Texas Congressman Says Austin Bomber Had a List of Future Targets
A Texas lawmaker said that the alleged Austin bomber who blew himself up in a confrontation with police Wednesday had a list of future targets.
Texas was rocked by five package bombs during the month of March, which killed two people and injured five. A sixth bomb at a FedEx facility in Texas’ capital was deactivated by authorities.
Republican Representative Mike McCaul said Thursday that the bombing suspect, Mark Conditt, 23, had a list of other possible places to bomb.
“He had a target list of future targets—residences, addresses that we found,” McCaul told Fox News. “We went to the homes and cleared them of any suspicious packages.”
McCaul said he wasn’t sure why the targets were picked.
Police recovered a 25-minute confessional video from Conditt’s cell phone. In the video, he describes the six bombs planted in Austin and the surrounding area. Police said that the video didn’t establish a clear motive.
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"We are never going to be able to put a [rationale] behind those acts,” said Acting Austin Police Chief Brian Manley during a press conference Wednesday night. “It is the outcry of a very challenged young man talking about the challenges in his life.”
McCaul said that his constituents have asked why the bombings happened.
“Everybody in my hometown is asking why? Why these victims? Is there any interconnection between the victims?” said McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
Authorities found bomb-making materials at Conditt’s home in Pflugerville, Texas, but no more fully completed bombs.
Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore said Wednesday night that while Texas may breathe a sigh of relief, “It can never be called a happy ending, but it's a damned good one for the people of this community and the state of Texas.”
Moore continued, “The deaths that occurred here were absolutely random and meaningless and something we'll never get our heads around.”
