KS - Explosives found in pickup near Kansas Statehouse, Topeka, 2012

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http://www.centurylink.net/news/read.php?rip_id=<D9SU50200@news.ap.org>&ps=931

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Several homemade bombs were found Wednesday in a pickup truck parked near the Kansas Statehouse that had specialty license plates issued only to U.S. military paratroopers, and police said they arrested the owner inside an underground tunnel connecting the Capitol to an office building.

Capitol Police spokesman Patrick Saleh said the incident was not connected to another arrest Wednesday of a man who allegedly phoned in a threat to Gov. Sam Brownback's office from a Topeka motel.

"Neither one of them was armed, and neither of them offered any resistance," Saleh said.

Saleh said officers went to investigate the pickup after receiving a call from a state employee about it being parked in a restricted lot outside the Kansas Judicial Center, south of the Statehouse, without the normal state worker tag. An officer saw suspicious objects inside, including an empty gun holster, and authorities called in the Topeka Police Department's bomb squad.
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Saleh didn't have information about the man's identity.

The man was being questioned by agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Saleh said.
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The truck had a specialty Florida license plate issued only to qualified U.S. military paratroopers. It also had a special forces sticker on its bumper and stickers on its back window saying, "Welcome to America. Now speak English" and "Does my American flag offend you? Call 1 800 LEAVE THE USA." The gate of the pickup bed also had a decal from a dealership in Ocala, Fla.

More at link....
 
I would venture the opinion that the bombs were to be used against those participating in the protest in the capital against Secretary of State Kobach's repressive legislation attempting a crackdown against illegal immigrants. The truck had right-wing-oriented bumperstickers as noted above, particularly the "Welcome to the USA. Now Speak English" example, clearly aimed at immigrants from a non-English-speaking country - making it seem doubtful the explosives were meant to be used against right-wing Kansas Governor Brownback or his administration's policies, particularly those regarding immigrants.
 
What wfgodot posted above sounded right to me last night but this new article says neither incident was connected to the demonstration, in fact, they have released the guy who had the bombs! but the one who phoned a threat is in jail and probably will be charged with a felony...strange...

APNewsBreak: Suspect in Kan. Capitol case released

http://www.katv.com/story/16951004/no-federal-charges-seen-in-kansas-statehouse-case

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A man whose pickup was found to contain homemade bombs near the Kansas Statehouse has been released from custody but still could face criminal charges, a Capitol Police spokesman said Thursday.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, which operates the Capitol Police, planned to discuss possible criminal charges by early next week with Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, police spokesman Patrick Saleh said.

Taylor told The Associated Press that his office is meeting Friday morning with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to discuss the case.
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The man has a home in Topeka but a Florida's driver's license, and the pickup had a Florida license plate. Saleh said officers from multiple law enforcement agencies searched the man's home Wednesday and seized items, but he declined to elaborate.

Saleh said authorities don't believe there's a danger that the man will flee from the area but would not discuss why or the reasons behind the man's release.
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Authorities said neither arrest was connected to a coinciding rally at the Statehouse that was protesting policies pursued by Brownback, Kobach and other Republican officials.

Police arrested and jailed a 37-year-old man accused of making the threatening phone call to Brownback's office. The man, who is not being identified by The Associated Press because no criminal charges have been filed, appeared in court Thursday by video conference from the local jail.
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A Shawnee County prosecutor told a judge her office is considering a felony criminal threat charge against the man, who was arrested at a Topeka motel. Ebberts set his bond at $25,000. The man was arrested on suspicion of harassment by telephone, a misdemeanor.


More at link...
 
For me, the jury's still out on what the guy was going to do with the bombs.
 
No federal charges seen in Kansas Statehouse case

http://www.centurylink.net/news/rea...ion=5&lang=en&_LT=UNLC_NKNWU00L5_UNEWS&page=1

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man detained after homemade bombs were found inside his pickup near the Kansas Statehouse will not face federal charges, a federal law enforcement spokeswoman said Thursday.

Spokeswoman Trista Frederick of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the agency helped with the investigation but that the case is being handled by Topeka authorities. She did not elaborate on why the matter wouldn't become a federal case.

Police in Topeka arrested two men Wednesday in what authorities described as unrelated incidents involving potential threats against the Statehouse.
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Authorities have released no information about the owner of the pickup truck found with the homemade bombs. A spokeswoman for local law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation didn't immediately return telephone messages seeking comment.

More at link...
 
Very odd. I just don't understand this one.
 
It is all BS. They do not release a person who had homemade bombs.
 
Explosives near Kansas Statehouse lead to ... release of suspect? (Los Angeles Times)
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A day after the scare, the suspect, whom police will not identify, is free. In fact, according to Capt. Jimmie Atkinson of the Kansas Highway Patrol: “In this one, we did not actually take the suspect to jail and arrest him.”

Count that as one of the very few solid facts that’s been released thus far in a case that remains hazy.

When asked about the case Thursday morning, officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas Highway Patrol and Topeka Police Department even seemed somewhat confused about who was in charge of the investigation.

Finally, by Thursday afternoon, Atkinson said: “We are going to be going forward with the charges because the [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] did not want to file charges.”

What charges would be filed? Atkinson wouldn’t say. Nor would he say why the suspect was at the Capitol.
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more at link above
 
Found another article, different source, that basically says the same thing, he is released:


Saleh said the owner of the pickup remains a suspect in the incident Wednesday but was released late Wednesday after being detained by the Capitol Police and questioned by the Highway Patrol and the Topeka Police Department. He'd last been in custody at the Topeka police headquarters, and authorities were not releasing his name to preserve his privacy and his right to a fair trial, should he be charged.

The man has a home in Topeka but a Florida's driver's license, and the pickup had a Florida license plate. Saleh said officers from multiple law enforcement agencies searched the man's home Wednesday and seized items "associated with the explosive devices found in his truck," but would not elaborate.

Saleh said authorities don't believe there's a danger that the man will flee from the area but would not discuss why or the reasons behind the man's release, only that the decision was made based on what the man said in interviews. Saleh would not say whether the man was under surveillance.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/02/16/3758297/apnewsbreak-suspect-in-kan-capitol.html#storylink=cpy
 
Well, let's see....either he really didn't have operable explosives (in that case, what did he have?) or his presence was intended as a diversion for something that was supposed to happen (like what, exactly?), or he's some sort of agent provocateur (for whom? and why?), or he was a government agent (what sort of job description would this entail?) working for an agency with powers above that of AFT. This last doesn't necessarily rule out any of the other three. Whatever the case, it appears well-meaning Topeka LE got into something over their heads entirely.
 
Well, let's see....either he really didn't have operable explosives (in that case, what did he have?) or his presence was intended as a diversion for something that was supposed to happen (like what, exactly?), or he's some sort of agent provocateur (for whom? and why?), or he was a government agent (what sort of job description would this entail?) working for an agency with powers above that of AFT. This last doesn't necessarily rule out any of the other three. Whatever the case, it appears well-meaning Topeka LE got into something over their heads entirely.

Another possible scenario is that what was actually found in the truck was roadside flares, but by the time they figured this out the story was already off and running.
 
Another possible scenario is that what was actually found in the truck was roadside flares, but by the time they figured this out the story was already off and running.
True, roadside flares would set off the press, but - no one from TPD to ATF willing to admit colossal mistake? Well, that happens too I guess, lol. If there were some nefarious secret reason for letting this person go, one would think they'd at least be sure to have a false story to accompany it.
 
Ah! here's the cover story:

Explosives in Kansas Capitol incident were fireworks (AP/kansascity.com)
TOPEKA, KAN. -- Kansas authorities say explosives found in a pickup near the state Capitol earlier this week were illegal homemade fireworks.

Capitol Police spokesman Patrick Saleh (SAH'-luh) declined to give more details about the devices Friday. He also refused to say how powerful they might have been.
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a bit more at the link above

One wonders, doesn't one, about the truck parked illegally so near the state capitol building, with its "illegal fireworks"....
 
How could they have checked the "fireworks" so quickly to make sure what they were made for?

And isn't this the wrong time of year for "fireworks?"
 
I think there is much more to this story and we will never know the real truth. Was it some kind of undercover operation?
 
I think there is much more to this story and we will never know the real truth. Was it some kind of undercover operation?

I started thinking about that too since he was released so quickly. He had the special paratrooper tag and sticker on his truck....maybe it was some kind of test run for security?

Hoping more will come out on this...
 
Connected to the governor's office? Aimed at protesters?
 

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