Federal authorities have arrested Daniel Jongyon Park, a 32-year-old man from the Seattle area, in connection with a deadly bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs last month. Park was taken into custody on Tuesday at New York's JFK Airport after being deported from Poland. He is accused of providing material support to the suicide bomber, Guy Edward Bartkus, who attacked the clinic on May 17, killing himself and injuring several others.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Park allegedly shipped and paid for large quantities of ammonium nitrate, an explosive precursor, to Bartkus. Park is charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The attack, motivated by Bartkus's extremist views, destroyed the clinic and damaged nearby buildings. Park and Bartkus reportedly shared these extremist ideologies, which include pro-mortalism and anti-natalism. The FBI's investigation revealed that Park stayed with Bartkus in Twentynine Palms, California, earlier this year, where they conducted experiments with explosive materials.
The FBI's Inland Empire Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with local and international authorities, played a crucial role in Park's arrest and extradition. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Gerdes and Anna P. Boylan, along with Trial Attorney Patrick J. Cashman.
The FBI Director Kash Patel expressed gratitude to Polish authorities for their assistance in the case. Park's initial court appearance took place in the Eastern District of New York, where he was formally charged.
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