Sayoc makes first court appearance
Cesar Sayoc, the man suspected of sending at least 15 potentially explosive devices to high profile Democrats and Trump critics, had a list of over 100 potential targets, according to recent reports.
The reports came as the 56-year-old half-Filipino, half-Italian U.S. citizen appeared in federal court in Florida for the first time on Monday, October 29 where he was ordered held without bail after being arrested by FBI last Friday, October 26.
Sayoc faces five federal charges—interstate transportation of an explosive, illegal mailing of explosives, threats against former presidents, threatening interstate communications, and assaulting federal officers — and could receive up to 48 years in prison if convicted.
Federal authorities have not yet publicly released the names of the targeted individuals and organizations on the list, but have begun privately notifying those listed.
The Associated Press reported that more elected officials were included in the list.
The FBI also reported early Monday that authorities intercepted a suspicious package on Monday that was addressed to CNN’s office in Atlanta. They said the package looked “similar in appearance to the others” that were previously addressed to other intended targets.
“The FBI has confirmed a package has been recovered in Atlanta, similar in appearance to the others, addressed to CNN,” tweeted the FBI Monday afternoon.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said Friday that each mailed device contained six inches of PVC pipe, battery, a clock, wires, and potentially explosive material.
CNN’s president, Jeff Zucker, said in a statement on Monday that there was “no imminent danger” to CNN Center.
The New York Times on Monday also reported that Sayoc may have been considering threatening other media outlets, as one of the names on the list recovered by authorities Monday was an editor for the Times.
“While the agents urged the employee to exercise caution, they also played down the likelihood of any imminent threat,” the Times reported.
Authorities were led to Sayoc last week via DNA from fingerprints, and social media posts. He was later revealed to be a half-Filipino registered Republican with a long criminal background dating back to 1991.
Officials said that as of Friday, October 26, authorities intercepted 14 packages sent by Sayoc to potential targets, many of which were sent through the U.S. mail system.
Potential political targets revealed earlier included former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former CIA director John Brennan, and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), among others.
The first of last week’s 14 packages was found in billionaire Democratic donor George Soros’ mailbox in New York. A number of law enforcement officials said that federal authorities believed it to have been left by someone, and not delivered by mail.
Sayoc, as of Monday, was being held at a federal detention center in Miami. His next hearing is slated to take place on Friday in New York where many of the explosives were sent, and where prosecutors are seeking to transfer him.
