Three 16-year-old high school students in New York state were arrested and accused of conspiring to build a bomb and detonate it at their high school.
The Suffolk County Police Department announced the arrests of the students, two boys and a girl, on May 2.
Police said multiple students overheard the trio discussing their plan the day prior on a school bus on the way home from Connetquot High School and alerted a school administrator, who contacted law enforcement authorities.
A copy of the book “Anarchist Cookbook,” which contains instructions on how to make a bomb, was recovered from the home of one of the suspects.
Suffolk County Police have arrested three 16-year-olds for conspiring to build a bomb to detonate at a Bohemia high school. Fifth Precinct officers responded to Connetquot High School after a school administrator called police to say he was informed by multiple students that they overheard three students during the bus ride home on May 1 discussing building a bomb to detonate at the school. Three teens were arrested at the school and charged with Conspiracy 4th Degree, a Class E Felony. The homes of all three students were searched and one of the students possessed a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook, which contains bomb making instructions. The three were scheduled for arraignment in youth court at First District Court in Central Islip.
Posted by Suffolk County Police Department on Friday, May 3, 2019
“The homes of all three students were searched and during the search detectives recovered one BB gun, two BB long guns, two laptops, and a copy of the ‘Anarchist Cookbook’ as well as books about serial killers,” Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said in a press conference.
“We want to make it clear that a plan to build a bomb, no matter the motivation, is a very serious offense.”
She thanked the students who overheard the plans and passed along the information. Suffolk Deputy Chief of Detectives Matthew Lewis said that the discussion of the bomb-making was also captured by a video surveillance camera on the bus, reported Newsday.
“They discuss the operation that they plan on executing. … It’s explicit,” said Lewis at the press conference. “It goes on for about 20 minutes. They’re not whispering. They are speaking openly, thankfully.”
HIGH SCHOOL BOMB PLOT
Police say a copy of “The Anarchist Cookbook” was found at one of the teen’s home. The book contains bomb making instructions. https://t.co/UvGY8uSu9H— WBNG 12 News (@WBNG12News) May 3, 2019
The three teens were each charged with fourth degree conspiracy, a felony. They pleaded not guilty in Central Islip Criminal Court on Thursday.
Judge Karen Kerr called the allegations “very, very, very serious,” before releasing the teens on their own recognizance.
A lawyer hired to represent the female student said the allegations were being taken seriously by her parents.
#breaking Suffolk County Police arrested 3 teens at Connetquot High School in Bohemia. They’re accused of planning to detonate a bomb at their school. Their homes were all searched, and one of the students had a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook, containing bomb making instructions
— Stacey Sager (@staceysager7) May 2, 2019
The three 16-year-old students are being charged as “adolescent offenders.” Currently the three are charged w/ Conspiracy 4th Degree.
— Kayla Ayres (@KaylaAyresTV) May 2, 2019
Police say no bombmaking materials were recovered during their searches today.
— Kayla Ayres (@KaylaAyresTV) May 2, 2019
“Her mom is here and her family is taking this very seriously as this case progresses through the system,” Michael Annibale told Newsday.
Melissa Quinn, the attorney for one of the males male, declined to comment, while John Scarpa, the defense attorney for the other boy, said the book “was the result of a science project and had nothing to do with the allegations.”
“My client is an honor student and is very family-oriented,” Scarpa told NBC 4. “Additionally, he is interested in pursuing a career in the field of forensic science, which is why he had books on this topic. We believe he will be exonerated.”
