Michigan man charged with allegedly leaving homemade bombs in cellphone stores to stop the spread of name-calling and pornography, Justice Department says



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CNN has reached out to Allen’s attorney, Stevens J. Jacobs, for comment.

The incidents began on August 25, when an employee at a telecommunications tower in St. Ignace, Mich., Found a letter in a sealed polka-dot envelope in a plastic bag. At least two more letters in similar packaging were found the next day, according to the affidavit.

The letters indicated that they belonged to a group called “Coalition for Moral Telecommunication (CMT)” and were addressed to “AT&T, Verizon and all the other operators”. The group’s letter stated that they were “almost thirty forts,” their reach spanned 27 states, and were prepared to travel across the United States in order to destroy “communication with the central towers. city ​​”to stop the spread of immoral content, according to the affidavit.

The group demanded a payment of $ 5 million within 180 days. The letter said that if WCL members were arrested, then “your problems will begin” and “the price will increase a hundredfold.”

CCTV footage shows a man placing a box outside an AT&T store in Sault Ste.  Marie, Michigan, September 15, 2021.

Three weeks later, on September 15, a man was seen on surveillance video leaving a US Postal Service box with black tape and thread sticking out outside an AT&T store in Sault Ste. Marie and another at a Verizon store in Cheboygan, Michigan, according to the affidavit. Sault Ste. Marie is near the Canadian border in northern Michigan, with Cheboygan located 73 miles to the south.

Both boxes were improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or homemade bombs. In addition to explosives, the Sault Ste. The Marie box contained metal marbles and the Cheboygan box contained nails, according to the affidavit.

“The potential explosion of these devices could cause property damage, personal injury, and / or death. Each of the devices consisted of a metal pipe nipple with two metal end caps, which provided containment for the main powder charge. low explosive, ”states the affidavit. read. “Metal spheres and nails were found in the powders of each device.”

Allen is expected to appear in court for the first time on Friday before trial judge Patricia Morris.

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