Federal authorities took Cesar Sayoc Jr, 56, into custody in connection with the mail-bomb scare that earlier widened to 12 suspicious packages, the FBI and Justice Department said

Shackled and wearing a beige jumpsuit, the man accused of sending at least 14 pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and critics of the president has been formally charged with five federal crimes in a Miami courtroom.

The first court appearance of Cesar Sayoc, 56, came just hours after a 15th suspicious package was intercepted in Atlanta on its way to the CNN headquarters - what may have been the last in a series the suspect was able to mail from a list of, reportedly, hundreds of potential targets.

In response to that package, CNN president Jeff Zucker said all domestic mail had been screened at off-site locations since last week, when it received two other packages addressed to the network's contributors, and bomb squads were called in to the Atlanta post office where the package was detected.

Mr Sayoc had salt and pepper hair pulled back into a ponytail during his appearance, and remained mostly silent during his appearance. His three lawyers attempted to stand in a manner that obscured the view of news reporters and photographers from their client.

During the hearing — where Mr Sayoc was read the charges against him, his rights, and informed that he would be held without bail — the former male stripper and part time pizza delivery man, reacted audibly only when the charges were read by Judge Edwin Torres.

He also reportedly had tears in his eyes during the hearing, where he was read the following charges: interstate transportation and illegal mailing of explosives, threatening a former president, making threatening interstate communications and assaulting federal officers.

Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Show all 11 1 /11 Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Barack Obama The Secret Service intercepted a package en route to the Washington D.C. residence of former President Barack Obama on Wednesday 23 October Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Hillary and Bill Clinton A package was delivered to the Chappaqua, New York home of former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Tuesday 23 October Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Joe Biden Two packages adressed to former Vice-president Joe Biden were found at a sorting facility in Delaware on Thursday 25 October AFP/Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN George Soros A package was delivered to the New York home of Billionaire investor and funder of the Democrats George Soros on Monday 22 October AFP/Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN CNN and John Brennan A package was delivered to former CIA director John Brennan at the CNN offices in New York on Wednesday 23 October Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Debbie Wasserman Schultz A package was delivered to the office of Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Wednesday 23 October, it was addressed to former attorney general Eric Holder Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Eric Holder The package that was delivered to the office of Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was addressed to former attorney general Eric Holder Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Maxine Waters Two packages were sent to Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters on Wednesday 23 October, one to LA one to D.C. Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Robert De Niro A package was delivered to actor Robert De Niro in New York on Thursday 25 October AFP/Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN Cory Booker A package found in Florida was addressed to Democratic Senator Cory Booker on Friday 26 October Getty Explosive packages sent to prominent Democrats and CNN James Clapper NYPD intercepted a package addressed to former directo of national intelligence James Clapper on on Friday 26 October AFP/Getty

Authorities arrested Mr Sayoc on Friday after a frantic search for the man who they say mailed at least 14 pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and critics of Donald Trump. Packages were addressed to individuals including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Joe Biden, billionaire donor George Soros, Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and California Representative Maxine Waters.

The tension created by the mailed pipe bombs was further ratcheted up over the weekend, after a gunman opened fire in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Eleven worshippers were killed during that attack, and the gunman yelled “All Jews must die”.

The pipe bombs also came roughly two weeks before the US midterm elections, which are widely seen as a referendum on Mr Trump’s first two years in office.

The president, sensing that the pipe bombs were distracting voters from political matters, tweeted those concerns — suggesting that the various attempted attacks on top American politicians could cost Republicans at the polls next month.