Florida man charged in connection with mailed explosive devices

The US authorities arrested a 56-year-old person in Florida on federal charges Friday in connection with at least a dozen explosive devices sent this week to top Democratic politicians and high-profile critics of U.S. President Donald Trump.

US officials named the man as Cesar Sayoc, saying that more arrests could follow.

Cesar Sayoc, 56, a former stripper and professional wrestler once charged with threatening to bomb an electric company for trying to shut off his lights, was taken into custody by federal agents outside an auto parts store in Plantation, Florida, near Miami.

Authorities also seized a white van belonging to Sayoc, its windows plastered with pro-Trump stickers, the slogan “CNN SUCKS” and images of Democratic leaders with red cross-hairs over their faces.

The investigation into this week’s wave of suspicious packages focused on southern Florida and a mail sorting facility in the area.

Trump said the acts were "despicable and have no place in our country", and promised "swift and certain justice".

Twelve items have been sent in recent days to figures like ex-president Barack Obama and actor Robert de Niro.

The latest two were found in Florida and New York City on Friday.

No one claimed responsibility for parcel bombs, which were denounced by authorities as terrorism, and came less than two weeks ahead of U.S. congressional elections that could alter the balance of power in Washington.

Police found two of the suspicious packages on Friday addressed to U.S. Senator Cory Booker and James Clapper, the former U.S. director of national intelligence, officials said.

The 11th package was addressed to Booker, a Democratic senator from New Jersey, and was discovered at a mail sorting facility in Florida, the FBI said. A 12th package was addressed to Clapper at cable network CNN and was intercepted at a New York City post office, a federal law enforcement official said.