WASHINGTON – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) yesterday released new images of a man suspected of placing home-made pipe bombs here on January 5 – the night before the assault on the Capitol – in an effort to gather identifying information about him.
The video, published on the FBI’s official YouTube channel, shows several angles of surveillance footage of the suspect as he walks along streets in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of the city.
Dressed in dark pants, a light-coloured hoodie and gloves, the man’s face is obscured by glasses and a mask as he carries a bag in one hand.
The FBI has already released still photos of the suspect – including ones that show identifying details of his Nike sneakers – and offered US$100,000 (RM412,650) for any information leading to his arrest.
The man is suspected of planting the home-made bombs near the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic Parties, which are near the Capitol.
The bombs never detonated and may have been placed as a distraction to keep police away when a pro-Donald Trump mob breached the building where lawmakers were voting to certify Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.
“We still believe there is someone out there who has information they may not have realised was significant until now,” said Steven D’Antuono, assistant director of the FBI’s Washington office, asking for the public’s help to identify the suspect.
“These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death.”
Five people died in the course of the Capitol attack on January 6, and more than 300 people have been arrested for their participation so far, including some charged with conspiracy.
Yesterday, the deployment of National Guard troops sent to protect the Capitol since the attack was extended until May, with the numbers cut by half to 2,300.
The Pentagon said Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved a request from Capitol police for continued National Guard support, but gave no details on any threat of a further attack. – Bernama, March 10, 2021
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