In a significant development, federal court documents reveal that the Biden administration's FBI had identified the suspect behind the January 6 pipe bomb incident as early as April 2021.
However, it took several years before any arrest or charges were brought against the individual, as detailed in an affidavit and a report from the January 6 Select Subcommittee.
Brian Cole, a 30-year-old resident of Woodbridge, Virginia, was apprehended on Thursday. He faces charges of using an explosive device and attempting malicious destruction with explosive materials.
Prosecutors assert that Cole was responsible for planting pipe bombs outside the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic National Committees on January 5, 2021, the night preceding the Capitol riot. Investigators report that Cole has confessed to placing the explosive devices.
According to The Post Millennial, the arrest comes nearly five years after the Department of Justice under President Biden first identified the suspect. The House Select Subcommittee on January 6th highlighted in its report that an FBI case team had pinpointed a redacted user in April 2021. This individual was in the vicinity where the pipe bombs were planted, as determined by their phone's location data.
The affidavit further elaborates that cellphone tower records from the area around the RNC and DNC headquarters in Washington, DC, indicated Cole's phone was present at the scene. Between 7:39 pm and 8:24 pm on January 5, 2021, there were seven "data session transactions" with nearby cellphone towers. The bombs were reportedly placed between 7:30 and 8:30 pm.
The January 2025 report from the J6 Select Subcommittee stated, "As the FBI continued analyzing large datasets from the carriers, certain devices exhibited behavior consistent with the suspect. For example, in April 2021, the case team identified a [redacted] user who was in the area of the DNC at the time the suspect can be seen on video footage using their phone.
The FBI requested and received the 'historical cell tower data' for the user, and as of April 2021, the case team was attempting to 'further analyze' the users movements. It is ultimately unclear what happened with respect to this lead."
The Department of Justice announced the charges against Cole, with Attorney General Pam Bondi indicating that additional charges might follow. She emphasized that the arrest was not the result of any new tips or witnesses, but rather "just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work. Working as a team, along with ATF, Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police Department, and, of course, the FBI."
Neighbors of Cole described him as "very antisocial," noting his affection for his dog. His family portrayed him as apolitical, stating, "He has no social media contacts. Hes never online going back and forth with politics or anything like that. He says he dont like either party." Additionally, Cole was characterized as "borderline autistic."
This case raises questions about the efficiency and responsiveness of federal agencies under the current administration, particularly in handling matters of national security and public safety. The delay in apprehending Cole, despite early identification, underscores potential lapses in the investigative process that merit further scrutiny.
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