Alleged DC Pipe Bomber Had 'Extremist Beliefs'

The man accused of planting pipe bombs in Washington, DC, on the night before the Capitol riot was charged with explosive offenses Thursday. The Woodbridge, Virginia, resident was arrested Thursday morning. At a press conference, Attorney General Pam Bondi identified him as Brian Cole Jr., CNN reports.

• Motive. Authorities did not disclose a possible motive for planting bombs near the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee. Sources tell the Washington Post that Cole, 30, was "an extremist in his political beliefs."

• The investigation. Bondi said the arrest was made after an examination of previously collected evidence, the AP reports. "Let me be clear: There was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good diligent police work and prosecutorial work," she said. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said investigators found a "needle in a haystack" that led to the suspect, the Post reports.
• The charges. Cole has been charged with transporting explosive materials across state lines and the attempted destruction of a building with explosives, the New York Times reports. He is expected to appear in Federal District Court in Washington on Friday.
• New investigators. At Thursday's press conference, FBI Director Kash Patel said that under his leadership, the agency had brought in a new team of investigators to review evidence, CNN reports. "You're not going to walk into our capital city, put down two explosive devices and walk off in the sunset," said Deputy Director Dan Bongino. The AP reports that on his podcast last year, Bongino claimed that it was an "inside job" and that the FBI had been involved in a "massive cover-up."
• A possible pardon? The New York Times notes that President Trump's "extraordinarily broad" grant of clemency for almost 1,600 rioters referred to "offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021." Cole's lawyers might argue that the proclamation also applies to him. The bombs, which did not go off, were planted Jan. 5 and discovered the next day.