In the US, a man in court has pleaded guilty to sending several letter bombs to critics of US President Donald Trump. 57-year-old Cesar Sayoc blamed a New York court, the Wall Street Journal and CNN reported.
The series of letter bombs were addressed last October to former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but could all be intercepted. Addressees included former CIA director James Brennan, billionaire and donor to the opposition Democrats, George Soros, actor Robert De Niro, and CNN television. None of the explosives exploded.
Sayoc had been arrested in Florida a few days after the package was discovered. The investigators accuse him of having sent a total of 16 parcels. Sayoc has been charged with several charges, including sending explosives and threatening former presidents. He had originally pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces a long prison sentence.
The alleged perpetrator is considered a supporter of US President Trump. He lived in a minivan decorated with Trump stickers. In addition, there were pictures of Trump critics, were painted on the crosshairs. As several US media had reported back then, he had several criminal records. He was arrested in 2002 for a bomb threat. He was also prosecuted for theft, fraud and drug offenses. According to the New York Times, the detainee is registered as a Republican voter.
The attempted attacks had fallen into the period shortly before the congressional elections on 6 November. US President Donald Trump had condemned the bombs, but at the same time accused the media of using false reports to poison the country’s climate.
