Cesar Sayoc's hearing set in Florida court; another package intercepted


Devdiscourse News Desk | Miami | Updated: 29-10-2018 21:54 IST | Created: 29-10-2018 21:34 IST
Cesar Sayoc's hearing set in Florida court; another package intercepted
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The Florida man accused of sending packages containing explosive material to prominent Democrats and other opponents of President Donald Trump is due to make his first court appearance Monday.

An initial hearing is set in Florida federal court for Cesar Sayoc, 56, who faces five federal charges.

The hearing will come hours after a 14th package was intercepted, this one in Atlanta and addressed to CNN.

Another was delivered to the cable network's New York offices last week, causing an evacuation.

On Monday, bomb squads from the FBI and Atlanta police responded to a "suspicious package" at a post office in downtown Atlanta.

The FBI did not identify to whom the package was addressed, but CNN President Jeff Zucker announced that a suspicious package addressed to the cable television network was intercepted Monday at an Atlanta post office.

Authorities did not immediately say who might be responsible for sending the most recent package, but law enforcement officials have said they believe the packages were staggered and more could be discovered.

The network said that the "package looks similar in appearance to the wave of pipe bombs that were mailed last week to prominent Democrats around the country, including two that were addressed to CNN's New York bureau."

Sayoc was arrested Friday outside a South Florida auto parts store after investigators said they identified him through fingerprint and DNA evidence.

Sayoc is being prosecuted in New York, so his Florida hearing will likely be brief and process-oriented.

The main issue will be whether he waives extradition to New York and whether he seeks release on bail.

He is accused of sending bubble-wrapped manila envelopes to Democrats such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.

The packages were intercepted from Delaware to California. At least some listed a return address of US Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former chair of the Democratic National Committee.

She represents the Florida district where the former male stripper, pizza driver and strip club DJ lived in an older van covered with bumper stickers praising President Donald Trump, disparaging Democrats and CNN and showing rifle crosshairs over liberals like Clinton and filmmaker Michael Moore.

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.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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