All articles tagged with #explosives
The FBI says Jessica Bowie, 35, sought to assist ISIS and asked an undercover agent for help learning to make explosives, allegedly planning to attack the New York State Capitol in Albany; Bowie is charged with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization after communicating with an FBI source and discussing escape and future plots.
A man was charged after prosecutors say he tried to bring explosive materials through security at Sacramento International Airport. Authorities confiscated the materials at a security checkpoint, and prosecutors say he attempted to pass them through the checkpoint.
CBS News reports an Army explosive-safety specialist warned that the Defense Department’s rush to adapt and field low-cost drones amid expanding unmanned warfare could be outrunning basic safety principles. The concern follows a March incident at the Joint Readiness Training Center where a small drone-borne explosive detonated, injuring a Special Forces soldier and prompting scrutiny of the XM183 MiniBlast cartridge, which the memo says has not received a full material release. The memo notes possible triggers such as static electricity or EMI to ordnance and highlights the broader push—driven by requests to produce up to ~300,000 drones—that may pressure safety oversight. Army officials disputed some conclusions, and safety centers said investigations require specific thresholds, illustrating a tension between rapid counter-UAS development and established safety standards.
A man drove a car packed with explosives and propane into Portland's Multnomah Athletic Club early Saturday, killing himself and igniting a fire; investigators found multiple incendiary devices, some partially detonated, and bomb-disposal robots were deployed as authorities cleared the scene. Police described the incident as isolated and not an act of domestic terrorism; the MAC remains closed indefinitely while investigators identify the driver and determine a motive.
Federal agents probe after a vehicle crashed into the Multnomah Athletic Club in downtown Portland, catching fire. Explosives were found in the vehicle and one person was found dead inside; the deceased is unidentified. The club will remain closed as authorities investigate whether the crash was intentional, with no motive known at this time.
Federal prosecutors indicted siblings Alen Zheng and Ann Mary Zheng in connection with an improvised explosive device found near MacDill Air Force Base. Alen allegedly planted the device and placed a 911 call; Ann Mary is charged with evidence tampering and being an accessory after the fact after helping him flee to China. The car used to transport the device was sold, traces of explosives were found in it and at the home, and the device was sent to Huntsville for testing. Alen is believed to be in China and extradition is being pursued on a case-by-case basis.
A brother and sister, Alen Zheng and Ann Mary Zheng, were indicted on federal charges after an improvised explosive device was found outside MacDill Air Force Base’s visitor center. Alen Zheng faces explosives and IED counts and is in custody, while Ann Mary Zheng is charged with actions to alter or conceal a Mercedes and is reportedly in China. The case comes as MacDill, home to U.S. Special Operations Command, remained on high alert amid related threats and ongoing security concerns at U.S. bases.
Brian Cole Jr. is charged with transporting and using explosives after allegedly placing pipe bombs at the DNC and RNC on Jan. 5, 2021; his lawyers argue that Trump’s broad Jan. 6 clemency applies to him, potentially dismissing the case, but officials dispute the scope of the pardon and its applicability to pending charges.
A vehicle rammed into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan; the suspect is dead, and no staff or students were injured, though a security guard was hospitalized. Authorities found a large amount of explosives in the back of the vehicle as FBI and ATF agents arrived to assist, and officials are clearing threats while increasing security at Jewish spaces.
Two Pennsylvania teens inspired by ISIS plotted an attack in New York City using improvised explosives, with investigators finding a notebook in Bucks County that mentioned soft targets like shopping centers. Authorities say they considered other targets for about a week before attempting to detonate devices near Gracie Mansion during protests; one purchase included a 20-foot fuse from Phantom Fireworks. The devices failed to explode, and Emir Balat (18) and Ibrahim Kayumi (19) are charged with terrorism-related offenses and weapons offenses and remain in custody as the case proceeds.
CBS News review of surveillance shows 18-year-old Emir Balat buying a 20-foot safety fuse at Phantom Fireworks in Penndel, PA, days before he and a co-defendant allegedly threw improvised explosive devices at protesters near Gracie Mansion; the FBI is investigating as a potential terrorism case, with Balat citing ISIS inspiration and both men facing multiple terrorism and explosive-material charges.
FBI investigators found explosive residue in a Pennsylvania storage unit tied to an ISIS-inspired incident outside Gracie Mansion, the NYC mayor's residence; two Bucks County teens, Ibrahim Kayumi and Emir Balat, face federal charges for allegedly possessing and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction, transporting explosives and aiding a designated foreign terrorist organization. Surveillance video obtained by NBC News shows Balat buying a 20-foot fuse in Pennsylvania days before the incident, and authorities conducted a controlled detonation of some components; no injuries were reported in the attack outside the mayor's home.
Two Philadelphia-suburban men, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, are charged in an ISIS-inspired plan after explosives were found in a Pennsylvania Public Storage unit and they allegedly carried homemade bombs to a protest outside NYC Mayor’s Gracie Mansion. Balat allegedly hurled a TATP device near police and a second explosive was dropped; no injuries occurred. The FBI conducted searches and detonations at a Langhorne storage facility as authorities test devices and build their case. The pair are held without bail on charges including providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction; Balat’s lawyer has described him as a confused teen, and officials say there’s no proven link to Iran’s war at this time.
The Department of Justice charged Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi with attempting to detonate two improvised explosive devices at a protest near Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, alleging they acted in support of ISIS; Balat allegedly threw Device-1 and received Device-2 from Kayumi, who admitted ISIS affiliation, and a preliminary analysis found TATP in the devices; the pair face counts including providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and weapons-related charges, with the investigation led by the NYPD, FBI, and SDNY.
The body of 4-year-old Johnathan Boley was found two miles from his home in Alabama after he went missing with his dog, Buck, on New Year's Eve. His father was arrested on unrelated charges involving explosives at the family home. The community and authorities, including the FBI, conducted an extensive search involving over 160 volunteers.