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As it happenedended

US bomb threats: At least six suspicious packages sent to Obamas, Clintons and news media organisations across America

Donald Trump says acts were 'domestic terrorism'

Mythili Sampathkumar
New York
Wednesday 24 October 2018 17:24 EDT
Comments
Alarm goes off in CNN newsroom while on air as Time Warner Center evacuated

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Donald Trump has called the several packages containing explosive devices or suspected of containing them, acts of "domestic terrorism".

Mr Trump, addressing the situation at the White House, said it was "egregious" and said the American people need "to unify, we have to come together".

Suspected explosive devices have been sent to both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and packages suspected of containing such devices were sent to former US Attorney General Eric Holder, former CIA Director John Brennan, and US House Democrat Maxine Waters. The series of incidents come just two days after a bomb was sent to the home of billionaire George Soros.

The packages to the Clintons, Obamas, and Ms Waters were intercepted before reaching any of them.

Another package containing a “live” explosive device and “white powder” was sent to the mailroom of CNN at their offices in the Time Warner Building in Manhattan, just a few steps away from a Trump International Hotel.

House Democrat and former chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida was listed as the sender/return address on the packages to the Clintons, Obamas, and Mr Brennan.

Her name, as well as Mr Brennan’s, was misspelled on the CNN package. Mr Brennan does not work for the network, but frequently appears on MSNBC.

An additional package was also sent to the Manhattan office of Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, but it was deemed as “safe” by the New York Police Department and contained a USB drive of “literature”.

Yet another package was labelled as “suspicious” in the building housing a district office of Democratic Senator Kamala Harris and the San Diego Union Tribune newspaper in San Diego, California. It was also deemed safe by police and was not addressed to the senator.

Follow the news updates as they happened

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Here is what the device sent to CNN, confirmed by NYPD as a "live" explosive, looked like. 

As you can see, both Mr Brennan and Ms Schultz's names are not spelt correctly on the package. 

Mythili Sampathkumar24 October 2018 18:22

The president's second son, Eric, has also responded to today's incidents, calling the acts "disgusting". 

Mythili Sampathkumar24 October 2018 18:23

Police officials have said a seventh suspicious package has been intercepted at a Congressional mail screening facility in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Capitol Hill Police are on the scene and investigating.

Chris Stevenson24 October 2018 18:32

CNN's New York offices and studios remain evacuated, more than three hours after the suspicious device was delivered to the mailroom.

"The security sweep of our building continues," CNN President Jeff Zucker said.

"There was some powder found within the package that was sent, and that powder now needs to be examined to determine what it is. As a result, it will take some time until we know more about the safety of the building."

Chris Stevenson24 October 2018 18:40

ABC is reporting that the suspicious package found by Capitol Police at the Congressional mail facility was addressed to Democrat Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

Chris Stevenson24 October 2018 18:49

Again, it remains unclear if there is a connection but Ms Waters is also a vocal critic of Republican supporters of Mr Trump and has also called for his impeachment. 

Ms Waters, who currently represents the southern part of Los Angeles county in California, is running for office again the midterms election, as is the whole US House of Representatives. 

Mythili Sampathkumar24 October 2018 18:54

CNN has reported the pipe bomb package sent to their offices was done so through a courier and not the US Postal Service.

This could explain why the package made it all the way into the network's mailroom, where an employee did not open the package and alerted authorities immediately. 

Mythili Sampathkumar24 October 2018 19:04

Mr Trump, attending a meeting at the White House regarding the country's opioid crisis, is set to address the seven package incidents shortly. 

To recap, packages containing explosive devices or suspected of containing a device or some other dangerous substance to the following people: 

-Billionaire George Soros 

-Bill and Hillary Clinton

-Barack and Michelle Obama

-Former US Attorney General Eric Holder

-CNN, addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan

-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Manhattan office, though details about it have not been confirmed

-a district office of Democratic Senator Kamala Harris - the package was reported as safe and not addressed to the senator. 

-House Democrat Maxine Waters

The packages to the Clintons, Obamas, and Ms Waters were intercepted before reaching the intended recipients. 

The CNN package did contain a "live" device according to the NYPD and there was an envelope containing an unidentified white powder found with it. 

House Democrat and former chair of the Democratic National Committee Debbi Wasserman Schultz was listed as the sender/return address on the packages to the Clintons, Obamas, and Mr Brennan. 

Mythili Sampathkumar24 October 2018 19:14

The president is expected to call the series of packages an act of "domestic terrorism".

Mythili Sampathkumar24 October 2018 19:16

 Mr Trump said "the safety of the American is my highest and absolute priority". 

The packages are being looking into as part of a "major fedneral investigation" by the "top" explosive experts, he noted. 

Mr Trump called them "despicable acts" and said the administration and the federal government will "spare no resources or expense" to investigate the matter. 

Mythili Sampathkumar24 October 2018 19:28

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