While most of the country was following the news of two terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas yesterday, another story broke based on an incident that happened in December in Virginia. According to the FBI, agents found what they're calling the largest stockpile of "finished explosive devices" in the history of the agency at the home of 36-year-old Isle of Wight County resident Brad Spafford.
It appears that Spafford has been on their radar for a while. In 2023, a friend of his reached out to authorities, stating that he had "disfigured his hand in 2021 while working with explosives." He allegedly lost three of his fingers at that time. Newsweek reports that "The informant also reported that Spafford had voiced support for political assassinations and was stockpiling weapons and ammunition. Following the failed assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump in July, it was reported that he told the informant he 'hoped the shooter doesn't miss Kamala [Harris].'" He also reportedly told a neighbor that "missing children in the news had been taken by the federal government to be trained as school shooters." He allegedly used pictures of Joe Biden for target practice.
On December 17, the FBI arrested Spafford on one charge of possessing an illegal unregistered short-barrel rifle. The agency executed a search warrant for his 20-acre farm, bringing in bomb technicians to help. Bombs and materials for making bombs were found in his garage, as well as in the house in a backpack — the home Spafford shares with his wife and two children. He also had a vest with bombs preloaded. Authorities also found Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), a "highly sensitive explosive compound that is of interest to terrorists," according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Newsweek reports that the HMTD was found in a jar next to food in the freezer.
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Some of the bombs were too dangerous to transport, according to the FBI, so technicians detonated them on the scene. The FBI found 150 pipe bombs in total. The agency's Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating whether he acted alone or has any ties to terrorist groups.
A federal judge ruled that Spafford can be released to live with his mother under house arrest, but prosecutors are attempting to keep him in jail, claiming he poses a bigger threat and stating that he may eventually face more charges. These charges could come as soon as Friday when Spafford faces a preliminary hearing. His attorneys argue that there is no evidence that he actually threatened anyone and believe he should be released. They also argue that his statements about political assassinations are protected under the First Amendment.
"The government argues that Mr. Spafford should be detained because he poses a danger to the community in spite of the fact that the government has been investigating and carefully watching Mr. Spafford for approximately two years through the use of a confidential human source who was a friend and confidant of Mr. Spafford. During all of that time, there is no evidence or allegation that Mr. Spafford committed or attempted to commit any act of violence," his attorneys wrote in a filing earlier this week.
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