Virginia man who planted pipe bombs in DC on eve of Capitol riot appears in court

WASHINGTON A man from Virginia appeared in court on Friday for the first time after being accused of placing two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic parties in Washington, D.C., just before the assault on the U.S. Capitol.

U.S. Magistrate Moxila Upadhyaya instructed Brian Cole Jr. to remain in custody following his arrest on explosives charges. He is scheduled to return to court on December 15 for a detention hearing. Cole did not enter a plea during the initial appearance.

According to an FBI affidavit, authorities linked Cole to the devices through examination of credit card transactions used to buy bomb components, cellphone tower data, and license plate reader records. The 30-year-old from Woodbridge, Virginia, admitted to carrying out the act on January 5, 2021, during interviews with investigators, sources familiar with the case said.

The sources also indicated that Cole expressed beliefs that the 2020 election had been fraudulent and shared support for former President Donald Trump. The individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Author: Chloe Ramirez