Photo: GABRIEL OSORIO / AFP / Getty Images
The FBI and Port Authority Police arrested a man at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Tuesday evening (June 3) in connection with last month's car bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California. According to ABC News, the suspect is believed to have provided materials used in the explosion, which federal officials have classified as domestic terrorism.
The primary suspect, Guy Edward Bartkus, was found dead at the scene of the explosion, which occurred on May 17. The blast gutted the American Reproductive Centers clinic and injured at least five people. The explosion also threatened the safety of thousands of stored embryos and eggs, although first responders managed to preserve the biological materials.
NY1 reports that federal prosecutors are expected to release more details about the case at a news conference in Los Angeles. The arrested individual is set to appear in a Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday (June 4) before being extradited to California to face charges.
The motive behind the bombing is still under investigation. However, authorities are exploring possible connections to anti-natalist extremist beliefs, a philosophy opposing reproduction and human birth. An online group affiliated with this ideology was banned from Reddit following the attack.
KESQ reports that the FBI described the explosion as possibly the largest bombing scene in Southern California. The investigation continues as officials work to uncover more details about the suspect's involvement and any potential accomplices.