FBI confirms suspicious package addressed to Senator Booker has been recovered in Florida
The FBI has confirmed an 11th package has been recovered in Florida, similar in appearance to the others, addressed to Sen. Cory Booker.
While the package was intercepted in Florida, it is believed to have been addressed to Booker’s New Jersey office. The FBI has confirmed that the package is similar in appearance to a series of suspicious packages mailed to top Democratic and left-wing figures over the past two days.
In another incident on Friday, a package reportedly intended for former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper was discovered at a Manhattan mail processing facility. The package had been sent to Clapper via CNN’s office address.
These recipients include former President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and CNN’s New York studios.
Florida has become a focal point for the investigation, as all of the packages received as of Wednesday night listed Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz’ office as their return addresses.
In another incident on Friday, a package intended for former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper was discovered at a Manhattan mail processing facility. The package had been sent to Clapper via CNN’s office address.
The packages all contained crude, homemade pipe bombs. Law enforcement first treated the devices as “rudimentary, yet functional” explosives, but later discovered that many were poorly constructed, and may not have been capable of exploding. Among the flaws discovered by investigators were non-functioning timers, low-grade explosive powder - possibly from garden fireworks - and a lack of power sources to detonate that powder.
A federal official told Reuters that the would-be bomber may have copied instructions from one of several widely-available online manuals, like ‘The Anarchist Cookbook’, a 1970s-era bombmaking and hacking manual.
The FBI’s investigation into the devices is not yet complete, and not all have been declared duds.
Law enforcement agencies have not yet found the suspect or suspects responsible for the mailbomb blitz. Speculation has mounted over whether the would-be bomber is a right-wing extremist, or a left-wing sympathizer looking to boost Democrat hopes in November’s midterm election.
CNN has blamed president Trump’s anti-media rhetoric for the incident, and predictably, MSNBC have blamed the old boogeyman: Russia. Network host Chuck Todd told viewers on Thursday that he has “this fear that it could be some Russian operation.”
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