A man has been arrested in connection to two pipe bombs placed outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national committees on the eve of the 6 January Capitol riot nearly five years ago.
The arrest was confirmed on Thursday by two sources familiar with the case to BBC's US partner, CBS News. He is expected to face charges in DC federal court later Thursday, though the charges remain unclear.
This arrest concludes a long-running manhunt that involved an extensive investigation alongside a $500,000 (£375,000) reward.
Fortunately, the pipe bombs were safely deactivated, preventing any potential catastrophe.
Officials have not yet released the suspect's identity or the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
Earlier this year, the FBI aired CCTV footage of the suspected individual, showcasing him donning a backpack and a light grey hooded sweater as he placed items outside the Democratic National Committee building in Washington, D.C. The suspect was later seen placing the second bomb.
Both devices were strategically placed the night before the January 6 riot, discovered just as the rioters began storming the Capitol while US senators were in session certifying Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump.
That day, Trump addressed a large crowd of supporters near the White House, urging them to march to the Capitol while making unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.
Within this crowd, which included members from far-right groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, many participants were armed.
As part of the insurrection, rioters breached the Capitol building through multiple entrances. It took law enforcement nearly four hours to reclaim order.
In a state of shock, a pedestrian discovered the two pipe bombs that had been abandoned, as the authorities reported at the time. The components included pipes, wires, kitchen timers, and homemade black powder, according to the FBI's investigation.
Details from a report obtained by CBS News indicated that the bombs featured a single detonation method: a 60-minute kitchen timer; however, they did not activate for reasons still unknown.
Since that day, police had been actively searching for the suspect.
Many individuals associated with the Capitol riot have faced charges, with several notably pardoned by Trump after his re-election earlier this year. Trump ordered the U.S. Department of Justice to drop all pending cases against other alleged perpetrators as well.
Trump referred to these individuals as 'the hostages', claiming their lives had been irreparably harmed by the legal proceedings.
He stated, 'What they've done to these people is outrageous. There's rarely been anything like it in the history of our country.'
