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Anti-Semitism behind bomber’s Wasserman-Schultz return address?

The pipe bombs intercepted Wednesday by U.S. authorities shared the same return address – Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

By Associated Press and World Israel News Staff

Pipe bombs destined for prominent Democrats and CNN’s New York offices shared the same return address as that of Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Sunshine, Florida office.

The bombs were intercepted before they reached their two most prominent targets, former President Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The FBI said another package, intended for former Attorney General Eric Holder, ended up at the Florida office of Wasserman Schultz, whose return address was on it.

It isn’t clear why Wasserman Schultz’s office was chosen as the return address. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s Ron Kampeas suggests anti-Semitism is one possibility.

He wrote Wednesday, “There are 23 Jewish members of the House, but Wasserman Schultz is perhaps the most Jewishly identified. She started her political career as a staffer with the National Jewish Democratic Council. … Professional anti-Semite David Duke has called her an ‘anti-white, Jewish supremacist.’ White power sites celebrated the downfall of the ‘subversive Jewess’ at the DNC.”

It is also possible Wasserman Schultz’s Jewish background did not play a role. All those targeted were connected to the Democratic Party and Wasserman Schultz served as Democratic National Committee chair until 2016.

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Also, all the figures targeted were those most frequently criticized by President Donald Trump.

Of Wasserman Schultz, Trump tweeted during the 2016 presidential elections, “The State of Florida is so embarrassed by the antics of Crooked Hillary Clinton and Debbie Wasserman Schultz that they will vote for CHANGE.” In another tweet, he wrote: “The highly neurotic Debbie Wasserman Schultz is angry that, after stealing and cheating her way to a Crooked Hillary victory, she’s out!”

The CNN package was also addressed to a prominent Democrat, former CIA Director John Brennan, who served under Obama. Now a regular CNN contributor, he has publicly clashed with Trump. In August, Trump pulled Brennan’s security clearance.

Later Wednesday, the FBI said it intercepted two additional packages addressed to California Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters.

The bombs, made of PVC pipe and covered with black tape, contained a small battery and were about six inches long, each packed with powder and broken glass, said a law enforcement official who viewed X-ray images and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

None of the seven bombs detonated and nobody was hurt as authorities in New York, Washington, D.C., Florida and California seized the suspicious packages.