FBI director Kash Patel says suspect Brian Cole identified after reviewing 3 million lines of data

Renewed probe finally unmasks pipe-bomber

FBI Director Kash Patel said on Thursday that agents sifted through more than three million lines of data to identify the suspect in the years-long January 6 pipe-bomb inquiry, confirming that Brian Cole had been arrested following a fresh review of the case.

Patel explained that the bureau did not uncover any external new information but instead “re-examined every piece of evidence” that had been overlooked by earlier leadership.

This renewed effort, he noted, led to new investigative leads, further legal steps with federal prosecutors, and ultimately the resolution announced this week.

Cole was taken into custody on Thursday morning after FBI agents conducted a search in his Woodbridge, Virginia neighbourhood, securing the cul-de-sac and gathering evidence.

He is alleged to have planted two pipe bombs near the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters on the night of 5 January 2021.

Authorities said the devices, which could have been deadly, were discovered and safely disabled before they exploded.

Despite a $500,000 reward, credible information did not emerge over nearly five years.

Patel told The New York Post that investigators under the Trump administration identified the suspect through traditional detective methods rather than relying on public tips.

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, whom Patel credited with steering the renewed investigation, said the bureau’s progress stemmed from a clear directive.

“This is what it’s like when you work for a president who tells you to go get the bad guys,” Bongino said during an afternoon briefing.

The arrest resolves one of the most persistent unanswered questions in the wide-ranging January 6 probe. While hundreds involved in the Capitol riot have been charged, the identity of the pipe-bomb suspect had remained a major gap.

Patel said the case accelerated once he instructed investigators to reconstruct it from scratch.

“Our team re-examined the case, rebuilt the evidentiary trail and executed the search warrants that brought this individual into custody,” he said. “This is what a focused, disciplined bureau delivers.”