Donald Trump Praises Arrest In Connection With 12 Bombs Sent To Trump Critics
UPDATED: President Donald Trump commended those who apprehended Floridian Cesar Sayoc Jr. in connection with “packages and devices” that have been mailed to “high profile figures throughout the country and a media organization.”
“I am pleased to inform you that law enforcement has apprehended a suspect,” Trump said this afternoon at a previously scheduled White House meeting, calling it “an incredible job by law enforcement.”
“These terrorizing acts are despicable and have no place in our country. No place,” Trump said.
“We must never allow political violence to take root in America. We cannot let it happen and I’m committed to doing everything in my power to stop it, and to stop it now.”
“The bottom line is Americans must unify,” said Trump, who tweeted this morning suggesting the sending of “‘bomb’ stuff” – he put the word bomb in quotes – had been timed to damage GOP momentum heading into the midterm elections.
“We must show the world that we are united together in peace and love and harmony as fellow American citizens,” Trump said.
Fox News Channel was first to show viewers photos of the suspect atttending Trump rallies.
“There is no country like our country. And every day we are showing he world just how truly great we are,” Trump said in his announcement of the arrest.
Not long after Trump had tweeted this morning complaining about the damage the “‘bomb’ stuff” was having on GOP midterm momentum, federal authorities arrested Sayoc in South Florida in connection to
the suspected explosive packages sent to Trump critics.
CNN, which was intended recipient of two of the bombs, first reported the arrested; MSNBC firs identified the man as Sayoc.
The arrest of the 56-year-old in Plantation Florida, came four days after the first suspicious package was delivered to the
home of Dem supporter George Soros on Monday night.
As news operations brought viewers up to date, law enforcement officials with the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service
were seen on screen surrounding and covering Sayoc’s van with a blue tarp, in order to cover windows plastered with photos of Trump and Veep Mike Pence, the Presidential Seal, and a bumper sticker that reads “CNN Sucks.”
As reports of the arrest unfolded on air, authorities in Sacramento, California said they were investigating a suspected explosive device in a package addressed to Sen. Kamala Harris. That would bring to 13 the number of pipe bombs sent this week to critics of President Trump, and CNN, also including Robert De Niro, former President Obama, and Hillary Clinton.
FBI tweeted a press briefing on the development would be held Friday at 2:30 PM ET a the Department of Justice in Washington D.C.:
The #FBI can confirm we have one person in custody. There will be a press conference in Washington, D.C. at the Department of Justice at 2:30pm ET.
— FBI (@FBI) October 26, 2018
CNN reports Sayoc has an exensive criminal history and ties to New York, was arrested without incident. MSNBC report they had known of a person of interest in Florida but held off reporting to assist authorities in their effort to investigate and apprehend.
“The tone was changing yesterday,” CNN’s crime and justice reporter Shimon Prokupecz said of conversations with his sources as they zeroed in on this person of interest.
Word of the arrest came after postal workers found two more suspicious packages; one, found in Florida, was addressed to New Jersey’s Dem Sen. Cory Booker. The other, discovered at a Manhattan post office, was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper at CNN’s Manhattan HQ.
More to come…
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