U.S. Man Admits Plotting Attack on Capitol Ahead of January 6 Protest

A Virginia man named Brian Cole Jr., has confessed to plotting an attack at the U.S. Capitol building, just days before the violent Jan. 6 protest that saw supporters of former President Donald Trump storm the complex.

Cole, who is 30 years old, reportedly admitted during a four-hour interrogation earlier this week that he placed functional pipe bombs outside both Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington D.C., on the night of January 5th, 2021. These devices remained undetonated for about two weeks until they were discovered by authorities.

The bombs were found just before January 6th, when President-elect Joe Biden was set to be inaugurated amidst a mob of Trump supporters breaching the building in an attempt to overturn the presidential election results that had already been certified earlier. Cole’s alleged act could have caused catastrophic damage or injuries if triggered during the chaotic events.

Cole has appeared in federal court and is currently held without bail until December 15th, pending a detention hearing. He faces charges of transporting explosives across state lines with intent to kill, injure, or cause property destruction, as well as an attempt at malicious destructive acts involving explosive material.

Despite Cole’s admission regarding the placement of devices inside party headquarters buildings, investigators have indicated that his motives are still unclear. He told law enforcement he believed then-President Donald Trump had stolen the 2020 presidential election from Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. However, officials noted conflicting statements during interrogation without specifying further details.

Evidence recovered indicates Cole may be influenced by anarchist ideologies. While no connections to organized groups or other participants in the January 6th incident were found, his actions still represented a serious threat to national security at that critical time.