Man arrested in connection with pipe bombs; one mailed to Cory Booker's Camden office

U.S. Senator Cory Booker at the podium during a press conference at the Hoboken Train Terminal regarding the NTSB's report on the train accident last year that killed one woman in Hoboken, not pictured, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09), and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, Friday February 09, 2018.

Federal authorities arrested a Florida man in connection with the mail-bomb scare that had widened to 13 suspicious packages, including one addressed to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker Friday, a Justice Department official said Friday.

Booker joined the list of Democrats targeted by suspicious packages after authorities were alerted to a bomb addressed to his Camden office Thursday night, said Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson. 

The package was found at a Florida mail processing facility, the FBI said Friday. The FBI said the device was "similar to the others" sent in the past several days.

Cesar Sayoc, 56, a registered Republican, was arrested Friday morning in Plantation, Florida. He is charged with five federal crimes, including interstate transportation of an explosive, illegal mailing of an explosive and threats against former presidents, in connection with the mailing of bomb-like devices. He was charged with a felony in 2002 for threatening to “throw, project, place, or discharge any destructive device.” 

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Booker took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to thank law enforcement's efforts.

"Cowardly acts of terror will never silence or intimidate Americans – they will only strengthen our resolve to stand against fear & hatred," Booker wrote. Aides in Booker's office declined to comment further.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said at a news conference the improvised explosive devices that were intercepted included potential explosive material in a pipe, as well as a clock, battery and wiring.

"These are not hoax devices," Wray said, though he added later that technicians were still trying to determine if they were functional. He also said it was possible that more packages had been sent that had not been discovered.

There were increased security sweeps Friday morning at Booker’s South Jersey office, which is at 2 Riverside Drive along the Camden waterfront.

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Officials from Camden County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives swept the building with K-9s trained to detect explosives. They concentrated on areas that included Booker’s fifth-floor office and the mailroom, Thomson said, describing the process as methodical and precautionary.

“There is no danger to any of the residents in the city or to people in this building,” the chief said. “Nothing of a suspicious nature has been intercepted or found here.”

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The building is owned by the Delaware River Port Authority and is the site of the agency’s headquarters. Others with offices at the building include the U.S. Marshals Service and the Cooper’s Ferry Development Association.

John Hanson, chief executive officer of the DRPA, told reporters that authorities acted "in an abundance of caution to check the building out, and cleared it. Everything's fine and we're going to go about business as usual."

Several packages have been sent to prominent Democrats within the past two days. CNN, the Clintons, George Soros, the Obamas, former Vice President Joe Biden and Robert De Niro have been sent suspicious packages that contained suspected explosive devices.

Booker, 49, has been traveling the country to boost Democrats running in the midterm elections. Widely believed to be considering a run for president in 2020, his travels have recently taken him to key states in the nominating process including Iowa and South Carolina, and he will speak in New Hampshire on Sunday.

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The first-term senator raised his profile but drew condemnation from the right as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings. Booker broke committee rules by reading from documents that had been deemed confidential during his questioning of Kavanaugh, and later published confidential and public emails online from Kavanaugh’s time in President George W. Bush’s White House.

A potential pipe bomb was also sent to another Democrat on the committee believed to be planning a 2020 run, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, according to the government's complaint against Sayoc. 

No suspicious packages have been sent to Gov. Phil Murphy, and his Department of Homeland Security is giving “full support” to the FBI, ATF and state police in New Jersey and New York in their investigations, according to the administration.

Sen. Bob Menendez expressed relief on Friday that the package intended for Booker did not reach his New Jersey friend and colleague. He also was pleased to learn that a suspect had been apprehended.

“We worry about our staff. We’re being incredibly cautious,” Menendez said of the threat, particularly targeting Democrats. His New Brunswick office has procedures for checking incoming packages and letters, and the U.S. Postal Service has conducted a review of those practices, he said.    

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None of the devices sent to political and public figures have exploded or resulted in any reported injuries. The reasons for that remain unclear, said John Cohen, a former counter-terrorism coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security and distinguished professor at Rutgers University.

They could have been built by someone “who doesn’t know what they’re doing” or designed in a way to not detonate, he said. Either way, the intent appears to be to cause fear and discord, he said.

“Just because the device is not intended to harm somebody doesn’t mean this isn’t a serious public safety issue,” Cohen said. “Clearly, somebody with some ideology or political cause is seeking to create chaos and fear and influence political opinion.”

Law enforcement works closely with United States Postal Service and private shipping companies to train them on recognizing suspicious packages and to know what to do when a package is flagged as suspect, Cohen said.

Jared Maples, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, said authorities were working closely with federal, state and local counterparts to deal with the threat involving improvised explosive devises sent to public figures. He reminded the public to be vigilant.

"NJOHSP encourages all residents and visitors to report suspicious activity and packages to local law enforcement and to our Counterterrorism Watch desk by calling 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ or by emailing tips@njohsp.gov," he said.

North Jersey reporters Kaitlyn Kanzler and Owen Proctor and statehouse reporter Dustin Racioppi contributed to this story.