UPDATE via the Secret Service. No device found targeting the White House.
CLARIFICATION: At this time the Secret Service has intercepted TWO suspicious packages – one in NY and one in D.C. Reports of a third intercepted package addressed to the WH are incorrect. We refer media to our statement: https://t.co/lJdTn04KmI
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) October 24, 2018
Earlier Secret Service statement:
“The U.S. Secret Service has intercepted two suspicious packages addressed to Secret Service
protectees. Late on October 23, 2018, the Secret Service recovered a single package addressed to Former First Lady Hillary Clinton in Westchester County, New York. Early this morning, October 24, 2018, a second package addressed
to the residence of Former President Barack Obama was intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington,
DC. The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive
devices and were appropriately handled as such. Both packages were intercepted prior to being delivered to
their intended location. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.
The Secret Service has initiated a full scope criminal investigation that will leverage all available federal, state,
and local resources to determine the source of the packages and identify those responsible.”
Previous: A suspected explosive device mailed to the White House was intercepted by the Secret Service at an offsite
mail location at Joint Base Bolling in Southwest Washington, D.C. , CNN reported on air said Wednesday morning.
That report was soon contradicted by a Reuters report that no suspicious device addressed to the White House was found. A few minutes later Reuters posted a report saying there was a device found.
https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1055098891471912960
None of the suspicious packages were addressed to the White House, source says, denying earlier reports from CNN and Reuters – REU
— BNO News (@BNONews) October 24, 2018
Excerpt of Reuters report updated at 10:48 a.m. EDT:
“Federal authorities are investigating suspicious packages sent to the White House, former U.S. President Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secret Service and a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.”
UPDATE: MSNBC reported on air the suspected devices sent to CNN, the Clintons, Obamas and Soros this week are all similar and were sent in manila packages with stamps on them bearing “return address of a prominent Democrat”. The MSNBC report did not include a description of the suspect White House package.
Earlier Wednesday morning before the reports on a package targeting the White House, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement on the Obama, Clinton and Soros suspected mail bombs.
“We condemn the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures. These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards.”
UPDATE: Reuters at 11:36 a.m. EDT reports no suspicious device found in White House mail:
Excerpt: “There was no suspicious package addressed to the White House on Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. Earlier, the source believed there had been a package intercepted.”
Fox News also reported on air the there was no suspicious device mailed to the White House.
