Miami
The disclosure came as 56-year-old Cesar Sayoc made his initial court appearance in Miami federal court on Monday and after bomb squads were called to a post office in Atlanta about a suspicious package sent to CNN.
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 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 said all mail to CNN has been screened offsite since last week.
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. A judge set another hearing for on 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.