Authorities revisit terrorist's home in New Orleans
The Houston FBI and local authorities revisited Shamsud Din Jabbar's home as they continue to investigate the deadly New Year's Eve attack in New Orleans. (Derek Schock, FOX News Digital)
A Utah State University student was arrested just hours after being questioned by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force after authorities say he contaminated a dormitory with hydrochloric acid gas and forced a mass evacuation.
Joshua Peter Yeager, 20, was arrested Thursday night and charged with reckless and disorderly conduct causing havoc, according to the indictment.
USU officials responded to a fire alarm at Mountain View Tower just before 7:45 p.m. Thursday, finding the entire first floor covered in vaporous material, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in 1st District Court. However, it was later determined to be hydrochloric acid gas.
utah state university (Utah State University)
FBI arrests man and woman with 'extremist' views on suspicion of plotting power grid attack targeting five electrical substations
According to court documents, the alarm prompted a “mass evacuation” of everyone living in the dorm, and paramedics, Logan Fire Department, Logan Hazardous Materials and USU Police were involved.
A few days ago on Monday, USU police officers were called to Jaeger's Mountain View Tower dormitory after a fire alarm went off in his room, according to court documents.
The suspect told authorities he was boiling water and vinegar to make potatoes, but large quantities of chemicals, including silver nitrate and potassium carbonate, as well as machinery, tools and many batteries were later discovered.
Police suspected there may have been “drug or explosive production” and called bomb disposal technicians to the scene, where they seized chemicals, according to the affidavit. The room was later deemed safe and Yeager was told to remove all chemicals and stop cooking in the dormitory.
According to court documents, Yeager was taken to the USU Police Department at 11:30 a.m. Thursday and questioned about why the chemical got into her room. He claimed he had owned the chemicals for years and did not use them to make explosives or drugs.
The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force also attended the press conference and questioned him about any “ties to terrorist organizations,” which he denied, according to the affidavit. He claimed it was a “mistake” to bring the chemicals into the dormitory.
Maryland woman pleads guilty to extremist plot to attack Baltimore power grid
According to court documents, he was subsequently asked by the FBI and a certified peace officer to stop using the chemical and to contact police if he found any other chemicals in the dormitory so they could be properly disposed of.
During the mass evacuation, which occurred just six hours after being questioned by the FBI, Yeager admitted to setting off the alarm and said he had discovered more chemicals that he was trying to “neutralize.”
Cache County District Court Judge Angela Fonesbeck granted Mr. Jagger $2,500 bail Friday morning in accordance with a court order.
Everyone forced to leave the dormitory had to walk through gas, creating a “contamination problem,” according to the affidavit.
An FBI agent wears a jacket and brandishes the bureau's insignia. (St. Petersburg)
The original estimate for cleaning and restoration was about $10,000 to $20,000, according to court documents. Labor and overtime costs add “significantly” to expenses.
In a statement released Friday, the university said the investigation is ongoing and “other charges” may be added.
According to the statement, “USU Housing is working to protect residents from the elements and the Aggies inside other USU buildings while they determine if decontamination is necessary or wait to be returned to their rooms around midnight.・We found a space on the shuttle bus.” “Other students did not need to be decontaminated.”
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Christine Deschamps sent a message to Mountain View Tower residents saying the CARE office is available to assist with any academic issues caused by the evacuation.
