WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has arrested a suspect five years after an unidentified person placed two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington.
Agents arrested Brian J. Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, on explosive charges. Calls to relatives of Cole listed in public records were not immediately returned.
The mystery behind the person’s identity has bedeviled law enforcement and helped fuel conspiracy theories about Jan. 6, 2021, and the Capitol riot by a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters.
Here’s what to know about the arrest:
Why now
The FBI and Justice Department declined to elaborate on what led them to the suspect. But authorities attributed the arrest to a reinvigorated investigation and a fresh analysis of already collected evidence and data.
Investigators have used credit purchases of bomb-making materials, cellphone tower data, and a license plate reader to identify Cole as the suspect. His bank records showed purchases consistent with supplies for making the bombs, including materials purchased months after the bombs were planted.
Throughout the investigation, authorities struggled with basic questions about the suspect’s gender, motive, and any potential link to the Capitol riot. Surveillance footage captured the individual wearing a distinctive outfit, but their face remained hidden.
As the case unfolds, many details, including Cole's motives and the potential connection to the events of January 6, still require clarification.
