US pipe bombs: Man arrested over suspect packages sent to Trump critics
One of the parcels was addressed to Democratic Party senator Cory Booker in Florida, with the FBI saying it is similar to others.
Friday 26 October 2018 16:50, UK
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the suspicious packages sent to prominent critics of Donald Trump, officials have said.
They said a person had been taken into custody in Miami after pipe bombs were addressed to several high-profile figures, including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
It comes after US police said they were investigating an two more suspicious packages on Friday in New York and Florida, taking the total packages intercepted to 12.
One of the parcels found on Friday was addressed to Democratic Party senator Cory Booker in Florida, with the FBI saying it was similar in appearance to the others that had been seized.
Another was addressed to the former director of national intelligence James Clapper, care of CNN, in New York.
Mr Clapper told the news channel, where he works as an analyst, that the incidents were "serious" and "definitely domestic terrorism".
He said: "My wife and I are away from home right now, and our neighbours have been retrieving our mail.
"We've been very concerned about them. So in one sense, it's kind of a relief, but it's not a surprise.
"This is definitely domestic terrorism. No question about it in my mind."
He added that the packages will "not silence the Trump administration's critics".
Mr Trump has since tweeted saying this "bomb stuff" had slowed momentum for the Republicans ahead of the US midterm elections less than two weeks away.
"Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this 'Bomb' stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows - news not talking politics," he wrote.
"Very unfortunate, what is going on. Republicans, go out and vote!"
Former vice president Joe Biden was among those targeted with the glass-filled devices on Thursday.
A suspicious package was also addressed to the Hollywood actor Robert De Niro in New York. He has called on people to vote at the midterm elections too.
In a statement released by his publicist, the actor said: "There's something more powerful than bombs, and that's your vote. People must vote!"
The FBI had been conducting a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrator sending the pipe bomb packages. Officials previously described the devices as "crude" but said they were treating them as if they were "viable" explosives.
Officials are trying to determine if the sender or senders were trying to sow fear or actually cause physical destruction.
On Thursday, authorities said they were chasing leads in Florida after De Niro and Mr Biden were targeted.
Others that have been sent packages include billionaire philanthropist George Soros, former CIA head John Brennan at CNN's offices, and Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters.
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