Cesar Sayoc in court: Pipe bomb suspect allegedly 'had list of people in hundreds' to send packages to as another intercepted in Atlanta
Mr Sayoc has been accused of mailing 14 pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and critics of the president
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Shackled and wearing a beige jumpsuit, the man accused of sending at least 14 pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and critics of the president has been formally charged with five federal crimes in a Miami courtroom.
The first court appearance of Cesar Sayoc, 56, came just hours after a 15th suspicious package was intercepted in Atlanta on its way to the CNN headquarters - what may have been the last in a series the suspect was able to mail from a list of, reportedly, hundreds of potential targets.
In response to that package, CNN president Jeff Zucker said all domestic mail had been screened at off-site locations since last week, when it received two other packages addressed to the network's contributors, and bomb squads were called in to the Atlanta post office where the package was detected.
Mr Sayoc had salt and pepper hair pulled back into a ponytail during his appearance, and remained mostly silent during his appearance. His three lawyers attempted to stand in a manner that obscured the view of news reporters and photographers from their client.
During the hearing — where Mr Sayoc was read the charges against him, his rights, and informed that he would be held without bail — the former male stripper and part time pizza delivery man, reacted audibly only when the charges were read by Judge Edwin Torres.
He also reportedly had tears in his eyes during the hearing, where he was read the following charges: interstate transportation and illegal mailing of explosives, threatening a former president, making threatening interstate communications and assaulting federal officers.
Authorities arrested Mr Sayoc on Friday after a frantic search for the man who they say mailed at least 14 pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and critics of Donald Trump. Packages were addressed to individuals including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Joe Biden, billionaire donor George Soros, Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and California Representative Maxine Waters.
The tension created by the mailed pipe bombs was further ratcheted up over the weekend, after a gunman opened fire in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Eleven worshippers were killed during that attack, and the gunman yelled “All Jews must die”.
The pipe bombs also came roughly two weeks before the US midterm elections, which are widely seen as a referendum on Mr Trump’s first two years in office.
The president, sensing that the pipe bombs were distracting voters from political matters, tweeted those concerns — suggesting that the various attempted attacks on top American politicians could cost Republicans at the polls next month.
To follow how the day unfolded, see our live coverage below - please allow a moment for it to load
The case of these mail bombs has acted as something of a hand mirror for the United States, and the president who the alleged bomber supported with such vigor.
Mr Trump, reacting to the bombs, called for unity in the country, but has remained critical of the news media he has frequently described as the "enemy of the people".
Meanwhile, critics of the president have suggested that he has created a national atmosphere in which extremists like, allegedly, Mr Sayoc feel comfortable pursuing violent means.
Actor Robert De Niro was among those targeted to receive a pipe bomb in the mail, allegedly from Mr Sayoc.
But, De Niro reacted with a call to vote instead of a call to arms, suggesting that the bomb that was sent to his New York showed the importance of voting.
“I thank God no one’s been hurt, and I thank the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement people for protecting us,” De Niro said in a statement on Friday. “There’s something more powerful than bombs, and that’s your vote. People MUST vote!”
We are 20 minutes away from Mr Sayoc's scheduled appearance in court, where he will be formally read the charges he faces, his rights, and be assigned counsel if necessary.
The judge will also approve or deny bail as Mr Sayoc awaits trial on five federal charges related to his alleged sending of bombs to prominent American officials and politicians.
Stay tuned for news from the trial.
Atlanta police have reopened several streets as local and federal police probe a suspicious package found at a postal facility near the downtown area.
At noon Monday, a robot was being maneuvered outside the facility and about 100 feet from a row of post trucks in the parking lot. An Atlanta Police Department bomb squad unit was parked at the entrance to the car park.
Federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the US Postal Inspection Service were investigating on the street just outside the postal facility's parking lot.
The FBI has confirmed that the package recovered at the Atlanta facility was addressed to CNN.
Two attorneys who represented Cesar Sayoc with criminal cases seem to have different opinions on the alleged mail bomber's fate.
Ronald Lowy, who represented Mr Sayoc in criminal cases in the past, believes Mr Sayoc will be put behind bars.
“Cesar’s going to prison," Lowy told the Daily Beast. "There’s no doubt about that,”
Jamie Benjamin, the lawyer Sayoc called after his arrest, begs to differ. He implied there is not enough evidence to sentence the suspect to prison.
“Nobody should rush to judgment here,” Mr Benjamin told the Daily Beast. “They don’t have one photo, they don’t have one video tape...They found one fingerprint on a component of one of the packages.”
The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York will be prosecuting Cesar Sayoc. Awaiting the start of his hearing, the alleged mail bomber is seated alone in the back of the jury box. He is wearing his jail khaki scrubs underneath a bright orange shirt. His hair is pulled back in a pony tail.
Mr Sayoc had a list of more than 100 people that he intended to send suspicious packages containing explosive devices, authorities said.
The hearing for Cesar Sayoc concluded. Prosecutors ask Mr Sayoc remain in detention without bail. His detention and removal hearing is scheduled for Friday morning.
Mr Sayoc, his hair pulled back into a ponytail, remained largely silent, only acknowledging Judge Edwin Torres' reading of the charges against him.
Shackled and wearing a beige jumpsuit, the 56-year-old man began to tear up, and the three attorneys with him stood shoulder to shoulder to obscure news reporters' and photographers' view of him.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments