Suspect in mail bombs sent to former US presidents arrested

New York Police Department press conference on suspicious package found in Manhattan, hours before suspect's arrest. Photo: Reuters

The Ministry of Justice is expected to hold a press conference on the case at 2:30 p.m. (local time) the same day, or 1:30 a.m. (October 27, Vietnam time).

Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed Justice Department official as saying that the suspect appeared to have acted alone. He was arrested in a parking lot in the state of Florida.

Many bomb experts and analysts believe that based on the shape of the discovered bombs, it seems that the perpetrators wanted to cause panic and fear, rather than actually cause harm to the recipients.

Since October 24, a series of packages containing explosive devices have been sent to former US President Barack Obama's office in Washington, the private residence of former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton in suburban New York, the former workplace of former CNN Director John Brennan, and several other people.

A day later, similar packages were also sent to former Vice President Joe Biden and the home of veteran actor Robert De Niro - who often criticizes current President Donald Trump.

Federal law enforcement officials said all of the "pipe bombs" were defused and none of the recipients were injured in the incidents.

However, most recently, suspicious packages continued to be sent to US Senator Cory Booker and former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper.

According to CNN, a bomb squad has searched a postal center near Miami, Florida, where authorities believe a number of packages containing pipe bombs originated.

The incident took place at a sensitive time, with less than two weeks left until the midterm elections that will decide whether the Democratic or Republican Party will control both houses of the US Congress, and quickly became the subject of a series of conspiracy theories.

Some believe that Republicans want to terrorize their Democratic opponents before the election. Others scoff that Democrats are crying in their own drama to win the hearts of voters.