Authorities are searching for "the individual or individuals" behind a wave of foiled attacks targeting prominent Democrats. With dozens of tools at their disposal, it may not take long to find the perpetrators.
At least seven packages containing pipe bombs, some filled with shards of glass, were intercepted before reaching their targets, which included former President Barack Obama and ex-State Secretary Hillary Clinton.
The bombs were made from PVC pipe and packed with a white powder and broken glass. They included a small battery, according to a law enforcement official. The packages, along with the bombs, were sent to an FBI laboratory in Virginia.
"Suffice it to say, it appears an individual or individuals sent out multiple, similar packages," said John Miller, who heads intelligence and counterterrorism at the New York Police Department.
The packages were all nearly identicalImage: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS.com/FBI
'Human involved'
Experts have noted that with today's technologies, it's nearly impossible to not track down the perpetrator.
"If there is a human involved, there is a high probability you're going to get somewhere investigatively," Larry Johnson, who used to head criminal investigations for the US Secret Service, told The Associated Press.
One of the first steps investigators will take is to retrace the path of the packages and see if they can find the post office where the bombs were sent from.
The US Postal Service operates a complex imaging system that takes an image of each package to log its origin. In 2013, the system was used to determine where poison ricin mailed to Obama and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had originated from.
But that's not the only way. Investigators will also be looking at the bombs parts and how it was made while seeking witness accounts and video footage to piece together the clues from the foiled attacks that spanned the country.
Suspicious packages sent to US politicians, media outlets
US officials have intercepted several suspected pipe bombs set to be delivered to top Democratic leaders across the country, including to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. CNN'S New York office was also evacuated.
Image: Reuters/K. Coombs
Police find suspected bombs across the US
US authorities have intercepted several suspicious parcels addressed to top politicians in Washington DC, New York, and Florida, as well as the CNN's Manhattan offices. Police in New York said all of the examined devices appeared to be crude pipe bombs.
Image: Reuters/K. Coombs
Democrats targeted
Many of the people who were mailed suspicious packages are high-profile Democrats. One alleged explosive device was addressed to 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. It was intercepted at a facility near her home outside New York, which she shares with her husband, former US president Bill Clinton.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/W. McNamee
Obamas in crosshairs
Police also intercepted a suspected pipe bomb addressed to former president Barack Obama at his private residence in Washington DC. No injuries have been reported in any of the cases; some items were investigated but found to be harmless.
Image: Reuters/G. Peaks
CNN evacuated
American cable network CNN was forced to evacuate from its Manhattan offices after a parcel was found inside the building. The package was addressed to former CIA director John Brennan, who occasionally contributes to the network. Police eventually managed to remove the object safely.
Image: Reuters/K. Coombs
Cuomo slams parcels as 'terrorism'
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo reported that another parcel was mailed to his office, but this was later disputed by the police. The Democratic official described the wave of parcels as "terrorism" and said he would not be surprised if more were found.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Harnik
Return to sender
Police in Florida are examining a suspicious package delivered to Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). However, some sources reported the package was addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder, and had Schultz listed as sender.
Starting with Soros
The wave of suspicious packages started with US-Hungarian billionaire George Soros, who received a device believed to be a pipe bomb two days before similar parcels were discovered elsewhere. Police found the package at his residence in Katonah, outside of New York City.
Image: Getty Images/S. Gallup
A bomb for Biden?
A day after US police tracked down the package directed to Barack Obama, several media outlets reported that a suspicious parcel addressed to his vice president, Joe Biden, was also discovered in the US state of Delaware.
Image: Reuters/L. Nicholson
De Niro feels the heat
New York police discovered a suspicious package addressed to the famous Holywood actor Robert De Niro near the actor's restaurant in Manhattan. The 75-year-old film star has repeatedly slammed US President Donald Trump, calling him a "punk" and an "embarrassment to this country."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Depasquale
Congresswoman Maxine Waters also under threat
FBI said they were investigating two suspicious packages mailed to senior Democratic lawmaker Maxine Waters. The congresswoman was slammed by Trump as "an extraordinarily low IQ person" in July after she called opponents of Trump's migration policy to harass his Cabinet members.
