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The FBI arrested a 30-year-old Virginia man and charged him on Thursday with planting a pair of pipe bombs in Washington the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, capping a years-long investigation that gave rise to numerous conspiracy theories.
The suspect, Brian Cole Jr., of Woodbridge, Va., was charged with use of an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other federal officials told a Washington news conference.
They did not say what motivated the alleged bomber to plant devices outside the Republican and Democratic Party buildings near the Capitol, or reveal what break in the case led to the arrest nearly five years later.
"This investigation is ongoing. As we speak, search warrants are being executed, and there could be more charges to come," Bondi said, adding that a deep review of existing evidence led investigators to Cole.
Police deactivated the bombs the day Trump supporters stormed Congress in an attempt to stop lawmakers from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election victory.
Thousands of rioters stormed the Capitol that day, assaulting about 140 officers and causing more than $2.8 million in damage.
It was unclear if Cole had an attorney.
According to a court filing, Cole lives "in a single-family house with his mother and other family members" in Woodbridge, a suburb about 32 kilometres outside Washington, and "works in the office of a bail bondsman in northern Virginia."
An ad in a Washington bus shelter announces a reward for information leading to the conviction of the would-be bomber who left explosive devices outside Republican and Democrat party buildings in the capital, on Jan. 9, 2021. (Thomas Daigle/CBC)The arrest followed a lengthy investigation in which the FBI had long struggled to identify a suspect, with the bureau repeatedly issuing calls to the public for tips. The FBI had also released surveillance footage showing the would-be bomber wearing a distinctive pair of Nike Air Max Speed sneakers.
The attempted bombings have long been the subject of conspiracy theories in pro-Trump MAGA circles. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who was a conservative podcaster before joining the bureau under Trump, previously claimed without evidence on his podcast that he believed the FBI knew the culprit's identity and refused to reveal it because it was an "inside job."
The case garnered renewed attention in recent weeks, after a far-right news outlet wrote a piece erroneously identifying a former Capitol Police officer as a suspect.
Cole purchased components used in the bombs in 2019 and 2020, including pipes, kitchen timers and battery connectors, according to an FBI affidavit laying out the evidence in the case.
FBI Director Kash Patel told the news conference that officials "brought in a new team of investigators and experts, re-examined every piece of evidence, sifted through all the data."
In January, prior to Trump taking office, the FBI released new surveillance video to reinvigorate the investigation after receiving hundreds of tips and offering a $500,000 US reward.
Trump pardoned nearly everyone criminally charged for participating in the Capitol riot, some 1,500 people, when he returned to office in January.