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The suspect who allegedly planted pipe bombs blocks from the U.S. Capitol on January 5, 2021, has been identified as Brian Cole Jr. of Woodbridge, Va., according to two sources briefed on the arrest.
The sources say Cole, 30, is in FBI custody as of Thursday following roughly five years of investigation. He is charged with use of an explosive device, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday.
The FBI arrested Cole in northern Virginia. He will make his first court appearance on Friday in Washington, D.C.
Authorities have not released further details about the man, but one federal law enforcement source told Fox that the FBI is carrying out “court-enforced activity” at Cole’s residence.
FBI ARRESTS SUSPECT IN DC PIPE BOMB CASE AFTER 5-YEAR INVESTIGATION
Cole’s step-grandfather, Earl Donnette, told NBC News in a phone call that he spoke with the FBI about his step-grandson, but declined to comment further.
Bondi said the investigation into the attempted bombing “languished” for four years under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
“The FBI, along with U.S. Attorney Piro and all of our prosecutors, have worked tirelessly for months, sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI with the Biden administration for four long years. Let me be clear there was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” Bondi said.
FBI Director Kash Patel credited the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro for their work on the investigation.
Authorities discovered 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 Capitol over the 2020 election results.
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Neither bomb detonated, but authorities say both were viable and dangerous.
Video footage released by the FBI showed the suspect placing the pipe bombs near the two headquarters more than 16 hours before law enforcement found them.
The suspect was seen wearing a gray hoodie, Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers, a mask, glasses and gloves, but Cole’s identity had long been unknown.
Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
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