FBI says DC pipe bomb suspect, Brian Cole, continued purchasing bomb parts after January 6

Federal agents on The arrest of a suspect accused of planting the two pipe bombs that were discovered near the US Capitol complex on the eve of the presidential election was announced Thursday. January 6, 2021. Authorities identified the man as Brian J. Cole Jr., a resident of Woodbridge, Virginia. The arrest represents a major breach in a case that has drawn the ire of the authorities for nearly five years.

Cole, 30 years old Charged By transporting an explosive device across state lines with the intent to kill, injure, intimidate, or destroy property and attempting to damage or destroy the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic National Committees by means of an explosive device. If convicted, he faces the possibility of decades in prison.

According to AffidavitInvestigators linked Cole to the bombs through a combination of surveillance footage, historical cell location data, and years of purchasing records showing he purchased all of the key components used to manufacture the devices. Agents allege Cole obtained the same model of galvanized pipe, matching end caps, and 9-volt connectors, among other items, through multiple Northern Virginia hardware stores in 2019 and 2020.

Cole continued to purchase components used to make bombs after his bombs were discovered at the Capitol, agents allege, listing the purchase of a white kitchen timer and two 9-volt batteries from a Walmart store on Jan. 21, as well as galvanized pipe from Home Depot the next day.

Senior Trump administration officials quickly viewed the arrest as proof of their leadership, claiming the case had gone cold. Prosecutor Pam Bondi said she hoped the arrest would restore public confidence after what she described as a “complete lack of action” in a case that had “been unresolved for four years.” In their telling, the breakthrough was proof that the case had only progressed after they were empowered to “catch the bad guys” and stop “focusing on other weird stuff,” in the words of FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.

“Although nearly five years have passed, our team has continued to comb through the vast amounts of data and tips we used to identify this suspect,” said Darren Cox, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division.

The bombs were planted near the headquarters of the National Committees of the Republican and Democratic Parties on the night of January 5, 2021, as Congress was preparing to certify Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Donald Trump. Both failed to explode, but their discovery the next day added to the chaos and confusion that occurred when a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol, causing millions of dollars in damage and injuring nearly 140 Capitol officers and the Metropolitan Police Department.