...
By Joshua Rhett Miller and Jason Lemon
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
FBI officials arrested a suspect early Thursday for allegedly placing two pipe bombs in Washington ahead of the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Brian J. Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was taken into custody by federal agents investigating pipe bombs placed outside the Republican and Democratic National Committees on January 5, 2021.
Video posted online showed a large police presence outside Cole’s home. Attempts to reach his relatives weren't immediately successful.
Read More on News
...
Federal investigators had sought the suspect for nearly five years, offering a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Cole has been charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce with the intent to kill, injure, or intimidate and attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.
"Today’s arrest was the result of good, diligent police work and collaboration on a case that languished for four years under the prior administration,” Bondi said in a statement. "The American people are safer thanks to this morning’s successful operation."
FBI Director Kash Patel, who joined Bondi during a press conference in Washington Thursday afternoon, said the investigation had been a top priority for agents since he assumed his role earlier this year.
"Since that time, our FBI teams have gone back over every fact and every data point looking for new leads — and today’s arrest is the result of that outstanding work," Patel said in a statement. "Although almost five years have passed, this shows the FBI will never rest in bringing justice to those who endanger American lives and our communities. I would like to thank our Washington Field Office, FBI personnel across the country, and our partners for their hard work and dedication which led to this arrest."
...
Cole purchased multiple components for the two improvised explosive devices at retailers in northern Virginia in 2019 and 2020, according to the complaint.
Cellphone records also place Cole's device in the area of the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, 2021, between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m., the complaint states.
Minutes earlier, at about 7:10 p.m., Cole's Nissan Sentra had also been captured by a license plate reader less than one-half mile away from the location where the suspect placed the devices was first spotted on foot, authorities said.
The FBI has previously released video footage of the suspect who allegedly placed the pipe bombs, which did not detonate. Authorities said the suspect was roughly 5 five 7 inches tall and wore a face mask, along with a gray hooded sweatshirt, black gloves and Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers — a rare black and gray model with a yellow logo, authorities said.
The suspect placed two pipe bombs in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington: one in an alley behind the RNC headquarters and another near a park bench near the DNC headquarters.
...
Some of the components of the devices used by the suspect, who carried a backpack, included threaded galvanized pipes, end caps, kitchen timers, wires, metal clips and homemade black powder, authorities said.
Cole lives on Manor House Court in Woodbridge, Virginia, roughly 20 miles south of Washington, public records show. His family’s five-bedroom home is valued at more than $670,000, according to Zillow.
Cole graduated from Hylton High School in Woodbridge in 2013, a spokeswoman for Prince William County Public Schools confirmed Thursday to Newsweek.
Cole’s grandmother, Loretta, reportedly denied the accusations, claiming her grandson had no extreme political leanings.
"He’s almost autistic-like because he doesn’t understand a lot of stuff," she told the New York Post. "I hope he is not talking."
Cole works at his family’s bail bonds company, Brian Cole Bail Bonds, which was raided by the FBI, the newspaper reported.
"He’s very naïve … He would not hurt a fly," Cole’s grandmother said. "He’s just not that kind of person."
Cole's grandmother insisted he wasn't linked to the pipe bombs.
"I don't believe this at all," he said. "He's not a terrorist."
Cole’s grandmother said she was unsure about his whereabouts on Jan. 5, 2021, but acknowledged he had been working for DoorDash for some time.
"He doesn’t have any ties to DC," she told the newspaper. "I don’t even know how they included him in this."
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines