US explosives likely meant to cause fear rather than kill: Experts

A series of explosive devices sent this week to US Democratic Party politicians, media and public figures critical of Republican President Donald Trump were probably more of a scare tactic than a murder plot, according to security analysts.

Experts told Reuters they differed on whether the packages were sent by one person or a group.

The pipe bombs were intercepted before any reached their intended recipients, who included former US President Barack Obama, ex-Vice President Joe Biden and former presidential candidate and first lady Hillary Clinton.

Explosive packages were also sent to CNN’s New York City bureau, as well as the home of billionaire Democratic donor George Soros.

None of the 10 bombs exploded and there was no claim of responsibility. The FBI has said additional packages may have been mailed to other locations.

"What they wanted to do was scare people, cause disruption, but not necessarily hurt anybody, because if they'd wanted to hurt people the bombs would have gone off," said Matthew Bradley, a former CIA agent and current regional security director of International SOS and Control Risks.

"My personal feeling is that this is some kind of a wacko, rather than an organization trying to accomplish something. Evil, mad, has a grudge. A little mix of all of these," said University of Rhode Island chemistry professor Jimmie Oxley, an explosives expert.

“I would prefer to think this was a scare. But this has to be taken seriously," said Oxley.

PressTV-Explosive devices sent to Obama, Clinton, Time Warner

The US Secret Service has intercepted explosive devices that were sent to former US President Barack Obama and former presidential candidate and first lady Hillary Clinton

While Oxley said she suspected a single bomber, Bradley said multiple people were probably involved because "it's hard to coordinate that mail delivery on your own."

Bradley ruled out a dedicated, smart and efficient killer such as Ted Kaczynski, the notorious Unabomber who killed three and injured 23 in a three-decade campaign using sophisticated devices sent through the mail.

"There's a little bit of disconnect, mentally for the person who's doing this, it doesn't sound like it's a cold calculating person like Ted Kaczynski," said Bradley. "This is more amateur than professional, but there's also professionals who could have wanted it to look that way."

In the most recent similar incident, five relatively advanced package bombs exploded in Austin, Texas, in March. Most were sent through Federal Express and triggered by movement. The suspected serial bomber Mark Conditt, 23, later blew himself up.

The explosives were sent roughly two weeks before the November 6 congressional elections that will determine which political party will take control of Congress in a deeply polarized nation.

The devices stashed in manila envelopes and mailed nationwide targeted top Democrats who are unpopular with right-wing Republican activists.

Investigators believe some of the packages might have originated in Florida, according to a law enforcement official.

Trump on Thursday blamed the “hateful” mainstream media for much of the "anger" in society, which he suggested may have motivated the bomber.

"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 tweeted.

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