The man accused of planting pipe bombs near the headquarters of both major political parties ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protest pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to newly filed terrorism-related charges.
Brian Cole Jr., 30, appeared in federal court wearing tan jail clothing and glasses, showing little emotion as he entered his plea. When asked how he pleaded, Cole responded, “Not guilty.”
A superseding indictment by a grand jury charged Cole on April 15 with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and committing an act of terrorism while armed. Those charges are in addition to earlier counts alleging transportation of explosives across state lines with intent to kill or damage property and attempted destruction using explosive materials.
The Justice Department says Cole, a resident of Woodbridge, Virginia, planted two homemade explosive devices in backpacks outside the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night
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