THE MAGA BOMBER UNMASKED?
Trump supporter charged over bombs to the President’s critics
‘Worse than September 11th’
A BODYBUILDING Donald Trump supporter was arrested and charged yesterday in the search for the ‘MAGA bomber’ who has terrorised America.
Cesar Sayoc, 56, was held in Plantation, Florida, soon after a twelfth device was found addressed to another opponent of the US president.
Pictures of Sayoc on social media show him at a Trump rally near the White House wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat – the president’s campaign slogan. The terrorist has been dubbed the MAGA bomber after the same catchphrase.
Former President Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and actor Robert De Niro were among Mr Trump’s critics sent devices.
Last night the director of the FBI, Christopher Wray, confirmed 13 explosive devices had been found. He said the pipe bombs were ‘not a hoax’ and warned there could be more.
He said Sayoc had been charged with five federal crimes: interstate transportation of an explosive, mailing of explosives, threats against former presidents and threatening inter-state communications. If tried and convicted, he faces up to 58 years in prison.
Mr Wray told a press conference a single fingerprint on a package was sent to Democrat congress woman Maxine Waters was determined to be from the suspect.
Investigators made a possible DNA connection between samples on two separate bombs and a sample from Sayoc from an earlier Florida arrest.
According to reports in the US, Sayoc has been arrested on several occasions, including for making terrorist-style threats.
In 2002, Miami police arrested him for making a bomb threat against a power firm. The report said Sayoc claimed: ‘It would be worse than September 11th.’
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation.
Sayoc is a registered Republican who owns a dry cleaning business. His LinkedIn page says he is a choreographer and promoter of male strip shows.
Images on social media show him in Washington wearing a Tshirt which reads ‘My President’ with a photo of Mr Trump.
TV footage revealed police taking away a white van that had been plastered with pictures. Close-up images, believed to be of the same van, showed Hillary Clin- ton’s face with a target on it. One slogan reads: ‘The swamp to be drained’.
As Sayoc was questioned, officials said it was possible more arrests could follow as agents tried to establish if there were any more devices.
The bomber’s five-day campaign continued yesterday as a suspicious package was found at a US Postal Service facility on 52nd Street in New York, close to Times Square.
It was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper – a staunch critic of Donald Trump – at the office of CNN where he is a contributor. The news channel’s studio at the Time Warner building was evacuated on Tuesday when a bomb was sent to John Brennan, the former CIA director.
A twelfth bomb was then found at a mail facility in Opa-locka, a suburb of Miami, and was addressed to Democratic Senator Cory Booker, a possible presidential candidate for 2020.
Southern Florida had become the focus of the investigation after the FBI discovered that several of the bombs were sent from there. A local TV station showed footage of a SWAT team outside an Auto-Zone car parts store in Plantation, where the arrest was made. The suspect lives in nearby Aventura and has ties to New York, law enforcement officials said.
The arrest came just hours after Mr Trump suggested the bombing campaign was a conspiracy against him, less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
He wrote on Twitter: ‘Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this “Bomb” stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows.
‘News not talking politics. Very unfortunate, what is going on.’
But after the arrest, Mr Trump appeared to make a swift U-turn.
Speaking at the White House, he said: ‘These terrorising acts are despicable and have no place in our country. We must never allow political violence to take root in America. I’m committed to doing everything in my power as president to stop it.’
Mr Trump added: ‘We must show the world we are united together in peace and love and harmony as fellow American citizens. There is no country like our country and every day we are showing the world how truly great we are.’
The bomb sent to CNN yesterday was discovered by a postal worker who recognised the manila envelope and rows of American flag stamps on the other packages.
Mr Clapper said that the bombing campaign was ‘definitely domestic terrorism’. He told CNN: ‘I think anyone who has publicly been a critic of President Trump needs to be on extra alert.’
The first package was found at the New York home of billionaire Democratic donor George Soros on Monday. Another parcel was sent to a Manhattan restaurant owned by Mr De Niro.
Yesterday, the Goodfellas star said: ‘There’s something more powerful than bombs, and that’s your vote.’