https://www.rt.com/news/610255-fbi-raid-pipe-bombs/

FBI seizes ‘150 pipe bombs’ in largest bust in history

Prosecutors claim the suspect had a photo of President Joe Biden for “target practice”

The US Department of Justice is fighting against the release of a 36-year-old Virginia man whose home was raided in mid-December, resulting in what federal prosecutors have described as the “largest seizure of homemade explosives in FBI history.”

Federal agents arrested Brad Spafford at his farm in Smithfield, about 29 miles northwest of Norfolk, on December 17, following a raid based on a criminal complaint alleging he was in possession of an unregistered short-barrel rifle.

During a search of his property, FBI agents found a stockpile of explosives, some marked as “lethal,” primarily stored in a detached garage, while several were allegedly “preloaded into an apparent wearable vest.” Additional devices were discovered in a backpack in his bedroom, which bore a hand grenade patch and the phrase “#NoLivesMatter.”

In recent court filings and testimonies, a detective assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) told a federal judge that Spafford harbored anti-government beliefs and expressed a desire to “bring back political assassinations,” according to Court Watch.

Court documents revealed that Spafford also kept a jar labeled “Dangerous” and “Do Not Touch” in his freezer, allegedly containing unstable explosive material. Counterterrorism agents found a notebook with bomb-making recipes.

BIG THREAD: Today, I attended the preliminary/detention hearing for Brad Spafford, charged with possessing a short barrel rifle.Federal prosecutors say more charges are coming and that his arrest yielded the "largest seizure of finished explosive devices in FBI history." pic.twitter.com/7UuW3DWfox

— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) December 31, 2024

Prosecutors also noted that Spafford used images of President Joe Biden for target practice and expressed support for political assassinations. Following the July assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Spafford allegedly remarked to an informant, “Bro, I hope they don’t miss Kamala.”

FBI Arrests Man with Largest Stockpile of Explosives in Agency HistoryIn a significant development, the FBI has apprehended 36-year-old Brad Spafford of Norfolk, Virginia, after uncovering over 150 homemade explosive devices on his 20-acre farm in Isle of Wight County. This… pic.twitter.com/yTeijPGIJw

— Roykey’s No Filter! (@RoykeyNo) January 1, 2025

The investigation began in 2021 when an informant reported to the authorities that Spafford had disfigured his hand while working with a homemade explosive device and alleged that Spafford was stockpiling weapons and ammunition.

https://www.rt.com/news/610215-south-korea-president-arrest-warrant/

South Korea issues arrest warrant for impeached president – Yonhap

A Seoul court has approved a request for Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention on charges of insurrection and abuse of power

A court in Seoul has approved a request from law enforcement authorities to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to Yonhap news agency. It marks the first time in the country's history that a sitting leader has faced an arrest warrant.

South Korea’s Seoul Western District Court issued the warrant against Yoon on Tuesday on charges of masterminding the December 3 martial law declaration, orchestrating an insurrection, and abusing power. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) filed the warrant after Yoon ignored three summons to appear for questioning regarding the short-lived martial law.

The court's decision gives the CIO 48 hours to take Yoon into custody for questioning, but uncertainties remain regarding the execution of the warrant. The Presidential Security Service had previously blocked investigators from entering both the presidential office compound and Yoon's official residence over alleged security concerns.

Despite having presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, this privilege does not extend to insurrection or treason charges. Yoon’s defense team argues that the CIO lacks the legal authority to investigate insurrection, a charge typically handled by the police. However, CIO chief Oh Dong-woon maintains that a court-issued detention or arrest warrant cannot be legally obstructed, even by the president.

The brief martial law declaration on December 3 shocked the nation and caused international alarm, particularly among allies including the United States. Masked troops equipped with rifles, body armor, and night-vision equipment entered parliament, facing off against lawmakers who opposed them with fire extinguishers.

The martial law lasted just six hours before it was overturned by a parliamentary vote. Yoon was suspended from his duties after the National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14. The Constitutional Court has begun proceedings to determine whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him, and it has 180 days from the date of impeachment to deliver its ruling.

Han Duck-soo, who became interim head of state after Yoon's suspension, was also impeached over his refusal to appoint justices to the Constitutional Court, a move necessary to finalize the impeachment process against Yoon. Han argued that he could not appoint the justices immediately due to a lack of consensus between the ruling and opposition parties. In response, the opposition Democratic Party accused him of lacking the qualifications and will to protect the Constitution.

On Friday, the country's finance minister, Choi Sang-mok, became South Korea's second acting president in two weeks.