There’s a story developing across the country that has the Secret Service on edge. Explosive devices have been found in the mail. Their intended targets are political figures in both parties and the media. The improvised explosives are addressed to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and the CNN News Room. They are also being addressed to the White House.
Investigators are treating the packages as the work of a serial bomber. “Secret Service agents revealed on Wednesday they had intercepted two bombs addressed to former President Obama and his former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,” The Daily Mail writes.
The package meant for Clinton was located Tuesday near the house she shares with Bill Clinton in Chappaqua, New York. A similar device was found already delivered to George Soros’s home Tuesday, but an employee spotted it and rushed it away from the home. It didn’t explode, but was found to contain explosives.
The device meant for Obama was located in Washington D.C. before it was delivered. It is unclear if it was addressed to his home.
The devices are being identified by the Secret Service, now, as they are in transit. This has allowed them to be intercepted well ahead of their destinations.
“(Obama and Clinton) did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them,” a Secret Service statement said.
Time Warner Center – where CNN's New York offices are located – was just evacuated. The alarm went off as @jimsciutto and @PoppyHarlowCNN were on air reporting the packages sent to the Clintons and Obamas. @ShimonPro reporting it was over "a suspicious package." pic.twitter.com/EYBsytil0o
— 💀andrew👻kaczynski🎃 (@KFILE) October 24, 2018
After news of the packages began to spread Wednesday, CNN’s office in New York City was quickly evacuated. The evacuation was triggered by the arrival of a suspicious package.
Scene outside CNN NY HQ right now. #NYPD Bomb squad here. @CNNnewsroom pic.twitter.com/avUVaSKDRu
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) October 24, 2018
The Secret Service and other agencies are combining efforts to locate the packages and the person or persons responsible for sending them.
https://twitter.com/PoliticalShort/status/1055107832050266113
Their first efforts focused on the possibility that the attacks were partisan in nature, yet another explosive package addressed to the White House was intercepted at Joint Base Bolling in Washington, DC.
“We condemn the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures,” a statement from press secretary Sarah Sanders said.
“These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“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.”