Mail bomb suspect ‘sick’

THE suspected Florida mail bomber is a lost and “sick individual” who estranged himself from his family but eventually “found a father” in President Donald Trump, his family’s lawyer said.

Cesar Sayoc, 56, was abandoned by his father as a child and “has told his mother that he hates her”, lawyer Ronald Lowy said.

“This was someone lost, he was looking for anything and he found a father in Trump,” Mr Lowy said.

Though Mr Sayoc’s dad is Filipino and his mum is Italian, the steroid-abusing bodybuilder claimed to be of Native American descent because he was trying to create an identity – which he found by becoming obsessed with Mr Trump, Mr Lowy said.

“He doesn’t seem to recognise reality. He lives in a fantasy world,” Mr Lowy said.

“The signs of mental illness are clearly there.”

Mr Lowy, who has represented Mr Sayoc in four prior criminal cases, said the suspected mail bomber had “trouble articulating concepts” and “doesn’t live life in a normal way”.

“You talk to him and he speaks like a 15-year-old, like a child,” Mr Lowy said. “This seems like such a sophisticated crime, I have trouble believing he had the mental capacity to create operating bombs.”

Mr Sayoc’s mum found out her son had been arrested when she woke up from surgery on Friday, Mr Lowy said.

“My heart goes out to these people because you couldn’t imagine a more decent and loving family. They did everything they could,” he said.

Mr Sayoc was arrested on Friday and charged with sending 13 devices to prominent critics of President Trump.

He was arrested near an auto parts store in Plantation, Florida, north of Miami. Across the street, Thomas Fiori, a former federal law enforcement officer, said he saw about 50 armed officers swarm a man standing outside a white van.