FBI seeks tips on explosive devices left at 2 Mich. cellphone stores

The FBI is asking the public for help to find the person or people who left explosive devices outside two northern Michigan cellphone stores Thursday.

The devices were found at stores in Cheboygan and Sault Ste. Marie, officials said Friday. They said Michigan State Police bomb squads and local police were called to the stores and rendered the devices harmless.

The FBI said both devices were in U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail boxes, sealed with black duct tape, and left outside the stores. Officials said threatening notes addressed to Verizon and AT&T were on the top of each box. The notes were signed either “HJ” or “Handcuff Johnny.” The letters “CMT” were written on each box.

Investigators also said they believe the devices are related to a series of letters discovered in the Upper Peninsula last month. The letters, claiming to be from the “Coalition for Moral Telecommunications” or CMT, were found at multiple telecommunications tower sites across the U.P. The letters made specific demands to the telecommunications companies.

Anyone with information about the devices or the packages should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez