Washington DC - A Virginia man recently confessed as to why he planted pipe bombs in Washington DC the day before the January 6 Capitol riots.

On Sunday, federal prosecutors submitted a filing asking a judge to keep Brian Cole Jr. detained pending trial, arguing his alleged crime "demonstrates the extreme and deeply dangerous nature of his conduct."

On January 5, 2021 – a day before Donald Trump's MAGA supporters stormed the Capitol building to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss – Cole allegedly placed pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee offices.

In an interview with FBI agents following his arrest on December 4, Cole insisted he had never been "an openly political person."

As he began following the election, however, he grew to believe that it was "being tampered with" and "something just snapped."

Cole, whose attorneys claim is severely autistic, explained that he wanted to do something "to the parties" because "they were in charge," and said he was "not really thinking about how people would react when the bombs detonated, although he hoped there would be news about it."

He went on to reveal that he was "pretty relieved" when the devices did not explode, and that he had placed them at night "because he did not want to kill people."

Prosecutors, on the other hand, argued it was "luck, not lack of effort" that no one was harmed, and his choice of targets "risked the lives not only of innocent pedestrians and office workers but also of law enforcement, first responders, and national political leaders."

Trump has aggressively pushed his 2020 stolen election conspiracy theory since his loss to Joe Biden, as he claims Democrats used various means – such as immigrants and stealing votes – to make sure he didn't win a second term in office.

Despite his lack of evidence and the fact that he managed to win reelection in 2024, the issue has become and continues to be a regular talking point for right-wing news media, influencers, and politicians.

Cole's alleged crime has also become something of a conspiracy theory in both right and left circles, as his identity has been a mystery to authorities and the public for nearly five years.

Dan Bongino, the current deputy director of the FBI who recently announced his resignation, used to push the conspiracy that the agency covered up the incident when he was working as a podcaster prior to Trump appointing him.