Another suspicious package addressed to CNN intercepted

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Washington : US authorities has intercepted another suspicious package addressed to the main offices of CNN, bringing to 14 the number of packages with the same characteristics sent to key Democrats and to the cable news network.

"The #FBI has confirmed a package has been recovered in Atlanta, similar in appearance to the others, addressed to CNN," the FBI said on its official Twitter account, Efe reported on Monday.

"For the third time in a week, a suspicious package has been addressed to CNN. This time, on Monday morning, the package was intercepted in Atlanta, the home to CNN's worldwide headquarters," the news network tweeted.

CNN president Jeff Zucker said in a statement that there is no "imminent danger" to the firm's headquarters, located in Atlanta.

"This package would not have come directly to the CNN Center, even if it hadn't been intercepted first," Zucker said in a statement. "Our screening process is working, and we will keep you updated as we learn more."

"All mail, at all CNN domestic bureaus, is being screened at off-site facilities," a system that he said was started Wednesday. "Our screening process is working," he added.

The find took place after last week other similar packages were sent to former US President Barack Obama and ex-Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, although there evidently was no risk that those two people would have personally opened them.

Billionaire financier and philanthropist George Soros also received one of the packages, and another was sent to the Time Warner building in New York, where CNN has its offices and studios in that city but that one was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, another of President Donald Trump's political enemies, according to US media outlets.

In addition, another package was found in the Sunrise, Florida, office of Democratic lawmaker Debbie Wasserman Schultz mis-addressed to former US Attorney General Eric Holder, who served in that post during Obama's first term.

The return address on the package -- as on all the packages -- was Schultz's office.

The presumed sender of the packages, Cesar Sayoc, a South Florida resident, was arrested last Friday and had five charges filed against him for the attacks which could land him in prison for up to 48 years.

Law enforcement authorities tracked down Sayoc after they found one of his fingerprints on the package he sent to Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and after his arrest they said that there could be more packages still in the mail.

According to local media, Sayoc will appear in a Miami federal court for the first time on Monday afternoon.

Published : Tuesday, October 30, 2018 01:30 [IST]
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