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 January 6 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 are unclear.
The arrest ends a long-running manhunt in this case, which involved extensive investigation and a $500,000 (£375,000) reward. The pipe bombs were safely deactivated and did not explode.
Officials have not yet commented on the suspect's identity or what led to the arrest. Earlier this year, the FBI released CCTV footage of the alleged suspect showing an individual with a backpack and a light grey hooded sweater placing something near a bench outside the Democratic National Committee building in Washington. This person was later observed placing the second bomb.
Both devices were placed the night before the January 6 riot, which was discovered as rioters began to storm the Capitol, where US senators were certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden, defeating Donald Trump. During this time, Trump, who was president, addressed a large crowd of supporters at a Save America rally near the White House, urging them to march peacefully to the Capitol and making unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
The crowd numbered between 2,000 and 2,500, including members of far-right groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, many of whom were armed. Hundreds forced entry into the Capitol building, overwhelming law enforcement. It took nearly four hours for law enforcement to restore order.
A passerby discovered the two pipe bombs that were left behind, which, according to the FBI, included pipes, wires, kitchen timers, and homemade black powder. The devices were designed to detonate using a 60-minute kitchen timer but ultimately did not explode for reasons that are unknown. Since then, law enforcement has been actively searching for a suspect.
Many individuals convicted or charged in relation to the riot have since received pardons from Trump earlier this year after he assumed office for his second term. Pardons or commutations were granted to more than 1,500 individuals, and Trump instructed the US Department of Justice to drop all pending cases against other suspects. He referred to those accused and convicted as the hostages, asserting that their lives had been destroyed and labeling the government's actions towards them as outrageous.
The arrest ends a long-running manhunt in this case, which involved extensive investigation and a $500,000 (£375,000) reward. The pipe bombs were safely deactivated and did not explode.
Officials have not yet commented on the suspect's identity or what led to the arrest. Earlier this year, the FBI released CCTV footage of the alleged suspect showing an individual with a backpack and a light grey hooded sweater placing something near a bench outside the Democratic National Committee building in Washington. This person was later observed placing the second bomb.
Both devices were placed the night before the January 6 riot, which was discovered as rioters began to storm the Capitol, where US senators were certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden, defeating Donald Trump. During this time, Trump, who was president, addressed a large crowd of supporters at a Save America rally near the White House, urging them to march peacefully to the Capitol and making unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
The crowd numbered between 2,000 and 2,500, including members of far-right groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, many of whom were armed. Hundreds forced entry into the Capitol building, overwhelming law enforcement. It took nearly four hours for law enforcement to restore order.
A passerby discovered the two pipe bombs that were left behind, which, according to the FBI, included pipes, wires, kitchen timers, and homemade black powder. The devices were designed to detonate using a 60-minute kitchen timer but ultimately did not explode for reasons that are unknown. Since then, law enforcement has been actively searching for a suspect.
Many individuals convicted or charged in relation to the riot have since received pardons from Trump earlier this year after he assumed office for his second term. Pardons or commutations were granted to more than 1,500 individuals, and Trump instructed the US Department of Justice to drop all pending cases against other suspects. He referred to those accused and convicted as the hostages, asserting that their lives had been destroyed and labeling the government's actions towards them as outrageous.
