Virginia man charged with planting bombs in DC on eve of Capitol riot appears in court

A Virginia man on Friday made his first court appearance on charges that he planted a pair of pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in D.C. on the eve of a mob’s attack on U.S. Capitol.

Brian Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, was ordered to remain in jail a day after his arrest on explosives charges. He did not enter a plea.

Cole confessed to the Jan. 5, 2021, act in interviews with investigators, three people familiar with the matter told NBC News. He told the FBI he believed conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke with NBC News.

Cole wore a prison jumpsuit as he vowed to honestly answer all questions he was asked. He told the judge he graduated from high school and hadn’t had any alcohol or drugs that would affect his ability to understand what was happening. He said he did not need a court-appointed attorney and hired his own. His attorney, John Shoreman, did not immediately return a request for comment.

A federal prosecutor said in court that the suspect spoke with the government for more than four hours, but did not reveal the contents of those discussions.

An FBI affidavit says investigators identified Cole as a suspect through analysis of credit card charges related to the purchase of pipe bomb components, cellphone towers and a license plate reader.

Nobody was hurt before the bombs were rendered safe, but the FBI has said both devices could have been lethal.

The arrest marks the first time investigators have publicly identified a suspect in an act that has been an enduring mystery for nearly five years in the shadow of the violent Capitol attack.

Cole is due back in court on Dec. 15 for a detention hearing.

The Virginia home of the suspect arrested in the Jan. 6 pipe bomb case remained an active crime scene Thursday evening. News4’s Mauricio Casillas spoke with neighbors there.

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