FBI, local police remain tightlipped over Beaver Dam apartment explosion investigation
If not for the testimony of a Wisconsin Department of Justice (WDOJ) special agent, we鈥檇 know very little about what occurred in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, last month.
On March 5, 2018,听听inadvertently blew himself up inside apartment while mixing and heating volatile chemicals to make听听(贬惭贰).
Authorities responding to the scene of the听听found explosive chemicals, guns, ammunition and white supremacist literature inside Morrow鈥檚 apartment, according to unsealed court documents related to the case. Investigators quickly surmised that Morrow was essentially operating a bomb-making lab inside his apartment, but have said nothing about potential targets, potential extremist ties, or possible motives.
In his testimony before the State of Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge (located in Dodge County), WDOJ Special Agent Kevin Heimerl stated that 鈥渄uring a limited search鈥onducted of Mr. Morrow's apartment, specifically within his bedroom, literature has been found concerning white supremacist groups.鈥澨
鈥淚 believe based on my personal training and experience, that a group such as a white supremacist group will involve multiple members or people engaged in that type of membership or potential activities associated with the membership,鈥 Heimerl said. While vague, Hemmer鈥檚听听hint at an ongoing investigation into possible co-conspirators and Morrow鈥檚 potential ties to a white supremacist group or extremist individuals.
Repeated requests from Hatewatch this month to federal, state and local law enforcement authorities concerning the type of white supremacist material found in Morrow鈥檚 apartment yielded no additional details.
When asked about Morrow鈥檚 alleged white supremacist materials, Beaver Dam Police Chief,听John Kreuziger responded, 鈥淚 have no idea what those materials contained.鈥 鈥淭he FBI took possession of it and I haven鈥檛 heard back from them,鈥 Kreuziger told Hatewatch.
In response to multiple Hatewatch requests, a public affairs officer at the Federal Bureau of Investigation鈥檚 (FBI)听, responded, 鈥渢he apartment explosion in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, remains an ongoing investigation in which the FBI is assisting.鈥澨鼺urther, 鈥淯.S. Department of Justice policy prohibits our agency from commenting regarding pending investigations,鈥 the FBI鈥檚 response reads.
鈥淎s I previously stated, the FBI cannot comment on pending investigations,鈥 another FBI response states.听鈥淲e do not put time limits or estimations on the completion of investigations.鈥
Of particular concern, containers labeled 鈥淭ATP鈥 were also found in Morrow鈥檚 apartment garage. Thirteen jars of a white crystalline substance was also reportedly found in Morrow鈥檚 refrigerator inside his apartment.听According to media reports, police laboratory test results of the 鈥渨hite powder鈥 and 鈥渨hite crystalline鈥 substancesconfirmed it was听, orTATP, a highly volatile HME compound.
TATP is allegedly made with readily available household materials sold in stores or on the internet. TATP is sometimes referred to as听听the 鈥淢other of Satan鈥 of bombs by international terrorist and homegrown grown violent extremists affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. TATP was used in听听(IEDs) during the May 2017 terrorist attack at the听听concert in Manchester, England, the June 2017听听and the November 2015听.
Furthermore, investigators听听fully assembled IEDs, timers, gunpowder and instructions on how to make HME in Morrow鈥檚 apartment, garage and an offsite storage locker. Police also seized three long guns, two handguns, a ballistic helmet and vest, masks and more than听听of ammunition.
A few days after their search was completed, authorities had no choice but to burn down the entire听听because volatile bomb making residue had permeated parts of the walls and ceiling as well as the structural damage caused by the March 5 explosion.
罢丑别听, the听听and the听听are assisting in the investigation. Hatewatch will continue to monitor this situation and provide any updates concerning law enforcement鈥檚 investigation into Morrow鈥檚 possible ties to white supremacy.
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Photo credit: Mark McMullen/The Daily Citizen via AP Images