TV hosts forced to flee during live broadcast amid bomb scare

Two experienced CNN news anchors were midway through an interview when they realised the pipe bomb scare they were reporting on was also targeting them.

Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow were reporting on the suspicious packages that were sent to high-profile democrats including the Clintons and Obamas when the station fire alarm went off.

At the time they appeared not to know it was tied to a suspicious package sent to their own building, but in the background of their live shot, you can see CNN staffers evacuating the newsroom.

Just moments later, a fire alarm sounds and the TV hosts give each other a concerned look before the broadcast quickly cuts to commercial.

When they returned, the network switched to its Washington broadcast, while Sciutto and Harlow continued their reporting from the sidewalks of New York.

The spree of bomb alerts were kicked off with a device found at the New York home of billionaire liberal donor George Soros on Monday.

CNN president slams Trump’s media war

CNN, often accused by President Trump of peddling “fake news”, wasn’t faking its outrage on Wednesday over what appeared to be an attempted pipe bomb attack on the network.

Hours after, a potentially explosive package, as described by the Secret Service, was recovered at CNN’s New York offices.

The head of the network released a statement that pointed the finger at President Trump and his administration.

“There is a total and complete lack of understanding at the White House about the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media,” CNN president Jeff Zucker said in a statement.

“The President, and especially the White House Press Secretary should understand their words matter. Thus far, they have shown no comprehension of that.”

Trump, who often sums up CNN’s coverage of his administration as “fake news,” addressed the discovery of the string of suspicious packages during a White House event on Wednesday on opioid addiction.

“The safety of the American people is my highest and absolute priority,” the president said.

Bomber likely left behind trove of forensic clues

Investigators examining the explosive devices sent to high-profile targets in Washington and New York this week will be working to glean forensic clues to help identify who sent them, from fingerprints and DNA evidence to tracking the origin of the packages and the components used to make the bombs.

Larry Johnson, a former head of criminal investigations for the US Secret Service who also served as a special agent in charge of the presidential protective detail, said that bomb makers usually leave evidence behind.

“If there is a human involved, there is a high probability you’re going to get somewhere investigatively,” he said. “There will be no stone left unturned.”

Johnson said it is highly likely that the person or people who built the bombs have been previously flagged by law enforcement.

The Secret Service maintains an extensive database of individuals and groups who have made past threats against presidents or other top political leaders, either through letters, emails or on social media.

“A good percentage of the time, this is not the first time whoever is responsible for this will have stuck their neck out,” Johnson said.

“Those looking to do revenge or harm to someone, it doesn’t just come to them one day.”

All the confirmed bombs appeared to come from the same person or persons, said John Miller, Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counter Terrorism.

No one was injured in the attacks.