Booker, seen as a potential candidate for the 2020 presidential election, is among politicians, other public figures and TV news network CNN to have been singled out in the campaign.

The announcement came as hundreds of officers from the bureau, US Secret Service and other agencies hunted the culprit or culprits behind a series of devices sent by mail or courier that politicians on all sides have branded “terrorism.”

US media said a 12th package addressed to former director of national intelligence James Clapper had been intercepted in Manhattan, although the reports were not immediately confirmed.

Clapper is among a number of former intelligence chiefs who have been harsh critics of Trump since he took office, and have been threatened with having their security clearances revoked.

Since Monday, crude, homemade bombs and other suspected explosive devices have been addressed to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, CNN, liberal billionaire donor George Soros and other figures loathed by the US president’s supporters.

Packages have been intercepted in New York, Maryland, Florida, Delaware and Los Angeles.

So far, no one has been hurt, but the attempted bomb-spree has frayed nerves and raised tensions ahead of key mid-term elections in less than two weeks.

AFP

26/10/2018