Self-Identified Patriot Arrested After Trying To Detonate Bomb in OKC

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**d-usa**

Source:

The FBI has arrested an Oklahoma man on charges that he tried to detonate what he thought was a 1,000-pound bomb, acting out of a hatred for the U.S. government and an admiration for Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, according to court papers.

Jerry Drake Varnell was arrested shortly after an attempt early Saturday morning to detonate a fake bomb packed into what he believed was a stolen cargo van outside a bank in Oklahoma City, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court. He was charged with attempted destruction of a building by means of an explosive.

According to the complaint, over the course of a months-long undercover investigation by the FBI, Varnell made repeated statements about the extent of his hatred of the federal government.

In one conversation, he said he believed in the “Three Percenter” ideology — a form of anti-government activism that pledges resistance against the government on the belief that it has infringed on the Constitution, according to court papers. Those who subscribe to the ideology incorrectly believe that only 3 percent of the colonial population participated in the American Revolution, and they see themselves as their heirs.

The FBI arrested an Oklahoma man on charges that he tried to detonate what he thought was a 1,000-pound bomb. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)
Varnell, 23, allegedly discussed a number of potential targets, including the Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington, D.C., an IRS building in Maryland and a Bank of America data center in Texas. Eventually, he settled on a BancFirst building in Oklahoma City, the court papers say.

According to the complaint, Varnell expressed a desire to blow up buildings, but in a way that would minimize deaths or casualties, possibly by detonating the device at night when offices would be mostly empty.

On June 26, Varnell discussed the possibility that people could be killed and said, “You got to break a couple of eggs to make an omelet,’’ according to the complaint.

“That’s why people don’t do this s--- because, you know, you got to be able to overcome that little reality there,” he said, according to the complaint.

As part of that conversation, as outlined in the court papers, Varnell said he wanted to do something that would “somehow cripple the government. Something that sends a message that says, ‘You are a target.’ ”

Two weeks later, however, Varnell indicated that he wanted to detonate the bomb after work hours to prevent casualties, saying: “I’m down for whatever. Safety is number one.”

Authorities said Varnell watched the construction of the fake bomb around 6:30 p.m. Friday. He then drove the vehicle containing the device to an alley adjacent to the bank building and parked it there, according to the FBI. After midnight, he twice attempted to detonate the bomb remotely, and shortly after those attempts he was arrested, according to the complaint.

A group called “III% United Patriots’’ said Varnell joined in November, but they dropped him from the membership rolls as soon as they heard of Monday’s charges.

“We don’t want anything to do with him,’’ said Dylan Hunter, a spokesman for the group. “We condemn any acts of terrorism. We condemn Timothy McVeigh, we condemn what happened in Charlottesville. What we want to do is support the Constitution of the United States of America.’’

This story has been updated to include comment from the “III% United Patriots” group

**daedalus**

That's pretty remarkable in the sense that it's possibly the most poorly conceived thing I've heard of being attempted along every facet imaginable.

**Prestor Jon**

So a man who lacked the ability to make his own 1,000lbs bomb was given a fake bomb by undercover FBI agents and he then parked the fake bomb next to a federal building where it didn't detonate because it was a fake bomb and nobody was harmed. Cool.

**Spinner**

I was about to comment that this was only the second-most poorly put together bomb plot I've ever heard of, but a quick check to Snopes informs me that the one about the letter-bomb mailer who didn't put enough postage on his device is made up and possibly inspired by a Wile E. Coyote cartoon, so...yeah, agreed!

**Desubot**

Prestor Jon wrote:
So a man who lacked the ability to make his own 1,000lbs bomb was given a fake bomb by undercover FBI agents and he then parked the fake bomb next to a federal building where it didn't detonate because it was a fake bomb and nobody was harmed. Cool.

Thats possibly the funniest thing iv heard today

thanks.

**d-usa**

He has actually done a lot of research and was close to being able to manufacture an actual device without help, which is the reason the pulled the trigger and provided him with the assistance to make sure it was a fake bomb and not a real one.

But let's ignore the patriot wanting to blow up the bomb and focus on the cops.

**Disciple of Fate**

d-usa wrote:
But let's ignore the patriot wanting to blow up the bomb and focus on the cops.

Obviously the cops contributed to this, clearly it came from both sides.

Still waiting for a tweet or any real acknowledgment.

**Frazzled**

Standard FBI entrapment maneuver. Put pics of him in his jail cell and spam the internet as a warning to others that we don't tolerate that gak here.

**Prestor Jon**

d-usa wrote:
He has actually done a lot of research and was close to being able to manufacture an actual device without help, which is the reason the pulled the trigger and provided him with the assistance to make sure it was a fake bomb and not a real one.

But let's ignore the patriot wanting to blow up the bomb and focus on the cops.

He was under surveillance and actively associating with undercover agents who knew he was doing a lot of research and was actively trying to build a bomb to blow up a federal building they could have arrested him already and gotten a conviction. The fake bomb is just more security theater. The FBI has been doing it for years against people in the War on Terror, it's happened in NJ, MD, and OR just to name a few instances. People conspire with undercover FBI agents, the FBI supplies fake bombs and then stops the "attack." There was never an actual bomb, nobody was ever in any real danger. The FBI strings the bombers along to artificially create more "danger" so they can file bigger charges and grab more headlines.

**d-usa**

Your focus is telling.

**daedalus**

Isn't everyone's?

**Prestor Jon**

d-usa wrote:
Your focus is telling.

My focus is that I'm tired of FBI bullgak. It wasn't cool when they did it to the Fort Dix Five and it's not cool with this fethwit either. The FBI should focus on getting dangerous criminals off the streets not stringing criminals along to get better headlines and PR. If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

**daedalus**

Prestor Jon wrote:

My focus is that I'm tired of FBI bullgak. It wasn't cool when they did it to the Fort Dix Five and it's not cool with this fethwit either. The FBI should focus on getting dangerous criminals off the streets not stringing criminals along to get better headlines and PR. If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

A valid argument can be made, particularly in a world where information is extremely trivial (by comparison to the past) to come by, that anyone sufficiently motivated enough to go through the motions of such actions could develop the means to do so.

The more important evaluation of the situation would be, in my opinion, how much encouragement did the FBI provide during the whole ordeal, and how much rope did they hand the obviously unhinged individual.

If it was more the latter than the former, then it seems justified. If it was more the former, then there's an issue.

**Manchu**

Agree with d-usa that this is a seriously concerning story. Sure, this isn't the same thing as racist or religious terrorism in that the guy (at least in his own warped mind) was not aiming to kill as many innocent people as possible. But he was still radicalized to the point of undertaking violent, terrorist action and, at least as he told it, put his own safety (and obviously also that of others) below his extremist ideological convictions.

**Frazzled**

Manchu wrote:
Agree with d-usa that this is a seriously concerning story. Sure, this isn't the same thing as racist or religious terrorism in that the guy (at least in his own warped mind) was not aiming to kill as many innocent people as possible. But he was still radicalized to the point of undertaking violent, terrorist action and, at least as he told it, put his own safety (and obviously also that of others) below his extremist ideological convictions.

Indeed. He literally pushed the button to kill a whole bunch of people and was too stupid to realize it was fake. Good job FBI. It would only have been better if the button he pushed blew his own ass up instead.

I'm sick of these feths. Time to expunge them from our nation.

**d-usa**

I will also freely admit that it's the same old same old from the FBI and they can continue to congratulate themselves for being able to stop 100% of the attacks they are supplying materials for. And it's okay to talk about just how far the FBI is going to encourage guys like him.

But I don't think that should distract us from the fact that the FBI is able to continuously find guys like that.

I also think it is worth noting that this happened at a time when the DOJ and administration leadership are moving from focusing on "extremism" to "jihadist extremism".

**Manchu**

Frazzled, we're never going to get rid of deluded would-be murderers. Best we can do is put the pin to their balloons in public where everyone can see they are crackpots.

d-usa, I would not be surpised if the FBI was touting this case as a way of opposing the White House mandated DOJ "reforms."

**Ouze**

Prestor Jon wrote:
If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

Alternately, they could be stringing him along to try and get better penetration into his group and potentially bust a cell instead of any individual.

**d-usa**

In light of fairly recent history about juries sympathizing with the anti-government actions of certain demographics, they might also be looking for more charges to file and better evidence to present.

A jury might look differently at a case where the defense is able to say "he said he hates the government, but he would never actually do anything" vs a case where the prosecutor is able to show that he physically pushed the button to kill people and blow up a building a stone throw away from the OKC Bombing National Memorial.

**Prestor Jon**

Ouze wrote:
Prestor Jon wrote:
If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

Alternately, they could be stringing him along to try and get better penetration into his group and potentially bust a cell instead of any individual.

If they had actually busted a terror cell then that would make sense but they didn't they only arrested this one guy and it says right in the article that the people who built the fake bomb for him, while he watched, were FBI agents. What charges were the FBI able to bring against this guy because he pushed the button on a fake bomb that they couldn't charge him with prior? Nobody got hurt, nothing got damaged and it's not like the FBI can't prosecute people for plotting to murder people with bombs unless they catch people in the act of trying to detonate a bomb. This guy needed to be arrested and I'm glad he was but I don't see the reason, besides theatrics, for the FBI to skirt the edge of entrapment and give people like this fake bombs after they've already collected enough evidence to check off all the boxes needed to charge him with conspiring to commit mass murder with a destructive device/weapon of mass destruction.

If the FBI didn't give him the fake bomb he would have needed somebody else's help to make a real one and then the FBI could have arrested whoever helped him too. It just strikes me as the FBI trying way too hard to look good. The lead is that the FBI stopped a murderous bomb plot but then it's followed by the FBI's statement that nobody was hurt and there was never any danger because the bomb was fake because they gave it to him because the only co conspirators were undercover FBI agents. You're welcome America.

**d-usa**

Considering men can march on federal buildings, aim at federal law enforcement with various weapons, and threaten to kill them, and still manage to avoid convictions...it's getting hard to blame the FBI for wanting as much of a case as possible.

**Prestor Jon**

d-usa wrote:
Considering men can march on federal buildings, aim at federal law enforcement with various weapons, and threaten to kill them, and still manage to avoid convictions...it's getting hard to blame the FBI for wanting as much of a case as possible.

I'm glad this guy was arrested and is off the streets and this isn't the most egregious example but it's pretty absurdist and farcical if the only way the FBI can build a successful terrorism case against somebody is to have undercover FBI agents give them a fake bomb. If the Trump administration is going to push the FBI to focus more on jihadi terrorism rather than anti govt terrorism that I guess the FBI will go back to giving fake bombs to Albanian, Somali and Pakistani Americans to arrest them on jihadi terrorism chargers rather than giving fake bombs to white guys trying to commit anti govt domestic terrorism.

**Tannhauser42**

Is this really any different than any other kind of undercover operation where the cops sell the bad guy the drugs, guns, hot merchandise, etc.? You can document the bad guy's plans and intentions all you want, but the best case possible is to bust him with the goods in hand.

**whembly**

Ouze wrote:
Prestor Jon wrote:
If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

Alternately, they could be stringing him along to try and get better penetration into his group and potentially bust a cell instead of any individual.

This.

I have no problem with the FBI's tactic... you have to "cross that line" from entrapement to obvious intent.

**d-usa**

And does anybody here really trust the FBI, or any of our letter combinations for that matter, enough for them to sit back while violent people put bombs together and then catch them in the act but before actually detonating anything?

**whembly**

d-usa wrote:
And does anybody here really trust the FBI, or any of our letter combinations for that matter, enough for them to sit back while violent people put bombs together and then catch them in the act but before actually detonating anything?

Hell no.

**jhe90**

whembly wrote:
Ouze wrote:
Prestor Jon wrote:
If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

Alternately, they could be stringing him along to try and get better penetration into his group and potentially bust a cell instead of any individual.

This.

I have no problem with the FBI's tactic... you have to "cross that line" from entrapement to obvious intent.

I know it's pretty extreme tactic. But the fact they have a very solid case. They have intent, they have motive. They have proof of action..

Solid conviction is guaranteed.

**Inquisitor Lord Bane**

jhe90 wrote:
whembly wrote:
Ouze wrote:
Prestor Jon wrote:
If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

Alternately, they could be stringing him along to try and get better penetration into his group and potentially bust a cell instead of any individual.

This.

I have no problem with the FBI's tactic... you have to "cross that line" from entrapement to obvious intent.

I know it's pretty extreme tactic. But the fact they have a very solid case. They have intent, they have motive. They have proof of action..

Solid conviction is guaranteed.

And they put the message out there to the next "patriot" that they are being observed, and watched. If they can literally get a guy to the point of trying to blow a bomb he thinks is real, how trusting will the next group be of any outsiders. It just drove them all a little further apart.

**jhe90**

Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:
jhe90 wrote:
whembly wrote:
Ouze wrote:
Prestor Jon wrote:
If you're conspiring to commit terrorism and murder by detonating a bomb you should be arrested and charged ASAP, not given a fake bomb to play with so the FBI can make front page news for saving America.

Alternately, they could be stringing him along to try and get better penetration into his group and potentially bust a cell instead of any individual.

This.

I have no problem with the FBI's tactic... you have to "cross that line" from entrapement to obvious intent.

I know it's pretty extreme tactic. But the fact they have a very solid case. They have intent, they have motive. They have proof of action..

Solid conviction is guaranteed.

And they put the message out there to the next "patriot" that they are being observed, and watched. If they can literally get a guy to the point of trying to blow a bomb he thinks is real, how trusting will the next group be of any outsiders. It just drove them all a little further apart.

True, and the mire divided, paranoid and second guessing, maybe even some groups will turn on each other internally.

**oldravenman3025**

Prestor Jon wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Considering men can march on federal buildings, aim at federal law enforcement with various weapons, and threaten to kill them, and still manage to avoid convictions...it's getting hard to blame the FBI for wanting as much of a case as possible.

I'm glad this guy was arrested and is off the streets and this isn't the most egregious example but it's pretty absurdist and farcical if the only way the FBI can build a successful terrorism case against somebody is to have undercover FBI agents give them a fake bomb. If the Trump administration is going to push the FBI to focus more on jihadi terrorism rather than anti govt terrorism that I guess the FBI will go back to giving fake bombs to Albanian, Somali and Pakistani Americans to arrest them on jihadi terrorism chargers rather than giving fake bombs to white guys trying to commit anti govt domestic terrorism.

This has been pretty much SOP for the Federal alphabet agencies since the end of the 1970's. But it tends not to be effective against anybody but lone idiots like the one who's the subject at hand. Members of white supremacist, separatist, and militia groups learned pretty quick how to spot your typical Federal Agent, paid agitator, and "undercover" infiltrator. The Feds' desperation at getting "trusted" (i.e. hard to spot/expose) people on their payroll is a big part of what led to the incident at Ruby Creek, Idaho with the Weaver family.