(CNN) -- BREAKING NEWS 10:55 A.M. ET: Federal authorities have arrested a man in connection to the suspected explosive packages discovered this week, multiple law enforcement sources tell CNN.

ORIGINAL STORY: Authorities have intercepted suspicious packages intended for Sen. Cory Booker and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, authorities said Friday.

The packages are the latest to be sent to prominent Democrats and critics of President Donald Trump that were discovered earlier this week.

The FBI said Friday that the package addressed to Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, was discovered in Florida and is "similar in appearance to the others." Sources told CNN the package was addressed to the senator's Camden, New Jersey, office. Booker confirmed the package was intended for him but declined to comment further to CNN.

The package intended for Clapper also was addressed to CNN, a law enforcement official said. It was found at a New York City postal facility and was similar to the other packages, the official added.

The package arrived in a manila envelope with six US flag stamps, similar to other packages discovered this week. The return address is that of Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Florida office, which was the address on packages intended for former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, billionaire and Democratic donor George Soros, actor Robert De Niro, former Attorney General Eric Holder, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former CIA Director John Brennan. There is no information that suggests Wasserman Schultz sent the packages.

Trump was being briefed on the latest developments Friday morning, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. As the situation unfolded, the President tweeted about illegal immigration, a key campaign issue he's highlighted ahead of the midterm elections.

On Thursday, two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation told CNN that the nationwide manhunt for the person or people who sent the potential bombs has led authorities to a mail facility in Opa-locka, Florida.

Law enforcement authorities are treating the bombs as a domestic terror matter. The motive is unknown, but the recipients are all prominent targets of right-wing criticism and, in many cases, of Trump himself.

Speaking at the Justice Department Friday morning, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said various agencies, including the FBI and Secret Service, were "working tirelessly" to investigate the packages.

"I can tell you this: we will find the person -- persons responsible, and we're going to bring them to justice," Sessions said. A Justice official told CNN that Sessions canceled a trip to Louisiana scheduled for Friday to ensure that all resources, such as his plane and personnel required for his travel, would be available for the ongoing investigation.

Clapper, who has frequently criticized Trump, vowed to CNN Friday morning that he wouldn't be intimidated in light of the discovery.

"I do want to just echo one thing that John Brennan said and that this is not going to silence the administration's critics," Clapper said.

This story is breaking and will be updated. </s> Federal authorities have arrested one individual in connection with suspected explosives sent to top Democrats, former senior US officials and prominent critics of President Donald Trump, the Department of Justice said on Friday.

The news of the arrest came not long after authorities said two more suspicious packages were found on Friday, bringing the total number of suspect packages discovered over the past week to 12.

The name and location of the individual were not immediately disclosed, but officials are expected to provide additional details at a news conference later in the day.

The two new packages discovered on Friday were addressed to US Senator Cory Booker and James Clapper, the former US director of national intelligence.

There were also reports that a possible second package addressed to Clapper was discovered at a US mail facility in New York. Those reports have not been confirmed.

"This is definitely domestic terrorism, no question about it in my mind," Clapper told CNN. "This is not going to silence the administration's critics."

Prior to the arrest, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Friday that the Justice Department was dedicating every available resource to the investigation and "I can tell you this: We will find the person or persons responsible. We will bring them to justice."

In Florida, where the investigation was focused, local police and canine units joined federal investigators on Thursday to examine a sprawling US mail distribution centre at Opa-Locka, northwest of Miami.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Florida appeared to be the starting point for at least some of the bomb shipments.

"I am confident that this person or people will be brought to justice," Nielsen told Fox News Channel on Thursday.

The wave of parcel bombs has been denounced by authorities as terrorism and comes less than two weeks before US congressional elections. The results could alter the balance of power in Washington, DC.

Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC on Friday that the mail bombs were stoking fear across the county and that US leaders, including Trump, must reassure the public.

"Elected officials and others need to say that this is not who we are as a country," Warner said. "That would be a heck of a lot stronger if that message also came from the White House."

All the individuals targeted by the suspicious packages have often been maligned by right-wing critics. They included Democratic Party donor George Soros, former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, and former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The FBI said that at least five of the packages bore a return address from the Florida office of US Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former chair of the Democratic National Committee.

There has been an outcry from Trump's critics, who charged that his inflammatory rhetoric against Democrats and the press has created a climate for politically motivated violence.

After first calling for "unity" and civil discourse on Wednesday, Trump lashed out again Thursday at the "hateful" media. His supporters accused Democrats of unfairly suggesting the president was to blame for the bomb scare.

"Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing, yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, "it's just not Presidential!" Trump said on Twitter early on Friday.

Later on Friday morning, he tweeted that "this 'bomb' stuff" is slowing the momentum for Republicans in the leadup to the November 6 midterm elections.

"Republicans are doing so well early voting, and at the polls, and now this 'bomb' stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows - news not talking politics," he said, adding "Very unfortunate, what is going on. Republicans go out and vote!"

Authorities believe the packages, which were intercepted before reaching their intended recipients, all went through the US Postal Service at some point, news agencies reported, citing federal security sources. None detonated and no one has been hurt.

The devices were thought to have been fashioned from bomb-making designs widely available on the internet, a federal law enforcement source told Reuters news agency.

Still, investigators are treating the devices as "live" explosives, not a hoax, said James O'Neill, the New York City police commissioner.

Investigators have declined to say whether the devices were built to be functional. Bomb experts and security analysts say that based on their rudimentary construction it appeared they were more likely designed to sow fear than to kill.

The parcels each consisted of a manila envelope with a bubble-wrap interior containing "potentially destructive devices," the FBI said. Each was affixed with a computer-printed address label and six US "Forever" postage stamps, the agency said.

Two packages were sent to Waters and Biden. Others who received the bombs were former Attorney General Eric Holder, former CIA director John Brennan, US Representative Maxine Waters of California, and actor Robert De Niro.

"I thank God no one's been hurt, and I thank the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement people for protecting us," De Niro said in a statement. "There's something more powerful than bombs, and that's your vote. People MUST vote!" </s> Sen. Kamala Harris, Tom Steyer targeted by pipe bombs, FBI investigating

Emergency personnel monitor the scene after two suspicious packages addressed to Senator Kamala Harris and democratic activist and billionaire Tom Steyer at the U.S. Post Office at 1625 Rollins Road in Burlingame, Calif. Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. less Emergency personnel monitor the scene after two suspicious packages addressed to Senator Kamala Harris and democratic activist and billionaire Tom Steyer at the U.S. Post Office at 1625 Rollins Road in ... more Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Sen. Kamala Harris, Tom Steyer targeted by pipe bombs, FBI investigating 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

Explosive devices targeting U.S. Senator Kamala Harris and billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer were intercepted Friday in what authorities called a Florida man’s plot to mail more than a dozen pipe bombs to politicians and public figures critical of President Trump.

An improvised explosive device, or IED, sent in a package addressed to Harris was discovered by a post office worker in Sacramento, according to the FBI. A second bomb in a package addressed to Steyer was found at a mail processing facility at 1625 Rollins Rd. in Burlingame.

The packages were discovered on the same day a nationwide manhunt ended with the arrest of Cesar Sayoc, 56, who was taken into custody in Plantation, Fla. His fingerprints and DNA were allegedly found on another bomb mailed to Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles.

At least 13 packages containing pipe bombs were sent to Democratic Party leaders including former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden and Trump’s 2016 election opponent, Hillary Clinton, authorities said.

Postal service workers in Burlingame were escorted out of the Rollins Road facility after the device was discovered. Agents continued investigating the scene Friday afternoon.

The device was taken off-site, according to Burlingame police. FBI officials in San Francisco tweeted that the package was “rendered safe” around 1 p.m.

Mail carrier Cynthia Maffei said she was about to leave the facility around 10 a.m. when the package sent to Steyer was found by another employee. Thirty minutes later, Maffei said, the post office was evacuated.

“They were seriously telling us to get out now,” she said. “It makes me nervous.”

Supervisors told her to “forget everything,” get out of the building and not come back for the day, Maffei said.

Steyer ran the hedge fund Farallon Capital for 26 years and has donated $65 million to Democratic candidates and environmental causes during the 2016 elections, according to Forbes. He has also led an effort to have Trump impeached.

At a youth summit Friday, Trump said he was “pleased” with the arrest of Sayoc, but many Democratic leaders blamed the president’s rhetoric for creating a dangerous political climate.

Lily Adams, a spokeswoman in Harris’ office, said it was time for “leaders across the political spectrum to take seriously the power they hold,” adding that elected officials should “elevate our discourse and bring people together.”

Steyer tweeted out a statement calling on the Republican Party to denounce any attacks “on the rights and dignity of any American.”

“We are seeing a systematic attack on our democracy and our rule of law that extends much further than just one isolated terrorist in Florida,” Steyer wrote. “Whether it’s voter suppression, voter intimidation, attacks on our free press, gerrymandering, or attempted violence — the trust and norms that are the actual basis of our civil society and political system are being eroded.”

In total, 13 IEDs consisting of six inches of PVC pipe, a small clock, battery, wiring and energetic material have been found, according to the criminal complaint against Sayoc. FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that more packages could be found in the coming days.

Authorities declined to comment on the motive behind the bombs, though Sayoc, who has a long arrest record, had expressed contempt for liberals and reverence for Trump, including on social media. In Florida, authorities seized Sayoc’s white van, which was adorned with pictures of Trump and stickers critical of Democratic leaders and news network CNN, another of the alleged bomber’s targets.

Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, told The Chronicle that Sayoc’s targets are people on “the president’s enemies list.”

Trump “has gone out of his way to throw verbal bombs,” Speier said. “He elevates people who do violent things. This could have been catastrophic to our country.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he “didn’t know” why Democrats were targeted.

Sayoc was charged with five federal crimes that included transporting explosives across state lines, illegally mailing explosives, threatening former presidents and other people, threatening interstate communications, and assaulting assaulting federal officers, according to the criminal complaint.

He could face up to 48 years in prison if convicted, Sessions said.

Prior to the announcement of the arrest, Trump was criticized for bashing CNN in a Friday morning tweet that used quotation marks around the word “bomb.”

Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this “Bomb” stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows - news not talking politics. Very unfortunate, what is going on. Republicans, go out and vote! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2018

“Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this ‘Bomb’ stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows — news not talking politics,” Trump wrote. “Very unfortunate, what is going on. Republicans, go out and vote!”

Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker contributed to this story.

Sarah Ravani and Gwendolyn Wu are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani @gwendolynawu </s> As the FBI confirmed an 11th suspicious package had been recovered in Florida, the New York Police Department is investigating a 12th package Friday.

The package in New York found at a mail processing center in Manhattan was addressed to CNN in the care of former intelligence director James Clapper. Clapper is a contributor at CNN.

Clapper also testified at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in May of 2017.

The FBI confirmed an 11th package has been recovered in Florida. It is similar in appearance to other suspicious packages sent to democratic leaders. This one was addressed to New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.

Several of the packages went through a U.S. Postal facility in Opa-locka, Florida, two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation said.

The Miami-Dade Police Department tweeted that its bomb squad and K-9 Unit are providing assistance to federal partners at the USPS Opa-locka mail facility.

"This assistance is as a precautionary measure," it said. "We cannot provide additional information at this time due to the active nature of this federal investigation."

A series of pipe bombs and suspicious packages intercepted this week left the nation stunned and authorities hunting for a serial bomber who is targeting prominent Democratic figures and CNN.

Authorities intercepted all packages before they were delivered to their intended targets. None of the bombs detonated, and no one was injured.

Here's a breakdown of everything we've learned all week:

How many packages have been sent so far?

 Authorities have intercepted at least 10 packages.

They were sent to:

 Billionaire investor George Soros: One package, sent to his home in New York.

Bill and Hillary Clinton: One package mailed to their home in New York but intercepted by the Secret Service.

Barack Obama: One package mailed to Washington, D.C., but intercepted by the Secret Service.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder: One package addressed to him but sent to the Florida office of Democratic lawmaker Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters: Two suspicious packages: one intercepted at a congressional mail-screening facility in Maryland and a second one found at a postal facility in Los Angeles.

John Brennan: A "live explosive device" was addressed to the former CIA director and delivered by courier to CNN's offices at the Time Warner Center in New York.

Former Vice President Joe Biden: Two packages found at post offices in Delaware.

Actor Robert De Niro: A suspicious package sent to him at the Manhattan building where his production company is based shows similarities to the other pipe bomb packages.

Did the packages have any similarities?

The devices sent to Soros, Brennan and the top Democratic officials appeared to be pipe bombs, said Bryan Paarmann, FBI special agent in charge of the counterterrorism division in New York.

An initial examination shows they are rudimentary but functional, and have similar construction. At least one contained projectiles, including shards of glass, a law enforcement official told CNN.

The packages were in manila envelopes with bubble-wrap interior, the FBI said, and each package had six American flag Forever stamps on the envelope. The devices had suspicious-looking packaging, and at least one had a timer that can be bought for a few dollars online and should be easily detected when mailed or delivered.

Were the pipe bombs designed to go off?

In a news release, the FBI called them "potentially destructive devices." The presence of what was believed to be pyrotechnic powder caused investigators to believe they could detonate, but it appeared the packages were handled and moved through the postal system without an explosion.

Based on X-ray image of one of the devices, there appeared to be hazardous materials present, Anthony May, a retired ATF explosives investigator, told CNN's Brooke Baldwin.

But it also appeared to be missing a crucial component for a functioning explosive device.

Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the devices, containing timers and batteries, were not rigged like booby-trapped package bombs that would explode upon opening. But they were uncertain whether the devices were poorly designed or never intended to cause physical harm.

Where are the packages now?

The devices sent to Clinton, De Niro, Obama, the CNN offices and Waters' East Coast office are either with the FBI or headed to the agency's lab in Quantico, Virginia. A controlled detonation was conducted for the device sent to Soros, while the one mailed to Waters' West Coast office was rendered safe by a bomb squad.

It's unclear where the others are.

A suspicious white powder found in an envelope along with the device sent to Brennan and CNN was tested and found not to be anthrax or other known agents, a source said. Additional tests will be done in the coming days. </s> Sign up for one of our email newsletters.

WASHINGTON — A suspicious package addressed to Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, and similar to crude pipe bombs sent to prominent critics of President Donald Trump, was recovered Friday in Florida, the FBI said.

Another addressed to Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper also has been discovered.

None of the devices have exploded. The FBI is doing a nationwide manhunt for whoever is sending the pipe bomb packages, and officials are trying to determine if the sender or senders was trying to sow fear or actually cause physical destruction.

Early Friday, the FBI tweeted that it “has confirmed an 11th package has been recovered in Florida, similar in appearance to the others, addressed to Sen. Cory Booker.”

Booker is a potential 2020 presidential contender. Devices have also been sent to former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and CNN.

Clapper said he is not surprised he has been targeted with a suspicious package.

Clapper told CNN Friday morning that the devices sent to prominent critics of President Donald Trump in recent days were “definitely domestic terrorism.”

Two officials told the AP that a package was discovered at a postal facility in Midtown Manhattan. One official said it was addressed to Clapper. The officials weren’t authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Clapper described the situation as “serious,” but said it is “not going to silence the administration’s critics.”

Clapper stressed that he did not want to suggest any direct link between Trump’s past rhetoric and the packages. But he said Trump should bear responsibility for the “coarseness and uncivility of the dialogue in this country.”

At a press conference Thursday, officials in New York would not discuss possible motives or details on how the packages found their way into the U.S. postal system. Nor would they say why none of the packages had detonated, but they stressed they were still treating them as “live devices.”

“As far as a hoax device, we’re not treating it that way,” police Commissioner James O’Neill said.

Details suggested a pattern — that the items were packaged in manila envelopes, addressed to prominent Trump critics and carried U.S. postage stamps. The devices were being examined by technicians at the FBI’s forensic lab in Quantico, Virginia.

The packages stoked nationwide tensions and fears as voters prepared to vote Nov. 6 to determine partisan control of Congress — a campaign both major political parties have described in near-apocalyptic terms. Even with the sender still unknown, politicians from both parties used the threats to decry a toxic political climate and lay blame.

“A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News,” Trump said on Twitter. “It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!” </s> Federal authorities arrested a man in Florida on Friday in connection with the mail-bomb scare that widened to 12 suspicious packages, the Justice Department said.He has been identified as Cesar Sayoc, 56, of Aventura, Florida, according to law enforcement officials.Law enforcement officers were seen on television examining a white van, its windows covered with an assortment of stickers, in the city of Plantation. They covered the vehicle with a blue tarp.Four officials familiar with the investigation identified the man to The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter on the record.It was not clear whether Sayoc had been formally charged in the rash of devices.Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said authorities planned to announce more information at a press conference.The development came amid a coast-to-coast manhunt for the person responsible for a series of explosive devices addressed to Democrats including former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton.Law enforcement officials said they had intercepted a dozen packages in states across the country. None had exploded, and it wasn't immediately clear if they were intended to cause physical harm or simply sow fear and anxiety.Earlier Friday, authorities said suspicious packages addressed to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former National Intelligence Director James Clapper - both similar to those containing pipe bombs sent to other prominent critics of President Donald Trump- had been intercepted. Action News has confirmed the intercepted package was addressed to his Camden office.The discoveries - making 12 so far - further spurred a coast-to-coast investigation, as officials scrambled to locate a culprit and possible motive amid questions about whether new packages were being sent or simply surfacing after a period in mail system.The devices have targeted well-known Democrats including former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and former Attorney General Eric Holder.The FBI said the package to Booker was intercepted in Florida. The one discovered at a Manhattan postal facility was addressed to Clapper at CNN's address. An earlier package had been sent to former Obama CIA Director John Brennan via CNN in New York.Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday the Justice Department was dedicating every available resource to the investigation "and I can tell you this: We will find the person or persons responsible. We will bring them to justice."Trump, on the other hand, complained that "this 'bomb' stuff" was taking attention away from the upcoming election and said critics were wrongly blaming him and his heated rhetoric.Investigators were analyzing the innards of the crude devices to reveal whether they were intended to detonate or simply sow fear just before Election Day.Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the devices, containing timers and batteries, were not rigged to explode upon opening. But they were uncertain whether the devices were poorly designed or never intended to cause physical harm.Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, in an interview Thursday with Fox News Channel, acknowledged that some of packages originated in Florida. One official told AP that investigators are homing in on a postal facility in Opa-locka, Florida, where they believe some packages originated.The package addressed to Booker was found during an oversight search of that facility, according to a law enforcement official.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation by nameMost of those targeted were past or present U.S. officials, but one was sent to actor Robert De Niro and billionaire George Soros. The bombs have been sent across the country - from New York, Delaware and Washington, D.C., to Florida and California, where Rep. Maxine Waters was targeted. They bore the return address of Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.The common thread among the bomb targets was obvious: their critical words for Trump and his frequent, harsher criticism in return.Trump claimed Friday he was being blamed for the mail bombs, complaining in a tweet sent before dawn: "Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing, yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, 'it's just not Presidential!'"The package to Clapper was addressed to him at CNN's Midtown Manhattan address. Clapper, a frequent Trump critic, told CNN that he was not surprised he was targeted and that he considered the actions "definitely domestic terrorism."Jeff Zucker, the president of CNN Worldwide, said in a note to staff that all mail to CNN domestic offices was being screened at off-site facilities. He said there was no imminent danger to the Time Warner Center, where CNN's New York office is located.At a press conference Thursday, officials in New York would not discuss possible motives or details on how the packages found their way into the postal system. Nor would they say why the packages hadn't detonated, but they stressed they were still treating them as "live devices."The devices were packaged in manila envelopes and carried U.S. postage stamps. They were being examined by technicians at the FBI's forensic lab in Quantico, Virginia.The packages stoked nationwide tensions ahead of the Nov. 6 election to determine control of Congress - a campaign both major political parties have described in near-apocalyptic terms. Politicians from both parties used the threats to decry a toxic political climate and lay blame.Trump, in a tweet Thursday, blamed the "Mainstream Media" for the anger in society. Brennan responded, tweeting that Trump should "Stop blaming others. Look in the mirror."The bombs are about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long and packed with powder and broken glass, according to a law enforcement official who viewed X-ray images. The official said the devices were made from PVC pipe and covered with black tape.The first bomb discovered was delivered Monday to the suburban New York compound of Soros, a major contributor to Democratic causes. Soros has called Trump's presidency "dangerous."___Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman, Ken Thomas, Jill Colvin and Chad Day in Washington and Jim Mustian, Deepti Hajela, Tom Hays and Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.----- </s> A van covered in blue tarp is towed by FBI investigators on October 26, 2018, in Plantation, Florida, in connection with the 12 suspicious packages mailed to top Democrats.

A 56-year-old Florida man is in custody and is expected to be charged in connection with a sweeping investigation of the 12 bomb-like devices addressed to prominent Democrats, according to the Department of Justice and an unnamed official.

Law enforcement officials identified the man as Cesar Sayoc, who was born in Brooklyn, New York. Records show Sayoc has a criminal history, including a 2015 arrest in Broward County, Florida, for petty theft and probation violation.

The total number of devices reached a dozen Friday after two more suspicious packages were recovered, one in Florida addressed to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and the other in New York addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

A package addressed to Clapper was recovered at a Manhattan postal facility. Like some of the previous packages addressed to prominent Democrats, the one found in New York City on Friday had the office of Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as the return address, a photo obtained by CBS News showed.

The nation has been on heightened alert in the wake of bomb-like devices addressed to top government officials, including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Joe Biden.

The suspicious package intended for Clapper was spotted by a postal worker at the Radio City Station postal facility at around 8:15 a.m. Realizing the package looked like the previous ones found this week, the employee contacted U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and they contacted the NYPD and FBI.

NYPD Bomb Squad officers scanned the package and saw what appeared to be a pipe bomb, similar to the others recovered this week, NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller said at a Manhattan news conference.

The bomb squad relocated the package in its total containment vessel to the NYPD facility at Rodman's Neck in the Bronx. After being secured there, the package will be sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis, Miller said.

When the package was initially discovered, NYPD closed a Manhattan intersection to traffic and pedestrians. The NYPD told the public to avoid the area near W. 52nd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues as police investigated.

The device addressed to Booker was recovered at a mail sorting distribution center in Opa Locka, Florida, which has drawn intense investigative interest in recent days, as authorities believe that many of the suspected explosive devices passed through the state, a law enforcement official said.

Investigators are continuing to review mail streams in and out of Florida, attempting to pinpoint locations where the parcels may have originated, said the official who is not authorized to comment publicly.

Sen. Booker, a likely presidential contender in 2020, had no public events scheduled Friday. When contacted for comment, his office directed calls to law enforcement, citing the ongoing investigation.

On Wednesday, after news of the initial wave of packages broke, Booker, 49, tweeted: "These targeted acts of terror are despicable cowardice."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions cancelled a planned trip to Louisville, Kentucky, Friday to ensure that all federal law enforcement resources, including the aircraft and personnel required for the attorney general's travel, were being devoted to the investigation.

Sessions was scheduled to speak in Louisville about the federal government's efforts to combat the opioid crisis.

"I can assure you that we are dedicating every available resource to this effort," Sessions said Friday before addressing a conference in Washington. "I am receiving frequent updates from (FBI) Director Chris Wray and his team. And I can tell you this: we will find the person or persons responsible. We will bring them to justice."

In New York, police have investigated multiple unattended packages in recent days and are urging the public to report anything that could be deemed dangerous.

On Thursday, the NYPD Bomb Squad handled multiple unattended packages inside a mall at 10 Columbus Circle before declaring the area safe. Police urged the public to "say something if you see something," in a tweet.

New York Police Department Commissioner James O’Neill said in a news conference earlier Thursday that the devices were not being treated as a hoax, describing them as "suspected explosive devices."

The powder found in packaging in New York addressed to CNN's offices wasn’t a biological weapon, but further testing was being done, O’Neill said. The devices were being examined at the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.

FBI Assistant Director Bill Sweeney on Thursday said the investigation is nationwide and noted that more devices could be discovered. “It does remain possible that further packages have been or could be mailed," he said. "These devices should be considered dangerous.”

Kevin Barry, a former member of New York Police Department's bomb squad and a former director of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators, expected the FBI analyses to be focused on both the design and recovery of physical evidence.

Testing would gauge the functionality of the devices, check the type of pipe used and examine the powder to determine whether it is high explosive, low explosive or a chemical substance intended to be dispersed when the devices were triggered, Barry said.

More: Authorities eye Florida in hunt for source of suspicious packages, as security officials worry danger 'not over'

More: Another two potential bombs found: What we know now about the 12 suspicious packages

Contributing: Herb Jackson, Hannan Adely and Phaedra Trethan for the USA TODAY Network </s> PLANTATION, Fla. -- Federal authorities took a man into custody Friday in Florida in connection with the mail-bomb scare that earlier widened to 12 suspicious packages, the Justice Department said.

The man was identified by law enforcement officials as Cesar Sayoc, 56, of Aventura, Florida.

It was not clear whether Sayoc had been formally charged in the rash of devices addressed in recent days to Democratic figures including former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton.

Law enforcement officers were seen on television examining a white van, its windows covered with an assortment of stickers, in the city of Plantation in the Miami area.

Authorities covered the vehicle with a blue tarp and took it away on the back of a flatbed truck.

The stickers included images of American flags and what appeared to be logos of the Republican National Committee and CNN, though the writing surrounding those images was unclear.

The development came amid a coast-to-coast manhunt for the person responsible for a series of explosive devices addressed to Democrats.

Law enforcement officials said they had intercepted a dozen packages in states across the country. None had exploded, and it wasn't immediately clear if they were intended to cause physical harm or simply sow fear and anxiety.

Earlier Friday, authorities said suspicious packages addressed to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former National Intelligence Director James Clapper -- both similar to those containing pipe bombs sent to other prominent critics of President Donald Trump -- had been intercepted.

Investigators believe the mailings were staggered.

The U.S. Postal Service searched their facilities 48 hours ago and the most recent packages didn't turn up. Officials don't think they were sitting in the system without being spotted. They were working to determine for sure.

The FBI said the package to Booker was intercepted in Florida. The one discovered at a Manhattan postal facility was addressed to Clapper at CNN's address. An earlier package had been sent to former Obama CIA Director John Brennan via CNN in New York.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday the Justice Department was dedicating every available resource to the investigation "and I can tell you this: We will find the person or persons responsible. We will bring them to justice."

Trump, on the other hand, complained that "this 'bomb' stuff" was taking attention away from the upcoming election and said critics were wrongly blaming him and his heated rhetoric.

Investigators were analyzing the innards of the crude devices to reveal whether they were intended to detonate or simply sow fear just before Election Day.

Law enforcement officials said the devices, containing timers and batteries, were not rigged to explode upon opening. But they were uncertain whether the devices were poorly designed or never intended to cause physical harm.

Most of those targeted were past or present U.S. officials, but one was sent to actor Robert De Niro and billionaire George Soros.

The bombs have been sent across the country -- from New York, Delaware and the District of Columbia to Florida and California, where Rep. Maxine Waters was targeted.

They bore the return address of Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

The common thread among the bomb targets was obvious: Their critical words for Trump and his frequent, harsher criticism in return.

Trump claimed Friday he was being blamed for the mail bombs, complaining in a tweet sent before dawn: "Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing, yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, 'it's just not Presidential!'"

The package to Clapper was addressed to him at CNN's Midtown Manhattan address. Clapper, a frequent Trump critic, told CNN that he was not surprised he was targeted and that he considered the actions "definitely domestic terrorism."

Jeff Zucker, the president of CNN Worldwide, said in a note to staff that all mail to CNN domestic offices was being screened at off-site facilities. He said there was no imminent danger to the Time Warner Center, where CNN's New York office is located. </s> Authorities have arrested a man named Cesar Sayoc in connection to the suspicious packages believed to be explosive that were sent to CNN and politicians across the country, according to The New York Times.

The arrest, which was made in Florida, comes after a 12th package addressed to James Clapper (former director of National Intelligence) was discovered this morning (October 26). He joined the list with the Obamas, the Clintons, Eric Holder, Cory Booker, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Maxine Waters and more.

Cesar is a registered republican who was born in New York and has a long criminal history ranging from felony theft to fraud. He also a known Trump supporter.

SEE ALSO: Everything To Know About Suspicious Packages Sent To Obama, Clinton & More

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Cesar Sayoc Arrested In Connection With Suspicious Bomb Packages was originally published on hotspotatl.com

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Authorities are also investigating a packages addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and billionaire Tom Steyer.