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CNN was found not only to announce the news, but Wednesday, as it was evacuating its offices in Manhattan as a result of the discovery of what the police had described as a crude explosive device – one of many potential bombs aimed at media organizations and Democratic personalities.
Viewers heard alarms during early morning network broadcasts, with presenters Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow discussing early reports of bombs being sent to the homes of Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama, and billionaire democratic donor George Soros.
Sciutto and Harlow hurriedly left the set and CNN took part in a commercial break. The network then temporarily shifted its coverage from New York to its Washington studios – and then back to the anchors, which reported their presence on the Manhattan sidewalk, outside the CNN building, amid pedestrian noise. , sirens and traffic.
The device, which looked like a home-made bomb, had been removed from CNN offices on Columbus Circle by New York Police Department technicians before noon, while anchors from the network continued to report from the street. The CNN building was cleared until around 3:45 pm due to a suspicious white powder that was put into the package with the explosive device, delivered by mail.
The sending of suspicious packages to Soros, Clinton, Obama and CNN hinted that the shipper or shippers were motivated by animosity towards people whom President Trump had frequently criticized.
Trump repeatedly pointed to CNN's denunciations of "false information" and called the press "the enemy of the people".
Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, linked the president's rhetoric with the attempted attack in a clearly stated statement posted on Twitter hours after the fear.
"There is a total and complete lack of understanding in the White House about the gravity of the continuation of their attacks on the media," Zucker wrote. "The President, and in particular the White House Press Secretary, must understand that their words matter."
About 200 employees were emptied after the discovery of the package in a mail room. Some described a confusing scene at the time the alarms went off and employees left laptops, coats and even wallets.
CNN presenter Kate Bolduan was struck by the "layer after layer" of law enforcement agents who rushed into the building as workers came out. Local employees pushed employees about half a block away when a huge NYPD bomb disposal truck drove the building, she said.
TV channels from other news agencies quickly stopped nearby, creating a show that blocked the traffic in which the media covered one of their own.
"People have taken it very well," said a CNN reporter, who described some of his colleagues going to local cafes and restaurants with wi-fi service to continue their work. . "It's the modern world, I suppose."
At a meeting in the street early in the afternoon, New York Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill said the package discovered at CNN contained "an explosive device real".
New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio has described sending parcels as "terrorist acts." It was an attempt to terrorize "and intimidate the free press.
CNN's offices are located at the headquarters of its parent company, Time Warner, just off Central Park in downtown Manhattan. The Time Warner Center hosts the company's other networks, including TNT and WarnerMedia's offices.
[Homemade bombs sent to Obama, Clinton, CNN spur search for others]
Similar devices were later found, addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder, with a return address claiming to be that of the office of the Democratic Representative of Florida, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Another suspicious package was discovered at the Congressional mail filtering facility in Capitol Heights, Maryland, addressed to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Ca.), Leading critic in the case Trump. The authorities believe that all devices come from the same source.
The security forces intercepted all the parcels and no injuries were reported.
In the midst of heightened vigilance, mystery packages have also sparked fears in the offices of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D), the San Diego Union Tribune and a Fresno television station, but they turned out to be harmless.
CNN presenter Wolf Blitzer said the package sent to CNN was sent to John Brennan, the former director of the CIA. Brennan is now a television commentator, but he works for MSNBC and NBC, not for CNN.
Brennan, who ran the spy agency under the Obama administration, was a harsh critic of Trump, who fought back against him in August by revoking his security clearance.
In an email to employees, CNN President Jeff Zucker said the network "checked every office in the world, out of caution," he added. No other devices were found later.
In a statement sent via Twitter, Vice President Pence said, "We condemn attempts to attack former President Obama, the Clinton, CNN and others. These cowardly actions are despicable and have no place in this country. Grateful for the quick response from @Secret Service, @FBI and local law enforcement. Those responsible will be brought to justice.
Trump's only public statement on suspicious shipments in the morning was a tweet in response to Pence's statement. "I totally agree," he writes.
He then changed his usual fighting tone and told a White House meeting: "In these difficult times, we must unite. We must unite and send a very clear, strong and indisputable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America. "
In an untimely fund-raising campaign, Trump's re-election campaign aired a CNN attacking e-mail Wednesday noon, about two hours after CNN reported the threat of a bomb attack against it. The fundraising letter was sent by Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, who criticized CNN for reporting on the Trump rally in Florida. Her email quotes an anonymous CNN character who said about the rally, "It felt like we were no longer in America." Lara Trump's answer says, "It's time we give the media another appeal of the American people. "
Sarah Sanders, Press Secretary at the White House, said in an independent statement: "We condemn the recent violent attacks on President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton and other prominent individuals. public. These acts of terrorism are despicable and all those responsible will be held responsible to the fullest extent of the law. United States secret services and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and taking all appropriate measures to protect those at risk from such cowards. "
She then added a tweet including CNN: "Our condemnation of these accusables [sic] These acts certainly include the threats made to CNN as well as to former or current officials. "
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