Pipe-bomb suspect had hit list of targets, official says

MIAMI — The man suspected of sending pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and other opponents of President Donald Trump kept a “hit list” of more than 100 potential political targets, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation.

The 56-year-old Aventura man, arrested Friday in Florida on charges of sending more than a dozen pipe bombs in manila envelopes to Democratic targets across the country, wrote down the names and addresses on the list. The document, which includes the names of some targets already sent bombs through the mail, was found in the van in which Sayoc lived and where he is suspected of making the explosive devices, sources said.

U.S. authorities have notified some of the potential targets on the list as investigators continued to track more possible mailings, including one recovered Monday at an Atlanta postal facility that was addressed to CNN’s headquarters. Law enforcement officials have said they believe the packages were mailed in a staggered fashion and that more could be discovered.

The disclosure came as Sayoc made his initial court appearance in Miami federal court Monday, saying little but tearing up. Wearing short-cropped hair with a ponytail, he did identify himself to the judge as Cesar Sayoc.

One law enforcement official said authorities had recovered soldering equipment, a printer and stamps similar to those used on the package bombs in the investigation into Sayoc. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.

The FBI said via its Twitter account that the recovered package in Atlanta was “similar in appearance” to the bubble-wrapped manila envelopes authorities say were sent by Sayoc to intended targets from Delaware to California, including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Joe Biden.

CNN President Jeff Zucker says all mail to CNN has been screened offsite since last week, when a series of package bombs began appearing across the country. Among them were two apparent mail bombs sent to CNN.

Sayoc, a former male stripper, pizza driver and strip club DJ, lived in an older van covered with bumper stickers praising Trump, disparaging Democrats and CNN and showing rifle crosshairs over liberals like Clinton and filmmaker Michael Moore.

At Monday’s hearing, federal prosecutors said they will seek to keep Sayoc jailed until trial as a flight risk and a danger to the community. A judge set another hearing for Friday on whether to grant bail to Sayoc and to discuss when he will be sent from Miami to New York, where five federal charges were filed.

One of Sayoc’s attorneys, Daniel Aaronson, urged people not to rush to judgment based on media reports.

“Right now, we know very, very, very little,” Aaronson said of the case. “We do not know all the evidence the government has. You have to keep in mind he has not been found guilty of anything.”

Authorities say Sayoc faces more than 50 years in prison if convicted on all charges. None of the bombs exploded and no one was injured.

So far, a total of 15 similar manila packages containing crudely made explosives have been linked to Sayoc’s alleged mailbomb campaign. Law enforcement sources said there are still some concerns that more packages might be in transit or in other postal facilities, a worry elevated by the latest find in Atlanta and the discovery of the target list.