The Virginia man accused of planting two bombs in Washington, DC, 5 years in the past pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges of transporting and trying to use explosives.
The DC federal court docket arraignment for the person, Brian J. Cole Jr., occurred over a month after Cole was initially charged, partially as a result of a grand jury wasn’t in court docket over the vacations to hear the case.
When requested how he would love to plead to the charges, Cole leaned ahead to the microphone in entrance of him and stated, “not guilty.”
Cole’s legal professional argues the alleged gadgets may by no means have exploded and say their shopper has been fully peaceable and follows a strict routine due to his diagnoses, which embody autism.
Cole has been detained since his arrest, although his attorneys are trying to have the federal choose assigned to the case evaluation the Justice of the Peace choose’s determination to maintain Cole behind bars. His subsequent listening to is scheduled for January 28.
The FBI arrested Cole in December at dwelling, the place he lived along with his dad and mom.
Prosecutors say Cole positioned the bombs the night time of January 5, 2021.
The discovery of the bombs diverted legislation enforcement from the violence on the Capitol the subsequent day as rioters supporting President Donald Trump disrupted the certification of the 2020 presidential election.
During interviews with the FBI, Cole told investigators that he believed the 2020 election was stolen, offering maybe the primary indication of a attainable motive for the bombs positioned close to the DNC and RNC headquarters, individuals briefed on the matter instructed NCS.
Cole spent hours with FBI investigators and made a number of statements, the sources stated. Dan Bongino, former deputy FBI director, beforehand instructed Fox News that the FBI had interviewed the suspect at size.
Appearing on ABC News, DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated on the time that Cole was dissatisfied in “both sides of the system.”