Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he believed 2020 election conspiracy theories

WASHINGTON — The man charged with planting two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican party headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S.

WASHINGTON — The man charged with planting two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican party headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol told the FBI he believed conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Brian Cole Jr., 30, is cooperating with the FBI, NBC News has reported, citing a separate person familiar with the matter. Cole appeared in court Friday, one day after he was charged with leaving pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee in the hours before Donald Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Trump has falsely claimed the 2020 election was “rigged.”

Cole confessed to planting the devices outside the parties' headquarters in the hours before the Capitol attack, three people familiar with the matter told NBC News. A federal prosecutor said in court on Friday that the suspect spoke with the government for more than four hours, but did not reveal the contents of those discussions.

Trump speaks to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021.Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty ImagesCole was charged with transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials, according to charging documents. The FBI has not publicly cited a motive.

In court Friday in a prison jumpsuit, Cole vowed to answer all questions asked honestly and told the judge he graduated from high school and hadn’t had any alcohol or drugs that would impact his ability to understand what was happening.