US bomb threats: At least six suspicious packages sent to Obamas, Clintons and news media organisations across America

Donald Trump says acts were 'domestic terrorism'

Alarm goes off in CNN newsroom while on air as Time Warner Center evacuated

Donald Trump has called the several packages containing explosive devices or suspected of containing them, acts of "domestic terrorism".

Mr Trump, addressing the situation at the White House, said it was "egregious" and said the American people need "to unify, we have to come together".

Suspected explosive devices have been sent to both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and packages suspected of containing such devices were sent to former US Attorney General Eric Holder, former CIA Director John Brennan, and US House Democrat Maxine Waters. The series of incidents come just two days after a bomb was sent to the home of billionaire George Soros.

The packages to the Clintons, Obamas, and Ms Waters were intercepted before reaching any of them.

Another package containing a “live” explosive device and “white powder” was sent to the mailroom of CNN at their offices in the Time Warner Building in Manhattan, just a few steps away from a Trump International Hotel.

House Democrat and former chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida was listed as the sender/return address on the packages to the Clintons, Obamas, and Mr Brennan.

Her name, as well as Mr Brennan’s, was misspelled on the CNN package. Mr Brennan does not work for the network, but frequently appears on MSNBC.

An additional package was also sent to the Manhattan office of Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, but it was deemed as “safe” by the New York Police Department and contained a USB drive of “literature”.

Yet another package was labelled as “suspicious” in the building housing a district office of Democratic Senator Kamala Harris and the San Diego Union Tribune newspaper in San Diego, California. It was also deemed safe by police and was not addressed to the senator.

Follow the news updates as they happened

Please allow a moment for the live blog to load

Key Points

• Offices of Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Senator Kamala Harris evacuated
• CNN offices evacuated over reports of 'pipe bomb'
• Secret Service find suspicious package outside home of Barack Obama
• Suspected 'bomb' found at New York home of Bill and Hillary Clinton

[24 October 2018 21:54 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement the packages investigation is "of the highest priority" for the bureau and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, a collaborative between several federal law enforcement agencies is also helping with figuring out who sent the pipe bombs and white powder in packages to two former presidents, prominent Democrats, and CNN. 

The bureau advised: "The packages were mailed in manila envelopes with bubble wrap interior. The packages were affixed with computer-printed address labels and six Forever stamps. All packages had a return address of “DEBBIE WASSERMAN SHULTZ” [sic] in Florida."

They have also warned the public that "it is possible that additional packages were mailed to other locations. The FBI advises the public to remain vigilant and not touch, move or handle any suspicious or unknown packages." 

[24 October 2018 22:17 · Mythili Sampathkumar]

Those are all the updates we have on the suspicious packages with explosive devices sent earlier today around the US. We will have further reporting on the incidents and the investigation over at independent.co.uk/us