Tom Hanks, Biden's son were on Nancy Pelosi attacker's hit list, court told

US president Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden and Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom were also on his "hit list", the court was told.

A San Francisco police investigator told a court that the man accused of attacking US house speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, was also targetting several other public figures, including Hollywood actor Tom Hanks. The police officer further testified that the attacker told him during an interview that there was “evil in Washington” and he was looking to harm Nancy Pelosi because she is second in line for the presidency.

Actor Tom Hanks attends the Photo Call for ''A Man Called Otto'' at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California. (Reuters)

"There is evil in Washington, what they did went so far beyond the campaign. It originates with Hillary [Clinton]," the officer told the court about the attacker's statement.

US president Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden and Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom were also on his "hit list", the court was told.

The attacker had broken into Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home on October 28, with an aim to kidnap her. However, she wasn't home at the time and the attacker instead confronted her husband Paul Pelosi. The attacker then attacked him with a hammer, for which he underwent surgery later. The attacker is facing six charges, including attempted murder.

The officer, who had interviewed the attacker for an hour on the day of his arrest, did not say whether the police had any evidence regarding his other targets. Earlier, it was reported that the attacker as telling them that he had a few local targets, including a local professor as well as several prominent state and federal politicians and members of their families.