Two men were arrested Sunday after authorities say a live incendiary device was placed underneath a vehicle operated by a news outlet in Salt Lake City and had been ignited but failed to detonate.
Salt Lake City Police Department bomb squads and the Unified Fire Authority responded Friday to reports of a suspicious device, and investigators determined the device had been placed under the media vehicle near an occupied building, according to a probable cause statement reviewed by KUTV. The investigation, which the FBI led, resulted in a search warrant for a home in Magna, about 18 miles west of Salt Lake City, where the two men were located and taken into custody.
Authorities identified the men as Adeeb Nasir, 58, and Adil Justice Ahme Nasir, 31. Arrest documents and jail records reviewed by the Daily Mail show both were charged with two counts of weapon of mass destruction — manufacture, possess, sell or use; attempted aggravated arson; four counts of possessing explosive, chemical or incendiary parts; and two counts related to threats of terrorism and hoaxes involving weapons of mass destruction.
Officials said investigators found additional devices at the Magna residence, including two items described in records as imitation weapons of mass destruction. Authorities also reported locating firearms, more explosive devices, items described as "explosive-related components," and alleged illegal narcotics and paraphernalia. Electronic devices believed to contain evidence of the alleged crimes were seized, the documents state.
Deputies evacuated the Magna property and neighboring homes during the execution of the warrant after the suspects initially told officers the devices were real, prompting a precautionary response while bomb squads rendered the materials safe, the probable cause statement said. The incendiary device discovered beneath the vehicle had been lit but did not function as designed, according to the same documents.
Adeeb Nasir, who records indicate was born in Pakistan, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail and ordered held without bail. Jail records reviewed by news outlets did not list the current holding location for Adil Nasir at the time of reporting.
The FBI and local law enforcement agencies are continuing the investigation. Officials have not released a public statement identifying the media outlet whose vehicle was targeted, citing the ongoing probe.
The arrests come days after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday. That investigation led to the arrest of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson on suspicion of aggravated murder and related charges; Robinson was identified by his father after the FBI released images and video as part of a manhunt. Authorities have not linked the events in Salt Lake City and Orem, and officials have urged the public to await the results of active investigations.
Federal and local prosecutors will determine whether to pursue the charges listed in arrest documents and jail records and whether additional charges are warranted as evidence is reviewed. The FBI and Salt Lake City police did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.
No injuries related to the device placed under the vehicle were reported. Law enforcement officials asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the Salt Lake City Police Department or the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office.