An explosive device was found near the Bedford, N.Y. home of billionaire philanthropist George Soros, according to U.S. media reports.
A person working at Soros’ home opened a suspicious package to find what appeared to be an explosive device, the New York Times quoted the Bedford Police Department as saying. Bomb disposal specialists were called, and safely detonated the device.
ABC7 Eyewitness News reported that the case has been transferred to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force Division.
The FBI confirmed on Twitter that it was conducting an investigation near a residence in Bedford, but said there is currently no threat to public safety.
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Soros, whose Open Society Foundation has donated some US$32 billion to liberal and human rights causes, has long been a favoured target of right-wing groups and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Earlier this month, Trump tweeted that two women who confronted Republican Sen. Jeff Flake over his decision to vote for Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court were actors paid by Soros.
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Last week, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz suggested in a tweet that Soros was paying people to join the caravan of Central American refugees heading towards the U.S.
Soros’ Open Society Foundation replied to both Trump’s and Gaetz’s tweets to deny their assertions.