Man Pleads Not Guilty to Pipe Bomb Charges

A man accused of placing pipe bombs near the headquarters of both the Democratic and Republican parties five years ago entered a not guilty plea in court on Friday.

Brian J. Cole Jr. was taken into custody by the FBI at his Virginia residence in early December and now faces two counts related to the transportation and attempted use of explosives.

This week, federal charges were filed against him.

Cole reportedly confessed to planting a bomb in downtown Washington, D.C., just before the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, although he claimed it did not detonate.

According to the Justice Department, Cole initially denied his involvement to investigators. However, when shown surveillance footage that allegedly captured him at the location, he was reminded that lying could lead to extra charges. Eventually, he admitted to the act.

“The defendant mentioned that he didn’t consider how people might react if the bomb exploded. He seemed to want media attention,” court documents detail, adding that he felt “relieved” to find out the device didn’t go off.

Cole described his motivations for his actions, stating that after the 2020 election, he felt everything was falling apart and something snapped inside him. He aimed to take a stand “against the political parties” because he believed they were “the ones in charge.”

Documents reveal that he had set the bombs to activate an hour after they were placed, asserting that it was simply luck that neither device detonated, thus resulting in no injuries or fatalities from his actions.

Even after his failed attempt, prosecutors noted that Cole continued to purchase materials for bomb-making.

If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison for the first charge and up to 20 years for the second.