At least five suspicious packages were sent to top Democrats, including
former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, and CNN's New York offices, authorities said on Wednesday.
All the packages were intercepted, and there were no reports of injuries.
US Secret Service said it recovered a single package addressed to
Clinton in Westchester, a suburb north of Manhattan late on Tuesday.
A second package, addressed to Obama, was found early on Wednesday in Washington, DC.
"The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening
procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled
as such," the Secret Service said in a statement.
"The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them," it said.
Secret Service launched an investigation to find the source of the packages.
Hillary Clinton was not at her New York home when Tuesday's package was
sent, but her husband, former President Bill Clinton was present,
officials told the Associated Press. While at a Florida fundraiser, she
said "we are fine" and thanked US Secret Service for intercepting the
package "long before it made its way to our home".
CNN evacuated
The New York Police Department (NYPD) also responded to a suspicious
device, believed to be a pipe bomb, found at the Time Warner Center,
where CNN's New York newsroom is based.
Suspicious packages found in last week:
George Soros: Explosive device found in the mailbox outside the philanthropist's New York home on Monday.
Hillary Clinton: Authorities intercepted suspicious device sent to Clinton's New York suburban home late on Tuesday.
Barack Obama: Authorities intercepted suspicious device sent to Obama's Washington, DC home early on Wednesday.
CNN New York office: Suspicious package, addressed to former CIA
Director John Brennan, found in mailroom of the Time Warner Center, home
to CNN's New York office on Wednesday.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Suspicious package found on Wednesday in the
building where Florida Congresswoman Schultz's office is located. CNN
reported that the package was meant for former US Attorney General Eric
Holder.
Maxine Waters: The US representative said in a statement that Capitol
Police informed her that her Washington, DC office was a target of a
suspicious package on Monday.
The New York City police commissioner said the package contained what
appeared to be a live explosive and envelope with white powder.
The package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, CNN
reported, citing city and local law enforcement officials. Brennan
appears on other cable and broadcast networks.
According to the NYPD's chief of counterterrorism, the explosive
appeared to be sent by the same person who mailed suspicious packages to
the Clinton and Obama homes, as well as the device found on Monday at
the home of billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
FBI officials said at news conference that the devices all appeared to be crude pipe bombs.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the attempted attacks were "clearly an act of terrorism".
CNN anchors were on the air from New York discussing the explosive
devices addressed to Obama and Clinton when they were interrupted by a
fire alarm and cut to a commercial.
The news organisation's New York staff evacuated the building as a precaution.
CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker said there is a "total and complete
lack of understanding" at the White House about the seriousness of the
administrations attacks on the media.
"The president, and especially the White House press secretary, should
understand their words matter. Thus far, they have shown no
comprehension of that," he said.
CNN has been a repeated targeted of Trump's attack on the media, with
the US president often labelling the network as "fake news".
Police are also investigating a suspicious package sent to a building
where the office of Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is
located. The building was evacuated, but it remains unclear what the
package contains, according to 7 News Miami. CNN reported that the
package was addressed to former US Attorney General Eric Holder, but was
sent to the wrong address and returned to Wasserman Schultz's office
due to the return address on the package.
Democratic Representative Maxine Waters said in a statement on Wednesday
that US Capitol Police said that her Washington, DC office was the
target of a suspicious package that was referred to the FBI. It's
unclear whether the package was related to those sent to Clinton, Obama
and the CNN New York office.
'These terrorising acts are despicable'
The White House condemned the attempted attacks, saying "terrorising
acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to
the fullest extent of the law".
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders added in a statement that the "United
States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are
investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone
threatened by these cowards".
US President Donald Trump said that "acts or threats of political
violence have no place in the United States", adding that a "major
federal investigation" is under way.
With the country deeply polarised under Trump, the packages brought a
new level of tension to the upcoming midterm elections on November 6.
Democratic leaders said that Trump's call for unity after the packages
were found "ring hallow" because of his past statements that condone
acts of violence.
"Time and time again, the president has condoned physical violence and
divided Americans with his words and his actions," Senate Democratic
Leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives top Democrat Nancy
Pelosi said in a statement.
They cited Trump's "support for the congressman who body-slammed a
reporter, the neo-Nazis who killed a young woman in Charlottesville, his
supporters at rallies who get violent with protesters, dictators around
the world who murder their own citizens, and referring to the free
press as the enemy of the people."
House Republican leaders said the person or people who sent explosives
to the Clinton and Obama homes should be brought to justice. House
Speaker Paul Ryan said they were "reprehensible acts" and "we cannot
tolerate any attempt to terrorise public figures".
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former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, and CNN's New York offices, authorities said on Wednesday.
All the packages were intercepted, and there were no reports of injuries.
US Secret Service said it recovered a single package addressed to
Clinton in Westchester, a suburb north of Manhattan late on Tuesday.
A second package, addressed to Obama, was found early on Wednesday in Washington, DC.
"The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening
procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled
as such," the Secret Service said in a statement.
"The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them," it said.
Secret Service launched an investigation to find the source of the packages.
Hillary Clinton was not at her New York home when Tuesday's package was
sent, but her husband, former President Bill Clinton was present,
officials told the Associated Press. While at a Florida fundraiser, she
said "we are fine" and thanked US Secret Service for intercepting the
package "long before it made its way to our home".
CNN evacuated
The New York Police Department (NYPD) also responded to a suspicious
device, believed to be a pipe bomb, found at the Time Warner Center,
where CNN's New York newsroom is based.
Suspicious packages found in last week:
George Soros: Explosive device found in the mailbox outside the philanthropist's New York home on Monday.
Hillary Clinton: Authorities intercepted suspicious device sent to Clinton's New York suburban home late on Tuesday.
Barack Obama: Authorities intercepted suspicious device sent to Obama's Washington, DC home early on Wednesday.
CNN New York office: Suspicious package, addressed to former CIA
Director John Brennan, found in mailroom of the Time Warner Center, home
to CNN's New York office on Wednesday.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Suspicious package found on Wednesday in the
building where Florida Congresswoman Schultz's office is located. CNN
reported that the package was meant for former US Attorney General Eric
Holder.
Maxine Waters: The US representative said in a statement that Capitol
Police informed her that her Washington, DC office was a target of a
suspicious package on Monday.
The New York City police commissioner said the package contained what
appeared to be a live explosive and envelope with white powder.
The package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, CNN
reported, citing city and local law enforcement officials. Brennan
appears on other cable and broadcast networks.
According to the NYPD's chief of counterterrorism, the explosive
appeared to be sent by the same person who mailed suspicious packages to
the Clinton and Obama homes, as well as the device found on Monday at
the home of billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
FBI officials said at news conference that the devices all appeared to be crude pipe bombs.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the attempted attacks were "clearly an act of terrorism".
CNN anchors were on the air from New York discussing the explosive
devices addressed to Obama and Clinton when they were interrupted by a
fire alarm and cut to a commercial.
The news organisation's New York staff evacuated the building as a precaution.
CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker said there is a "total and complete
lack of understanding" at the White House about the seriousness of the
administrations attacks on the media.
"The president, and especially the White House press secretary, should
understand their words matter. Thus far, they have shown no
comprehension of that," he said.
CNN has been a repeated targeted of Trump's attack on the media, with
the US president often labelling the network as "fake news".
Police are also investigating a suspicious package sent to a building
where the office of Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is
located. The building was evacuated, but it remains unclear what the
package contains, according to 7 News Miami. CNN reported that the
package was addressed to former US Attorney General Eric Holder, but was
sent to the wrong address and returned to Wasserman Schultz's office
due to the return address on the package.
Democratic Representative Maxine Waters said in a statement on Wednesday
that US Capitol Police said that her Washington, DC office was the
target of a suspicious package that was referred to the FBI. It's
unclear whether the package was related to those sent to Clinton, Obama
and the CNN New York office.
'These terrorising acts are despicable'
The White House condemned the attempted attacks, saying "terrorising
acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to
the fullest extent of the law".
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders added in a statement that the "United
States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are
investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone
threatened by these cowards".
US President Donald Trump said that "acts or threats of political
violence have no place in the United States", adding that a "major
federal investigation" is under way.
With the country deeply polarised under Trump, the packages brought a
new level of tension to the upcoming midterm elections on November 6.
Democratic leaders said that Trump's call for unity after the packages
were found "ring hallow" because of his past statements that condone
acts of violence.
"Time and time again, the president has condoned physical violence and
divided Americans with his words and his actions," Senate Democratic
Leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives top Democrat Nancy
Pelosi said in a statement.
They cited Trump's "support for the congressman who body-slammed a
reporter, the neo-Nazis who killed a young woman in Charlottesville, his
supporters at rallies who get violent with protesters, dictators around
the world who murder their own citizens, and referring to the free
press as the enemy of the people."
House Republican leaders said the person or people who sent explosives
to the Clinton and Obama homes should be brought to justice. House
Speaker Paul Ryan said they were "reprehensible acts" and "we cannot
tolerate any attempt to terrorise public figures".
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