Feds push for accused J6 pipe bomber Brian Cole Jr. to remain jailed, citing bizarre phone ritual

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors argued in court Wednesday to keep accused January 6th pipe bomber Brian Cole Jr.jailed, citing evidence that he experimented for years with explosive chemicals and repeatedly wiped his phone.The debate between prosecutors and Cole’s defense team before DC US District Judge Amir Ali for nearly an hour in the DC court hinged on the degree to which the pipe bomb suspect still posed a danger to the community.Assistant US Attorney Charlie Jones argued there was sufficient evidence of Cole’s dangerousness, since he had been conducting experiments with potassium chlorate — a component of improvised explosive devices — as far back as 2018.Jones noted the “amateur bomb-maker” experienced a “triggering event” that caused him to research homemade black powder — and bought even more components after allegedly laying explosives in a backpack outside the headquarters of both major political parties on Jan.

5, 2021.The prosecutor further cited Cole’s peculiar habit of putting his phone through a factory reset to wipe all personal data starting in August 2022 “to conceal his digital activity.” The accused also “spent hundreds of dollars” on a program to “clean” his personal computer regularly.“These bombs were not harmless,” Jones told the judge.“This conduct was not isolated.”The assistant US attorney revealed close to the end of the more than hour-long hearing that Cole had additionally fabricated “a carefully planned cover story” for the first two hours of his initial interview — before confessing to the crime.In that exchange, Cole told agents “that he only put one device in the backpack at a time,” indicating an awareness that the were viable explosives and that the devices were “set … to explode,” Jones said.“He finally admitted that it was him who placed those pipe bombs,” Jones concluded, adding that video of the interview had been submitted to the judge and clearly shows a pers...