Federal agents find pipe bombs in central Georgia

Raids result in two arrests

April 26, 1996
Web posted at: 1:40 p.m. EDT

COLUMBUS, Georgia (CNN) -- Federal agents raided locations in Americus and Knoxville, Georgia, early Friday, arresting two men with suspected militia ties and seizing the components for several pipe bombs, law enforcement sources said.

One source said the two men were thought to be "McVeigh sympathizers," a reference to Oklahoma City bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh. The source said there is no information linking the raid to possible terrorist activities at this time.

White House officials have been briefed on the arrests.

The two suspects were identified as white men in their 20s or 30s. One was arrested in Knoxville, in the central part of Georgia, about 8 a.m. He will appear before U.S. Magistrate William Slaughter in Columbus after 2 p.m.

The other man was arrested about 10 a.m. in Americus.

Sources told CNN that materials for multiple pipe bombs were seized.

"The components were ready to be assembled," one source said.

The sources said the two men were either militia members or militia supporters, but provided no specifics on any such affiliation.

Last week, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation about its plans to make the arrests, a source said. The arrests culminated a months-long investigation that began in north Georgia and was focused on a militia leader who had just moved there.

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