Official says the pipebomb suspect had hit list of targets

MIAMI» The man suspected of sending pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and other opponents of President Donald Trump kept a list of elected officials and others who investigators believe were intended targets, an official told The Associated Press on Monday.

The disclosure came as 56yearold Cesar Sayoc made his initial court appearance in Miami federal court Monday, saying little but tearing up, and after bomb squads were called to a post office in Atlanta about a suspicious mailing to CNN similar to the pipe bomb packages recovered in the case last week.

The official said authorities had recovered soldering equipment, a printer and stamps similar to those used on the package bombs in the investigation into Sayoc, who was arrested last week in Florida. Authorities believe Sayoc was putting explosives together in his van.

The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity to the AP. The official also said that, as part of the investigation, authorities were scrutinizing Sayoc’s social media posts.

The FBI said via its Twitter account that the recovered package in Atlanta was “similar in appearance” to the bubblewrapped 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 around the country. Among them were two apparent mail bombs sent to CNN.

At least some listed a return address of U.S. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former chair of the Democratic National Committee.

She represents the South Florida district where the 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.