How Suspected NYC Bomber Bought Weapon Parts on eBay
According to a
report by Hudson Hongo on Gizmodo the suspected NYC bomber, Ahmad Khan
Ramami ordered weapon parts on eBay between June and August. Read the story below.
On Tuesday,
federal prosecutors formally filed charges against Ahmad Khan Rahami, the man
who allegedly planted a series of bombs around New York and New Jersey before getting captured following
a shootout Monday night.
And while the complaint lists multiple pieces of evidence connecting Rahami to
the attacks—including recovered fingerprints and surveillance footage—it also
provides a chilling look into the online life of the man accused of injuring 29
people last weekend.
Among other
revelations, the charging documents claim an eBay user named “ahmad rahimi”
purchased several bomb components through the online auction site between June
and August, including electric igniters, hundreds of ball bearings and a
precursor to a home-made explosive allegedly used in the devices. The
components were then delivered to Rahami’s former workplace, prosecutors say.
“I know, based on my training,
experience, and conversations with other law enforcement officials, that ball
bearings can be used in improvised explosives to increase fragmentation and
thus to increase the lethality of the device,” writes Special Agent Peter
Licata in the complaint. “I further know, based on conversations with other law
enforcement officials, that the 23rd Street Bomb and the 27th Street Bomb both
contained as components of the bomb, among other things, ball bearings.”
The documents also describe a
video recovered from a relative’s cellphone that allegedly shows Rahami
igniting an explosive device. According to prosecutors, file data indicates the
video was shot near Rahami’s home two days before the bombings began.
“A fuse is lit and the object
ignites; the Video depicts the lighting of the fuse, a loud noise and flames,
followed by billowing smoke and laughter,” writes Licata. “[Rahami] then enters
the frame and is seen picking up the cylindrical container.”
More curiously, the complaint
the recounts the activities of a YouTube account allegedly belonging to Rahami,
which favorited videos with titles like “best jihad [anthem]” alongside more
innocuous clips like “WWE’12: How To Make Kratos” and “Cat Backflip Onto Couch.”
For allegedly planting and
detonating the devices, Rahami has been charged with using a weapon of mass
destruction, bombing, destruction of property, and using a destructive device
in the state of New York. According
to NJ.com, authorities say Rahami will be charged with additional offenses in
New Jersey for the bombs planted there.
In a statement to Gizmodo, eBay
said that the types of items listed in the complaint “are legal to buy and sell
in the United States and are widely available at online and offline stores.”
“We’ve been proactively working
with law enforcement authorities on their investigation,” said eBay.
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