FBI seizes record cache of explosives in Virginia farm raid; suspect backed far-right
Know more about the FBI's largest-ever explosives seizure in history as over 150 homemade bombs were found at a Virginia farm, shocking the local community and authorities.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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)
