A 43-year-old Everett, Washington resident made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today charged by criminal complaint with shipping of explosive materials. Thanh Cong Phan, 43, was arrested Monday after a number of packages containing small amounts of black explosive powder were received at various mail-screening locations in the Washington DC area.
The mailings were addressed to the White House, the FBI, and various government and military installations. The investigation to locate and isolate all of the packages is ongoing.
No packages have exploded or caused any injuries.
The packages contained homemade explosives, including glass bottles filled with black powder, fixed with a fuse and a GPS device, FBI agent Donald J. Metcalf said in an affidavit. The letters in the packages had “ramblings about neuropsychology, mind control, and other subjects, including terrorism,” Metcalf wrote.
Phan became a suspect in the case when a U.S. Postal Service inspector traced the tracking information on one of the packages to the Mill Creek, Washington post office self-service kiosk. Surveillance photos from the time of the mailing appeared to show Phan. Writings contained in the package were also similar to previous correspondence from Phan to various government agencies.
Phan had been known to police previously because of the writings, and due to frequent contact with the 9-1-1 emergency dispatch system. Phan was taken into custody without incident.
“During the past three years, I am aware that Phan has sent hundreds of letters and/or emails to various government agencies containing similar incoherent ramblings” as those that showed up Monday, Metcalf wrote.
Shipping of explosive materials is punishable by up to ten years in prison.
