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A source close to the investigation tells Fox News the suspect in the DC pipe bombings has been talking with investigators for hours, admitting he planted the devices and expressed doubts about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
The explosive devices were placed at DNC and RNC headquarters on Capitol Hill just hours before the January 6, 2021, congressional certification that erupted into riots by demonstrators.
Ongoing FBI interviews with suspect Brian Cole Jr. occurred as he is scheduled to make a federal court appearance later Tuesday for a first appearance before a magistrate. He has not yet entered a plea.
Cole was arrested Thursday outside his Virginia home, and has since made multiple statements to federal law enforcement, said the source.
A second source tells Fox News the suspect’s possible motivation is just one piece developed early in an active, ongoing investigation, and that no full picture of the suspect has emerged.
But the suspect’s statements about the 2020 election and his apparent support for President Trump may offer a hint for a possible motive for allegedly planting the pipe bombs, which did not explode.
Surveillance footage released by the FBI shows the suspected DC pipe bomber walking near the DNC on Jan. 5, 2021, alongside a photo of accused suspect Brian Cole Jr., whom authorities arrested in Virginia this week. (Department of Justice)
FBI and DOJ officials have been officially mum on a motive, but indicated more information would be released soon, along with possible more criminal charges.
CNN first reported the suspect had expressed doubts about the 2020 election.
Cole Jr. is accused of planting the two pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committees’ headquarters around the same time that thousands of protesters a few blocks away began to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Surveillance footage released by the FBI shows a suspect placing the two explosive devices by the buildings in Washington, D.C.
The explosives found hours later by law enforcement were determined by the FBI to be “viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death.”
Cole is charged with use of an explosive device, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday.
Bondi on Friday stated that she expects more charges to be filed in the case.
The FBI arrested Cole in northern Virginia. He will make his first court appearance on Friday in Washington, D.C.
Surveillance footage released by the FBI shows the suspect walking through a Capitol Hill neighborhood carrying a backpack believed to contain one of the pipe bombs on Jan. 5, 2021. (FBI)
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FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday blasted the Biden administration for its handling of the investigation, telling “Fox News @ Night Now” host Trace Gallagher that the prior administration “sat on” evidence for four years and failed to make a breakthrough in the case.
In contrast, he said, the FBI under his leadership incorporated cell phone geolocation data to hunt for the suspect.
Mugshot of D.C. pipe bombing suspect Brian J. Cole. (Department of Justice)
“We went back and looked at the cellphone tower data dumps. We went back and looked at the providers and what information they provided pursuant to search warrants at the time and asked questions such as why weren’t all the phone numbers scrubbed, why aren’t they connected and why wasn’t there any geolocational data done?” Patel said.
“That is either sheer incompetence or complete intentional negligence — and neither of which is acceptable for this FBI.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom, David Spunt, Nora Moriarty and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
