to Florida's records, has a criminal record dating back several decades, including a previous arrest for throwing a bomb threat.
Sayoc was accused Friday of carrying explosives across state borders, illegally shipping explosives, threatening former presidents and other people, threatened with communications between states and badaulted federal officials, according to indictment documents. He could face decades of prison if he was found guilty. We did not know immediately if he had a lawyer.
FBI director Christopher Wray described the 13 explosive devices now found as "IEDs", an abbreviation for improvised explosive devices. He added that the investigators were able to locate Sayoc after finding a fingerprint on a bomb envelope sent to the representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) And that the DNA found on two of the devices corresponded to a sample previously taken from Sayoc. during an earlier arrest in Florida
In this undated photo published by the Broward County Sheriff's Office, Cesar Sayoc appears on a reservation photo, in Miami. Federal authorities arrested 56-year-old Sayoc in Florida on Friday, October 26, 2018, in Florida, following a scare alert that has expanded to 12 suspicious packages, according to the FBI and the Justice Department . (Broward County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Inside parcels sent to three potential targets – former President Barack Obama, former CIA Director, John Brennan and Waters – represented an image of each person marked with a red "X". According to the criminal complaint filed by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York
Wray declined to say whether the devices could have exploded, claiming that the investigators "were still trying to determine whether they were working or not. "But he said that they contained potentially explosive materials, adding," These are not hoaxes. "
The complaint also contained details suggesting Sayoc's dislike of targeted individuals and organizations, including CNN, where one was found and the other was treated.
"The windows of Sayoc 's van were covered with images, including critical images from CNN," the complaint says, and the complaint also identifies a Twitter account that Sayoc allegedly used as the person in charge of the project. The complaint also states that an article published on Wednesday criticized billionaire activist George Soros, who, two days later, said the account contained spelling mistakes consistent with those observed on the packages. previously, had received an explosive.
This May 2017 photo provided by Natalie B. Kline and obtained by the Washington Post shows a van parked near a shopping center in Aventura, Fla. Friday, October 26 2018, agen Federal police and police officers examined this van in Plantation, Florida, looking for parcel bombs that were sent to well-known personalities who criticized President Donald Trump. (Natalie B. Kline)
Wray refused to say whether Sayoc cooperated with the investigators. Asked why Sayoc targeted the Democrats, Mr. Sessions said he "seemed to be a partisan, but that would be determined by the facts as the case continued." He declined to comment further.
Sayoc's previous clashes with Sayoc order forces were at least 29 years old, according to state records, but he was arrested for theft, while other charges of larceny, Robbery and fraud quickly followed in the south of the state. In 2002, Miami police arrested him for a Sayoc pleaded guilty without trial and was sentenced to probation, according to the archives.
According to the police report, Sayoc allegedly called the Florida Power and Light electricity company in August 2002 and threatened to blow them up.
"It would be worse than September 11," Sayoc said, according to the police report, which would also have threatened the company's representative to cause injury if his electricity was cut off.
Sayoc declared bankruptcy in 2012, according to a court record that he was living with his mother at the time. The lawyers did not contact him Friday and the lawyer who represented him in the bankruptcy case declined to comment.
Daniel Aaronson, a lawyer who has represented Sayoc over the years, said that none of his clients were "as polite and as courteous and so respectful to me" as Sayoc was. He said that Sayoc had never discussed his political views, if that had been the case, it might have caused a dispute.
"Actually, I'm a democrat," Aaronson said. "I am very proud of some of the people who have been targeted … so, if he had said anything in that sense, I would have certainly noticed it."
Aaronson stated that He did not remember the exact years when he had represented Sayoc., But it was as recent as 2015. He represented it in cases where Sayoc was accused of theft or theft.
"I'm stunned at everything," said Aaronson. "When I woke up this morning, if you said here are 100 of your customers, and he is one of 100, and one of those people will get arrested for this, I would probably choose a lot more before choosing him. "
Speaking on Friday to President Trump called the alleged terrorist attacks" terrorist crimes "and congratulated the law enforcement officers on their arrest in Florida.
" We will pursue them, he, who whatever it is, to the fullest extent of the law. ", he stated during an event at the White House." We must never allow In America, I am committed to doing everything that is in my power as president to stop it now.
Investigators began to approach Sayoc on Thursday, as they were investigating the way parcels traveled to South Florida and retrieving evidence. inside at least one of the packages pointing to him. Sayoc lives in Aventura, Florida, and investigators believe that many of the packages were processed at a nearby mail facility.
[What we know about the 12 pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats and Trump critics]
The news of the arrest was announced while the investigators had found the latest explosive devices, parcels sent to the senator Cory Booker (DN.J). .), former National Intelligence Director James R. Clapper Jr. and Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.).
The FBI said that a package, "similar in appearance to others" discovered this week, was sent to Booker and located in Florida. A spokesman for Booker, a well-known Democrat and potential presidential candidate of 2020, declined to comment and asked questions to law enforcement officials.
A parcel found Friday in a Manhattan postal center was sent to Clapper, a CNN contributor, based on the network. Two days earlier, CNN's offices in New York had been evacuated when the package for Brennan, which was sent to him on the network, was found in the mailroom. CNN President Jeff Zucker sent a message to employees stating that the package had been intercepted at a post office. He reiterated that "all the mail destined for CNN's national offices is examined in off-site facilities."
Clapper appeared on CNN shortly after the announcement of a new, one package he was given was addressed, claiming that he felt relieved by this device.
"It's all about domestic terrorism, that's no doubt in my mind," said Clapper, all those who criticized Trump should take extra precautions when handling their mail, adding, "This is not going to silence criticism of the administration."
[Bombs sent to De Niro, Biden found on Thursday]
A packet addressed to Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) found Friday in Sacramento The mail center was the 13th device that officials said they had linked to Sayoc Tom Steyer, a major Democratic donor, also said Friday that a suspicious package had been intercepted in California, but he did not appear s of the 13 mentioned in the complaint filed by the federal government.
The only thing common to the people who received a device was that they were personalities – many elected or former Democratic elected officials – who publicly clashed with Trump. The list of possible targets began with Soros, then grew to include Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. Then come parcels sent to Brennan and CNN, Waters, former vice president Joe Biden and actor Robert de Niro.
One of the parcels was found in an office of Rep. Debbie Wbaderman Schultz (D-Fla.) In South Florida, as her name figured as a return address on each and every one of them.
Julie Tate, Alice Crites, John Wagner, Seung Min Kim, and Cleve R. Wootson Jr. contributed to this report, which has been updated.
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