(Image source from: www.straitstimes.com)
A man suspected of sending at least 14 mail explosive devices to eminent critics of the United States President Donald Trump in the approach to next month's national elections was arrested on Friday in Florida and charged with five federal felonies.
The 56-year-old Cesar Sayoc was taken into detention outside an auto parts store in Plantation, Florida, near Miami.
Authorities grabbed a white van belonging to him, the windows of which were covered with pro-Trump stickers, the motto "CNN SUCKS" and pictures of Democratic politicians with red cross-hairs over their faces.
Fingerprint and DNA proof was used to recognize Sayoc, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray warned that his arrest did not certainly end the menace.
"There may be other packages in transit now and other packages on the way," Wray said.
One federal law enforcement source told Reuters that authorities were still investigating whether other individuals were involved and did not rule out the possibility of more arrests.
Sayoc's arrest followed an aggravated four-day-old manhunt for whoever was accountable for at least 14 pipe bombs mailed to high-profile Democrats and others are known as outspoken critics of Trump, including former U.S. President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who Trump defeated in the 2016 presidential race.
The first of the bombs surfaced on Monday at the Westchester County, New York, home of billionaire Democratic donor George Soros. Four packages turned up on Friday, the 14th being addressed to a major contributor to the Democratic Party, Tom Steyer in San Francisco.
Each consisted of explosive material packed in a plastic pipe and wired to a small clock and a battery, Wray said.
All the explosive devices were seized prior to reaching their intended targets and without exploding, and no one has been injured.
The bombs have heightened tensions during what was already a highly contentious campaign season ahead of the November 6 elections in which Democrats are battling to seize control of Congress now held by Trump's Republican Party.
If convicted on all charges, Sayoc would face up to 48 years in prison, officials said."We will not tolerate such lawlessness, especially political violence," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a press conference announcing the charges.
-Sowmya Sangam
