Homemade black powder, kitchen timer for detonation: All about pipe bombs planted in Washington by Brian Cole hours before January 6 riots

The arrest of Brian Cole revived questions surrounding the two pipe bombs planted in Washington on the night before the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. For nearly five years, investigators struggled to identify who left the explosives outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee. Now that Cole is in custody, questions have been raised about whether the bombs were an actual threat and what they were capable of. According to investigators, the devices were classic improvised pipe bombs constructed from 20-centimetre galvanised metal pipes, sealed at both ends. They were packed with homemade black powder that was capable of producing a lethal blast. Each device had a firing system based on simple wiring and a kitchen timer to functi