Booker, Clapper bombs: More explosives found, expanding probe to 12 devices

Devlin Barrett

Reporter focusing on national security and law enforcement

October 26 at 11:15 am

BREAKING: A man in Florida has been arrested in connection with the mail bombs, according to a law enforcement official.

Authorities on Friday recovered two more potential explosive devices sent to the public, the latest packages addressed to Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) And director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr.

These packages – recovered in Florida and New York – pushed to the top of the page.

The FBI said a package, "similar in appearance to the others" found this week, was addressed to Booker and located in Florida. A spokesperson for Booker, promulgated Democrat and potential 2020 presidential candidate, declined to comment and referred questions to law enforcement.

[What we know about the 12 pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats and Trump critics]

Police in New York said they were responding to a suspicious package in midtown Manhattan, CNN's offices in the Time Warner Center. The package was "safely removed" from the post office, police said.

A law enforcement official said Clapper, a CNN contributor, and sent to him at the news network. This is the second time this week has been discussed and commented on. A device sent to CNN's New York offices and addressed to John Brennan, the CIA director, was found in the mail room, prompting an hours-long evacuation.

The package has been sent to New York City, the law enforcement official said. CNN President Jeff Zucker feels a message to confirm that a suspicious package addressed to CNN has been intercepted at a post office, and it reiterated that "all mail to CNN domestic offices is being screened at off-site facilities."

Clapper appeared on CNN shortly after news of the package addressed to him.

"This is definitely domestic terrorism, no doubt about it in my mind," he said, "Clapper said anyone who has criticized Trump should take precautions when handling their mail, adding:" This is not going to silence the administration's critics. "

These newest packages have been developed by the President of the United States and have been criticized by President Trump. On Thursday, the FBI said Robert De Niro's Manhattan office, and two in-house facilities in Delaware addressed to train vice president Joe Biden.

"I thank God no one has been hurt, and I thank the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement for the people," De Niro said in a statement.

[Bombs sent to De Niro, Biden found on Thursday]

George Soros, a billionaire activist known to the fund pro-democracy and liberal political groups. Then came addressed to form President Barack Obama; train secretary of state Hillary Clinton; Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.); Eric Holder Jr., Obama's first attorney general; and Brennan.

One of the packages was recovered at South Florida office of Rep. Debbie Wbaderman Schultz (D-Fla.) Because of her name. Current and former investigators have said this is a possible target of the attacks.

All of the bomber's targets have been thrashed with many different times, and the spate of dangerous political parties has been intensified. Trump condemned the bombs on Wednesday before going to blame the media for the anger seen in American society. He has also bristled at commentators who have highlighted his rhetoric when discussing the explosive devices, tweeting shortly after 3 pm Friday that CNN was "blaming me for the current spate of bombs."

[Rep. Maxine Waters on being targeted by mail bombs: ‘I ain’t scared’]

The explosives have prompted a sprawling, nationwide investigation. One of the leaders was investigating Florida, but officials were keen on Thursday and urged the audience to call in with tips from anywhere.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, speaking in Washington on Friday, pledged that local, state and federal authorities were "working tirelessly to follow every lead" in the case.

"We can tell you this, we will find the right person and we are going to bring them to justice," Sessions said.

The courier said, "We're going to have a lot of people doing this," said Matthew Doherty, "who is doing the U.S. Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center." And the fact that he does not have a lot of evidence, he said.

NYPD 's Total Containment vessel arrives at the scene of a suspicious package at a postal facility, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 in New York. Two law enforcement officials say a package closely resembling parcels sentenced to President Donald Trump has been found at the postal facility in Manhattan. The suspicious package was discovered by postal workers. (AP Photo / Mark Lennihan)

"There's a wealth of treasure forensic information since they have been found intact," Doherty said. That means investigators can "look for patterns such as the device, the technical expertise, the method of mailing, a whole host of great, rich forensic evidence that can be gathered."

They were intended to be detained, but they were meant to scare people, but they were still more likely to pose a threat.

NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill said at a news briefing, urging people not to touch deem suspicious. "This is something that should be taken seriously."

And William F. Sweeney Jr., badistant director in charge of the FBI New York field office, said that it should remain vigilant, warning that it would have been or could be mailed.

[[The moment, inevitable cries of 'false flag' after bomb threats targeting the Clintons, Obamas and CNN]