A 55-year-old man from New York, Michael Gann, has recently been indicted for supposedly constructing and laying out homemade improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, at several locations, including two apartment buildings and the Williamsburg Bridge subway track.
The allegations say Gann assembled a total of seven IEDs in June, utilizing precursor chemicals, cardboard tubes, and fuses. In an alarming detail highlighted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, one of these devices contained around 30 grams of explosive powder, significantly exceeding the legal fireworks limits by an astonishing 600 times, as stated in a press release.
In addition to constructing the IEDs, prosecutors reported that Gann was found to have stashed at least four shotgun shells on the rooftops of residential buildings in SoHo, Manhattan, which he appeared to plan to pair with his explosive devices. Notably, the motive for these actions has not been mentioned in the reports.
Gann is now facing serious charges that include attempted destruction of property using explosives, transporting explosive materials, and unlawful possession of destructive devices, as confirmed by the release.
“The safety of New Yorkers is our top priority. As alleged, Michael Gann built and stored explosive devices on a rooftop in SoHo, and even threw one onto the subway tracks — endangering numerous lives,” commented Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, emphasizing the critical nature of Gann’s actions.
He further noted, “Thanks to the quick response from our law enforcement partners, no one was injured. Their vigilance certainly helped prevent a potential tragedy in New York.”
Kash Patel, FBI Director, acknowledged the efforts of the New York Field Office for their prompt action in this case. “The mission of the FBI is straightforward: to protect Americans before any harm occurs. I’m proud of our agents, @NewYorkFBI, and our New York partners for dismantling this IED scheme and ensuring the safety of innocent lives,” Patel remarked in a statement on X.
“We won’t allow anyone to threaten the safety of Americans without being held accountable,” he added emphatically.
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