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Authorities estimate that several of the packages were routed through the Opa-locka processing and distribution center in Florida, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation.
These devices are one of the most serious attempts to stoke fear and terror in the United States since a period during which many violent political attacks have already taken place. According to law enforcement officials, the apparent bombs, although of rudimentary design, were aimed at two former US presidents, a former vice president and potential presidential candidate, as well as many harsh critics of the Trump administration.
Three new packages were detected Thursday – two aimed at former vice president Joe Biden and one at actor-director Robert DeNiro – bearing the same marks as the seven packages detected earlier this week.
Later on Thursday, parts of the Time Warner Center – the building housing the CNN office in New York – were evacuated after the discovery of two suspicious packages in the building. The New York Police Department's mine clearance team said the scene was completely clear just after 8:30 pm Two small boxes had been left unattended and the packages did not match the description of those sent to CNN and political figures.
As the authorities look at the indices, they also find other questions to answer.
One of the key issues of concern to the authorities is why no apparent bombs have exploded, said a second police source, raising questions about the skills and motivations of the bomb maker.
This person stated that the bomb maker was kind enough to make sure that no one was going to explode and that he had never intended to explode, or the construction was mediocre. The authorities consider that the bombs are potentially destructive due to the presence of what is believed to be a pyrotechnic powder. Although it appears that they were processed by the postal system – and were therefore jostled and displaced – without causing an explosion.
William Sweeney, the FBI special agent in charge of the office in New York, said Thursday afternoon that the powder discovered with the package sent to CNN did not pose a biological threat, but another official said that he was in danger. test course.
The FBI's anti-terrorism team is conducting the investigation and has classified it as an internal terrorism case, said a law enforcement official. This classification is based on the absence of other information and could change.
The Secret Service, the US Postal Inspection Service and ATF are also collaborating in the investigation with various federal and state offices. Officials said that it was possible that additional packages were sent to other places and that they have not yet been discovered.
NYPD and FBI officials said Thursday that the investigation was still in its infancy and that they were still asking the public for advice.
"Everything is a clue," said a law enforcement official.
Fingerprints and proofs
According to the FBI, the bombs were wrapped in manila envelopes with a bubble film liner. They each carried computer-printed address labels and six US flag stamps. Some went through the US postal service, others seemed to be delivered by individuals.
Investigators will look for fingerprints on the package, on the back of any tape that may be used, as well as stamps and labels. If the seals were licked, the investigators could possibly extract the DNA from the saliva, officials said. They will also look for hair or other materials that can help identify the sender or location.
Investigators who discovered a series of parcel bombs in Texas that killed two people and wounded five others in March used the same tools to extract DNA from the packages.
In addition, investigators used signals from cell towers to help reduce the number of potential suspects in the area when filing parcels, according to a law enforcement official. They relied on closed-circuit cameras to further narrow the field, said the official. It took investigators 18 days to find Mark Anthony Conditt, who had killed one of his own explosive devices.
These tactics will probably be used by the authorities to track mail and anyone who can deliver parcels by hand. The authorities believe that the package sent to George Soros, the billionaire philanthropist who supported the Democrats, was handed over to his home in Westchester County.
US Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, has been interviewed by Fox News about indications that these packages would come from Florida. She said the FBI was looking for all the leads, noting "As you know, some packages were mailed in. They were originally from Florida, so it was an obvious track to look for."
Bombs transported to Quantico
All bombs are being transported to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis, officials said.
Other information on packages will also constitute rich lines of investigation. If the packages have been scanned by the US postal system, investigators may be able to determine which machines scanned the documents and when. However, unlike FedEx or other private mail delivery services, the US mail system is not configured to track each piece of mail.
The authorities estimate that several of the parcels went through the Opa-locka processing and distribution center. According to an employee of the US Postal Service, this facility handles incoming and outgoing mail from South Florida.
Philip Bartlett of the US Postal Inspection Service told reporters that the authorities are still unable to tell from where the packages were sent.
In the laboratory, the bombs themselves will be dissected. According to a law enforcement official, the bombs seem so far to reveal the presence of a sulfur-based substance, which would be the ingredient meant to explode. The authorities will examine the components of the bomb and look for clues as to where they might have been purchased and the similarities or differences between individual packages. Pipe bombs are intrinsically unstable devices and could be triggered simply by manipulating them.
External experts pointed out the lack of trigger mechanism, suggesting that it was never designed to explode. The device includes very common components, which makes it more difficult to obtain clues from the bomb's signature. But the components could still provide clues, like the clock and the band used.
Brynn Gingras and Rene Marsh of CNN contributed to this report.
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