Attorney General Bondi (00:00):
… work of multiple agencies working together. This morning's operation was carried out safely and successfully. We know that there are so many issues when you're issuing search warrants. Dangerous things can happen. And this was carried out safely and securely thanks to all of the people standing around me. They have worked tirelessly on this. Today's arrest happened because the Trump administration has made this case a priority. The total lack of movement on this case in our nation's capital undermined the public trust of our enforcement agencies. This cold case languished for four years until Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino came to the FBI. The FBI, along with US Attorney Pirro and all of our prosecutors have worked tirelessly for months sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI with the Biden administration for four long years.
(01:16)
Let me be clear. There was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work, working as a team along with ATF, Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police Department, and of course the FBI. We are working every day to restore the public's trust. We hope that today is a significant step towards that progress. We'll share more information when we can and when it unfolds. I cannot stress enough how hard Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino have worked for months to make our nation's capital safer and to make our country safer. I'd like to introduce now Director Patel.
Director Patel (02:09):
Thank you, General. When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation's capital, you attack the very being of our way of life. And this FBI and this Department of Justice stand here to tell you that we will always refute it and combat it. We will provide the safest country the nation has ever seen under President Trump's leadership here. And that's what we did here today with great resolve. On a case of massive public importance as it should be,- an individual who's now alleged to have placed multiple explosive devices to blow up multiple people and multiple officials, innocent civilians, is now arrested thanks to the brave men and women of the FBI and the inner agency.
(02:55)
I want to take a moment to thank the Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Capitol Police, our brave prosecutors, the Department of Justice and our leader, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, whose relentless work on this case made this possible. As the Attorney General said, we did not discover any new information. What we did, an investigation spearheaded by the Deputy Director and the ADIC of our Washington Field Office, brought in a new team of investigators and experts, reexamined every piece of evidence, sifted through all the data, something that the prior administration refused and failed to do.
(03:33)
As a result of that, we generated numerous investigative leads, executed multiple legal process with their US attorney partners and came to this conclusion today. And that is why we were able to safely secure this individual into custody. Remember, we are dealing with an individual who was alleged to have made bombs. We cannot do this sort of take down in haste because it endangers the lives of law enforcement. And this FBI will never allow the lives of law enforcement and our prosecutors to be put in jeopardy. This execution was flawless in terms of teamwork, resilience, and just a good old-fashioned way of police getting the job done.
(04:15)
When you let good cops be cops, this is what happens. I'm eternally grateful to the team behind me, to the leadership at the FBI who made this possible. But I do want to highlight when I introduce the Deputy, he made this case and so many others, including Summer Heat, his priority to come in here and solve it for the American people. And today, I'm proud to stand in here before you and say we solved it. He will have his day in court. The American public and the world will learn even more information through the legal process. As we have committed under this Attorney General, we are the most transparent law enforcement operation in US history, but we are also going to make sure accountability is delivered to its fullest extent. And that happens in the courts of law with our US attorneys and our prosecutors.
(05:01)
So we will divulge information when it is prudent and constitutionally permissible while upholding the safeguards of this case to make sure that the people that this individual intended to victimize get the accountability they deserve, and most importantly, to deliver on President Trump's promise, to secure our nation's capital and the rest of the cities in this country to make sure that Americans are allowed to go out free and securely in their neighborhoods and that people around the world are allowed to visit our nation's capital and they now have that trust. Thanks to the leadership of the FBI, the Washington Field Office. And I'm honored now to introduce to you Deputy Director Bongino who spearheaded this investigation.
Director Bongino (05:43):
Thank you all for being here for this critical investigation we've been working on for a very long time. We deeply appreciate it. Thank you for the kind words, Attorney General and Director, I appreciate it.
(05:54)
Folks, this is what it's like when you work for a president who tells you to go get the bad guys and stop focusing on other extraneous things not related to law enforcement. This is what happens. We had a great team. I know it's said a lot in this business. It was a team effort, becomes cliche, but cliches are useful for a reason because they matter. And this was a team effort. The Director and the Attorney General emphasized that it was not a new public tip this came from. This was our internal work at the FBI. And I want to just really express my sincere gratitude to this attorney general and this president for allowing us the latitude.
(06:29)
I spoke with Ms. Bondi very early, maybe day two, and I said, "We're going to get this guy." And she said, "Yes, you are." And we did. I want to also thank, he's not here, but Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who we deal with often as well, who could not have been more supportive. Whatever process we need, Judge Jeanine, Todd and Attorney General Bondi, they were there, all you had to do, they were a phone call away and their team was amazing. We actually never had to make that phone call because they were always responsive. Thank you, Judge, as well. You were amazing.
(07:02)
Folks, you're not going to walk into our capital city, put down two explosive devices and walk off in the sunset. Not going to happen. We were going to attract this person to the end of the earth. There was no way he was getting away. Well, we didn't have to track him to the end of the earth. It wound up in Woodbridge, Virginia. I want to thank the team. They were amazing. They never let this go. Again, Attorney General Bondi, for your incredible support. Director Patel, Judge. I know they're giving me a lot of unnecessary credit, but make no mistake, they were intimately involved in this and were there for all of those supportive mechanisms and I deeply appreciate it.
(07:45)
The man whose team did the work is the assistant director in charge of our Washington Field Office, Darren Cox. Darren's got some comments and Darren has some more details on the case he can provide. So thank you all for coming. We appreciate it.
Darren Cox (08:01):
Hi, good afternoon. I'm Darren Cox. I'm the assistant director in charge of the Washington Field Office. Today's arrest of the alleged DC pipe bomber is a momentous day for the American public, for the FBI, for our Joint Terrorism Task Force, or the JTTF, and our partners, the US Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police Department and ATF. We've also had a large number of other federal, state and local departments that have worked on this investigation, and last but not least, the US Attorney's Office.
(08:36)
We all worked hand in hand to solve this investigation. This has been a long week in DC. After the terrorist attack last week, the grit and determination of the FBI and our law enforcement partners is an example to the American public of what cooperation, partnership, and selfless service can accomplish. The amount of effort the FBI and our partners devoted to identifying the pipe bomber cannot be overstated. It is the resolve and determination of our investigators that ultimately led to the identification and the arrest of this suspect.
(09:21)
We all know pipe bombs are dangerous, not because of the potential loss of life, damage to property or injury that they can cause, but also because they are tools that terrorize our community. Fortunately, these bombs did not explode, although they certainly could have. But make no mistake, the alleged pipe bomber did terrorize our community. Today's actions underscore the long memory and the long reach of the FBI and our partners. I know some people had given up on finding the perpetrator, but not the FBI and not our partners. We do not forget, we do not give up, and we do not relent. Though it had been nearly five years, our team continued to churn through massive amounts of data and tips that we used to identify this suspect.
(10:26)
I want to thank Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino for their leadership and for providing us the resources and the personnel to reevaluate all of the data that we had. We dove into more than three million lines of data to come up with this suspect. Director Patel, Deputy Director Bongino, thank you for your support, thank you for your passion, and thank you for your investment in this investigation. From me on behalf of the investigators, the Washington Field Office, and all of our partners, thank you.
(11:04)
I'd also like to thank Judge Pirro. Judge, your team and you are absolutely amazing. You're the type of prosecutors and US attorney that all of the investigators across the country want to work with. They're hard nosed and they're aggressive, and thank you for that. I'd also like to thank the American public, the American public for providing tips and leads, not just on this case, but every day on cases across the country that are being solved by law enforcement.
(11:36)
And finally, I want to commend all of the members of the Washington Field Office, and most specifically the investigative team. Their diligence and persistence led to this arrest today, and they are absolutely, totally dedicated, not only to this case, but every case they work. So thank you, Washington Field Office.
(11:59)
Last, I will say, our work is not done. The FBI will continue to pursue every lead and use every resource that we have to ensure that the DC pipe bomber is brought to justice. Thank you.
Attorney General Bondi (12:16):
You keep hearing the words partnership and team, and that's what we are. And we could not do this without our US Attorney, Jeanine Pirro. Jeanine from day one has worked tirelessly for our country and for our nation's capital. It's my honor to introduce my friend, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
US Attorney Pirro (12:37):
Thank you very much, Attorney General. And you have been listening to a lot of thank yous and a lot of gratitude. The reason that we're thanking each other to the extent that we are today is because we have seen in this case an incredible collaboration around the clock in the middle of the night. It doesn't matter. We call each other, we make contact, they need a warrant, they need something, someone wants legal advice. These are the men and women who never give it up. You hear about government employees, but I don't know if you really realize what it is that they do. They are incredible, and this case is big.
(13:27)
4 years, 10 months, and 28 days ago, an individual placed a bomb in the vicinity of both the RNC and the DNC, and for that amount of time, that individual evaded accountability. Today, as a result of the cumulative efforts of the men and women in the FBI and the police department and the Department of Justice, we are finally able to make an arrest of an individual by the name of Brian Cole.
(14:00)
As the Attorney General has indicated, he is arrested for transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce, as well as the attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials. Folks, this case involved millions of pieces of data, and it is a huge win because it was like finding a needle in a haystack. So much of this evidence was very specific, but a lot of it was also very general. For example, there were 233,000 black end caps of the type that were used in this case.
(14:48)
I want you to think about the fact that the FBI had to go through the sale of every one of them to try to find commonality with an individual, along with the purchase of the pipe itself, the cap ends, the wires, the steel, and the nine volt batteries. Every one of those had to be mined and remined to the point where we were able to then connect. And make no mistake, it was this administration, it was this president who made the decision that we were going to use all of our efforts to get it done and get it done, they did.
(15:32)
Finally, let me say this. Today begins the formal process of accountability, where this defendant will begin his journey through the criminal justice system. And I pledge to you that the United States Attorney's Office will take this case across the finish line. Again, thank you to the incredible work of the FBI, to the Attorney General, and to our local partners as well. This is a job that I think was well done.
Attorney General Bondi (16:09):
Thank you. President Trump's directive to all of us was to not only make America safe again, but DC and to make it safe and beautiful. We could not have done that without our partnership with Mayor Bowser and Chief Smith. It is my honor to introduce Metropolitan Police Department Chief Smith.
Chief Smith (16:32):
Good afternoon and thank you everyone. I am Chief Pamela Smith, Chief of Police of the Metropolitan Police Department. Thank you, Attorney General Bondi, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro and FBI Director Patel for having me here today.
(16:47)
For nearly five years, the agency standing here today have worked together under the leadership of the FBI to locate our suspect who is responsible for the two pipe bombs that were placed around our city. MPD members assigned to the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force have supported this case from the beginning. That supports include looking, reviewing, and going through countless, probably thousands of hours of CCTV footage from around the DNC and RNC headquarters, and they followed up on hundreds and thousands of leads from members of our communities.
(17:23)
What I will say today is that Washingtonians can rest easier today, knowing that the suspect responsible for this act is now in custody. This morning's arrest is yet another reminder that committing any act with the intention of harming the residents and visitors of the District of Columbia will result in your arrest. The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI, the ATF, the US Capitol Police, and certainly the prosecutors at our US Attorney's Office will go to the furthest length … I heard somebody say to the end of the earth, but thank God we didn't have to go to the end of the earth today, that we were able to bring this subject into custody. I want to commend the men and women of the FBI and the members of the Metropolitan Police Department and all of the agencies who are standing behind me today on a job well done.
(18:15)
I will turn it over now to Attorney General Bondi.
Attorney General Bondi (18:18):
We're going to take some questions. Just remember, as I said in the beginning, this is ongoing. It's very active. The search warrants are still being executed. Many charges potentially to come. So just keep that in mind when asking your questions.
Jake (18:35):
Jake, Fox News. So you said it'd been nearly five years, we all know that, and that you said there have been no new evidence. So can you say anything about the evidence that actually did lead to this arrest? And then secondarily, you're talking about additional charges possibly. Can you say what those you might be considering or terrorism charges or what?
Attorney General Bondi (18:54):
We can't discuss new charges, of course, yet. Ongoing. But what I will say is why this was so incredibly important more than any other case is this is in our nation's capitol where this happened. And now, thanks to the FBI, we know that this defendant was living just miles away from here in Virginia. So as to the evidence in the case, I'm going to let Director Patel take that, but it's still very active and very ongoing.
Director Patel (19:22):
Thank you, General. And as I stated earlier, and as the General has already reiterated, our job is to provide full accountability in the court of law with Judge Pirro's team. And in order to do that, we have to preserve the chain of custody and evidentiary value.
(19:35)
What I will say generally is that when you go through three million lines of information, y'all can think about the amount of cell phone data that has to be ingested and triangulated and dumped and received. You also have to think of just sheer human ingenuity. We brought in a team of experts who are the best at what they do in their specific fields to reevaluate that evidence, to dive back in and to not come back with a no for an answer until they had found the suspect. And when you develop evidence, you get a search warrant. And when you get a search warrant, you get an address. And when you get an address, you hit the house, and that's what we did.
Speaker 7 (20:09):
Sadie, Wall Street Journal.
Attorney General Bondi (20:11):
Hi, there.
Sadie (20:13):
So what can you tell us about this person's motivations and whether they were driven by politics or for any other reason why?
Attorney General Bondi (20:20):
Right now it's ongoing. Again, we just executed the search warrant early, early this morning. It's ongoing, but America's safer, DC's safer because he's in custody.
Speaker 7 (20:32):
Mary Margaret, Daily Wire.
Mary Margaret (20:34):
Thank you so much. So any theory on why Kamala Harris has never mentioned coming within 20 feet of being assassinated and any news on why her Secret Service team took so long to find this bomb at the DNC?
Attorney General Bondi (20:46):
No, but what I will tell you is that evidence has been sitting there collecting dust. This wasn't a new tip. It wasn't some new evidence. It was the hard work of President Trump's administration. Deputy Director Bongino and Director Patel, I watched them from day one come in here and say, "We are going to solve this crime." And they did working hand in hand with US Attorney Pirro and all of our great attorneys.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
Pierre, ABC.
Pierre (21:21):
General Bondi, Director Patel, or Deputy Director Bongino, can you describe, was there a particular moment where the evidence is coming in and it's starting to look like progress is being made? What was the moment that you knew that you were on the road to solving the case?
Attorney General Bondi (21:42):
Dan, do you want to take that?
Director Bongino (21:44):
Yeah, sure. I was smiling at you because I certainly remember the moment. Darren remembers it too. He said, "Are you sitting down?" He called me on the phone. I said, "Oh boy, why? Is this bad news?" And he said, "I think we got them."
(22:01)
What exactly that tip was, I'm going to have to pass on that for right now while we're still … Obviously, we're in the prologue of a long book. This is just the beginning. This is not the end of the investigation, as you all well know, haven reported on these for a long time. There's interviews to be conducted. The search warrant processing scene is not even done. So we're at the early stages, so that's the only reason I hesitate to tell you what the exact tip was. But yes, that was absolutely the moment and it was due to the diligent and incredible work of a team in the Washington Field Office that came in and just scoured through this over and over and over and over again.
Pierre (22:40):
In general, was it forensic? Was it a phone call? Was it something about a vehicle just in general?
Director Bongino (22:49):
We'll just leave it generally, forensic evidence. Yeah, it's fair enough to say.
Pierre (22:53):
How long ago was that?
Director Bongino (22:54):
Excuse me?
Pierre (22:54):
Can you say how long ago that was?
Director Bongino (22:56):
I'd rather not say because of the ongoing interview process and I don't want to-
US Attorney Pirro (23:02):
Can I say one thing?
Director Bongino (23:02):
Yeah, of course.
US Attorney Pirro (23:02):
I just want to add something to tell you how thorough this team was, that that moment that was kind of like the aha moment, that wasn't the end. This team continued to work and work and work to get every bit of evidence that we could get. We didn't stop at that moment. And that's a testament to the fact that the team wanted every possible evidence, piece of evidence that they could gather.
Attorney General Bondi (23:31):
One more.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Should be one more, Kelly O'Donnell NBC.
Kelly O'Donnell (23:33):
Thank you so much. Have you recovered the notable sneakers? Have you done surveillance of this suspect from that aha moment to when you exercised the search warrants today? And obviously this happened on January 5th into January 6th. How should the public look at this case separate from all of the cases related to what transpired on January 6th and the president's subsequent pardons?
Attorney General Bondi (24:03):
I'm going to let Director Patel take the evidence part. We have to be careful again. You've asked very good investigative questions, but this is ongoing, very active, but America should feel safer today. We say a pipe bomb. These are bombs. These were live active bombs that were placed in Washington DC. Director.
Director Patel (24:24):
Thank you. This shows you how much detail you and the American public have paid attention to this case. Of course, we analyzed everything that you're seeing on this poster board and information that you will see through the formal charging process and court process, but we want to let that evidence speak for itself because again, we do not want to disrupt the accountability that we owe the American public. Yes, you heard about the cell phone tower data. Yes, you heard about, of course, we surveil individuals who we think were going to blow up American citizens, but how and when we do it and why we do it is not something we're ever going to reveal unless the Department of Justice deems it fit at trial.
(25:01)
So we appreciate your attention to detail and your hardcore investigative work, but you can just imagine some of those same skills were being utilized by this FBI, this Department of Justice, our partners, the ATF and everybody across the board, and this is an interagency win for the American people.
Kelly O'Donnell (25:16):
Was this suspect on your radar before [inaudible 00:25:18] how was this-
Attorney General Bondi (25:19):
Thank you all. And one more thing. This is the best birthday present. I think Deputy Director Bongino could ask for today.
Kelly O'Donnell (25:25):
How is different than-
Attorney General Bondi (25:25):
Happy holidays, Merry Christmas. Thank you.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
Thank you very much.
Kelly O'Donnell (25:28):
How is different, ma'am, than the other cases [inaudible 00:25:32]-
Speaker 7 (26:02):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 13 (26:14):
[inaudible 00:26:15]