The Federal Bureau of Investigation seized over 150 homemade bombs in a record Virginia farm raid. According to court documents filed on Monday (Dec 30), this might be the investigative agency's largest-ever seizure of explosives. According to reports, the suspect is a far-right supporter.

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Where were the bombs found?

The alarmingly high number of explosives were discovered during a search of the family home of 36-year-old Brad Spafford. The search was carried out after a neighbour tipped off the FBI that Spafford was stockpiling weapons and homemade ammunition. The scale of the cache has sent alarm bells ringing and raised concerns over its potential implications.  

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Extremist allegations

The court filing detailed a chilling inventory of items found on the property that Spafford shared with his wife and two young children. Agents discovered pipe bombs in a bedroom backpack, a jar of highly unstable HMTD explosives labelled "Do Not Touch" stored in a freezer alongside food, and a notebook containing instructions for crafting explosives, including grenades.  

Spafford, a machine shop worker, reportedly used pictures of US President Joe Biden for target practice and voiced support for political assassinations, according to the documents. 

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A neighbour also told the FBI that Spafford had considered fortifying his property with "a 360-degree turret for a 50-calibre firearm on the roof."

Some of the explosives had stickers written “#NoLivesMatter”.

This could be a reference to No Lives Matter, described by Homeland Security officials as a far-right group active on apps like Telegram.

No Lives Matter advocates targeted attacks, mass killings, criminal activity, self-harm and animal abuse, the New York Times reported citing the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.

Charges against the man

Currently charged with unlawful possession of a rifle, Spafford is expected to face additional charges related to the explosives, each carrying a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Prosecutors described the cache as a significant threat to public safety.  

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However, Spafford's attorneys argued for his release, and in a separate filing described him as "a hard-working family man with no criminal record."  

(With inputs from agencies)