This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2018/oct/24/bombs-clintons-obamas-latest-live-news-updates-cnn-time-warner-evacuations-explosive-devices

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Suspected bombs sent to Obama and Clinton homes as CNN building evacuated – live 'It's a troubling time,' says Hillary Clinton as police treat suspected bombs as linked – live
(35 minutes later)
“This clearly is an act of terror,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said of the explosive device sent to CNN.
NYPD officers were called to the Columbus Circle office complex and discovered what appeared to be “a live explosive device,” said Police Commissioner James O’Neill.
An envelope containing white powder was also found in the same package. It is being tested.
The devices “appeared to be pipe bombs,” said the FBI’s special agent in charge of the counter-terrorism division in New York, Bryan Paarmann.
Officials believe the same person or group is responsible for all the devices. “It appears that an individual or individuals sent out multiple similar packages,” Paarmann said.
Police have secured and removed the device, and swept the area with dogs and equipment, O’Neill said. Additional police are being deployed to media locations around the city as a precautionary measure, but there are no specific credible threats directed at the city.
New York’s mayor and governor called the attempted bombing terrorism.
“What we saw here today was an effort to terrorize. This clearly is an act of terror, attempting to undermine our free press and leaders of this country through acts of violence,” de Blasio said. “The people of New York City will not be intimidated.”
“This is a very painful time in our nation. It’s a time when people are feeling a lot of hatred in the air, and incidents like this exacerbate this pain and exacerbate that fear,” the mayor said, stressing that a very small number of people were trying to divide Americans through violence.
“It is imperative that we ensure that they fail,” he said. “This is a moment in history that is painful, but it will pass. This too will pass.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said: “We will not allow these terrorist thugs to change the way we live our lives. They fail unless we allow them to win, and we will not allow them to win.”
Asked about President Trump’s role in stoking political hatred, de Blasio declined to criticize him directly, aaying that at a time of heightened division “it does not make sense to exacerbate it.”
But he sent a message he said was for all public officials: “Don’t encourage violence, don’t encourage hatred, don’t encourage attacks on media,” he said. “Unfortunately this atmosphere of hatred is contributing to the choices people are making to turn to violence.”
Another suspicious device has been sent to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Manhattan office, the governor said.
“We wouldn’t be at all surprised if more devices show up,” Cuomo said during a press conference on the threats. “A device has been sent to my office in Manhattan, which we were just informed about, and that device is also being handled.”
“We refuse to be intimidated. We refuse to allow them to make us afraid,” Cuomo said.
Alexander Soros, the son of financier George Soros, said the explosive devices sent to his father and other political figures are a threat “to the future of American democracy.”
An explosive device was found Monday in the mailbox of Soros’ Katonah, New York home and is believed to be linked to devices sent to former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and CNN.
“We are all grateful that no one was injured, and grateful to those who kept us safe. But the incident was profoundly disturbing — as a threat not just to the safety of our family, neighbors, colleagues and friends, but also to the future of American democracy,” the younger Soros wrote in a New York Times op-ed.
“While the responsibility lies with the individual or individuals who sent these lethal devices to my family home and Mr. Obama’s and Ms. Clinton’s offices, I cannot see it divorced from the new normal of political demonization that plagues us today,” he wrote. “We must find our way to a new political discourse that shuns the demonization of all political opponents. A first step would be to cast our ballots to reject those politicians cynically responsible for undermining the institutions of our democracy. And we must do it now, before it is too late.”
Hillary Clinton addressed the bombs in remarks at a campaign event in Miami.
“Many of you and others across our country have asked after me and my family, and I’m very grateful for that. We are fine, thanks to the men and women of the Secret Service,” she said.
“It is a troubling time, isn’t it? And it’s a time of deep divisions, and we have to do everything we can do to bring our country together,” Clinton said.
She went on to advocate voting for candidates who would promote unity.
Officials are treating the four explosive devices targeting political figures as if they are linked, a law enforcement official told CBS News.
The devices were all similar, and have been described in several reports as pipe bombs.
The official told CBS they contained crude but functional low-ordnance explosive devices.
The packages had the return address of Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, CNN reported. It’s a false return address used by whoever is behind the device. CNN reported that another explosive device was sent to President Obama’s attorney general, Eric Holder - but it had the wrong address and was returned to center. That package was therefore returned to Wasserman Schultz’s Florida office, where it was discovered as a suspicious package Wednesday. The office was evacuated.
Here’s a map showing the locations of explosive devices sent to former President Barack Obama, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and financier George Soros. A fourth explosive device was sent to CNN in New York.Here’s a map showing the locations of explosive devices sent to former President Barack Obama, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and financier George Soros. A fourth explosive device was sent to CNN in New York.
Philippe Reines, a former top aide to Hillary Clinton, blamed President Trump for the attempted attacks in a tweet, saying he has “incited & condoned hate.”Philippe Reines, a former top aide to Hillary Clinton, blamed President Trump for the attempted attacks in a tweet, saying he has “incited & condoned hate.”
“This is on you,” he tweeted.“This is on you,” he tweeted.
.@realDonaldTrump with every fiber of your rotten being you‘ve incited & condoned hate. Never in 643 days have you discouraged people from unleashing the violence inside them. Your very existence requires anger & fear. You need it like normal people need oxygen.This is on you..@realDonaldTrump with every fiber of your rotten being you‘ve incited & condoned hate. Never in 643 days have you discouraged people from unleashing the violence inside them. Your very existence requires anger & fear. You need it like normal people need oxygen.This is on you.
A handful of far right types on the internet are floating the theory that the attempted attacks were falsified to help Democrats, the Daily Beast reported.A handful of far right types on the internet are floating the theory that the attempted attacks were falsified to help Democrats, the Daily Beast reported.
John Cardillo, a radio host and former NYPD officer, tweeted: “Just too coincidental that two weeks before Election Day, as the ‘blue wave’ has turned into a ripple, and the left is losing ground because of incivility and violent rhetoric, explosive devices show up in the mailboxes of Soros, Clinton, and Obama.” He later deleted the tweet.John Cardillo, a radio host and former NYPD officer, tweeted: “Just too coincidental that two weeks before Election Day, as the ‘blue wave’ has turned into a ripple, and the left is losing ground because of incivility and violent rhetoric, explosive devices show up in the mailboxes of Soros, Clinton, and Obama.” He later deleted the tweet.
Michael Flynn Jr., the son of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, called the explosive devices “a total false flag operation,” a term also used by other fringe commenters.Michael Flynn Jr., the son of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, called the explosive devices “a total false flag operation,” a term also used by other fringe commenters.
In his first direct comments on the explosive devices, President Trump echoed Vice President Mike Pence’s comments condemning the incidents.In his first direct comments on the explosive devices, President Trump echoed Vice President Mike Pence’s comments condemning the incidents.
I agree wholeheartedly! https://t.co/ndzu0A30vUI agree wholeheartedly! https://t.co/ndzu0A30vU
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill will give a briefing on the explosive device sent to the Time Warner center at the location at 12:45, according to the mayor’s office.Mayor Bill de Blasio, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill will give a briefing on the explosive device sent to the Time Warner center at the location at 12:45, according to the mayor’s office.
Police are also investigating a potential suspicious package at the office of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Sunrise, Florida, NBC’s Miami affiliate reported.
The office has been evacuated and the bomb squad has been sent to the site, according to CNN.
It’s unclear what the package sent to Wasserman Schultz contained and false alarms are not uncommon.
Wasserman Schultz is the former head of the Democratic National Committee.
The package sent to CNN’s studios was addressed to former CIA director John Brennan care of CNN, the network reported.
Brennan, who has clashed publicly with President Trump, is actually a contributor to MSNBC and NBC News and is not affiliated with CNN.
Vice President Mike Pence denounced the attempted attacks in a tweet, calling them “cowardly” and “despicable” and vowing to catch whoever is responsible.
We condemn the attempted attacks against fmr Pres Obama, the Clintons, @CNN & others. These cowardly actions are despicable & have no place in this Country. Grateful for swift response of @SecretService, @FBI & local law enforcement. Those responsible will be brought to justice.
The explosive device sent to CNN was received at 9:30am at the Time Warner Center mailroom, the network’s Brian Stelter reported.
It’s unclear who it was addressed to.
The device contained pipes and wires, CNN has reported.
Hillary Clinton was campaigning for Democrats in Florida and wasn’t at the Clinton family’s Westchester home when the suspicious package addressed to her was found, according to the Associated Press.
But former President Bill Clinton was at the home in Chappaqua, New York. The package was intercepted at a Westchester County screening facility before being sent to the house, a person familiar with the situation told the AP.
The Secret Service says the package was identified during routine mail screening procedures.
The package addressed to Obama was intercepted in Washington, DC, also during the mail screening that the Secret Service performs for former presidents.
Hillary Clinton was scheduled to headline a fundraiser Wednesday for Florida congressional candidate Donna Shalala.
A Secret Service spokeswoman told CNN there was no suspicious package addressed to the White House intercepted. The agency said it intercepted only two packages, the ones addressed to Clinton and Obama.
The latest incidents come after envelopes containing a suspicious substance were sent to the White House and Pentagon earlier this month.
A man was arrested in Utah for sending the envelopes to President Trump, Defense Secretary James Mattis, and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson.
The substance sent to the Pentagon was initially suspected to be the poison risin, but turned out to be castor seeds.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders condemned the attempted attacks. She said in a statement:
“We condemn the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures. 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.”
CNN anchors were on air from New York discussing the other explosive devices when they cut to commercial due to a fire alarm in the studio. They returned to air from Washington, reporting that New York’s Time Warner Center - where the network’s studios are located - had been evacuated due to a suspicious package.
The New York Police Department bomb squad responded to the office in Columbus Circle.
The NYPD said on Twitter that special operations officers “are investigating a suspicious package in Columbus Circle. Please avoid the area. Expect a police presence and heavy traffic in the area. More information to follow.”
Anchors Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow, who had been on air when the alarm went off, continued reporting by cell phone from the street outside the building.
Officers planned to remove the device in a secure vehicle and the bring it to the Rodman’s Neck facility in the Bronx, where the bomb squad is based, according to CNN. They did not plan to detonate it on site.
.@PoppyHarlowCNN and @jimsciutto are doing what good journalists always do: Keep reporting the story. They are standing on a street corner on cell phones on air after our building was evacuated. pic.twitter.com/G7dyt5xldN
Packages containing suspected bombs were sent to the homes of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the Secret Service said on Wednesday.
CNN’s offices in Manhattan have also been evacuated because of a suspicious package, the network said.
Another suspicious package containing a pipe bomb that was addressed to the White House was intercepted.
The incidents came after an explosive device was found in the mailbox at the New York home of George Soros, the prominent Democratic donor.
We’ll be bringing you live updates here as events unfold.