The man who blew himself up inside his recreational vehicle in a Christmas Day bombing in Nashville was grappling with paranoia and eccentric conspiracy theories, but there are no indications he was motivated by social or political ideology, the FBI said Monday in closing out the investigation into the blast. The FBI statement sets out to resolve some of the lingering mysteries of an explosion that initially perplexed investigators and the public because it appeared to lack an obvious motive or fit a clear profile, the AP reports. Though the blast damaged dozens of buildings, it took place early on a holiday morning well before downtown streets would be bustling with activity and was preceded by a recorded announcement warning anyone in the area that a bomb would soon detonate.
Anthony Quinn Warner chose the location and timing so that the explosion would be impactful while still minimizing the likelihood of “undue injury," according to the statement from the FBI, which also concluded that the man from Antioch, Tenn., acted alone and set off the bomb to end his own life. More:
- The report found that Warner was driven in part by his longtime beliefs in several “eccentric” conspiracy theories and paranoia, as well as “the loss of stabilizing anchors and deteriorating interpersonal relationships.” The AP has previously reported that investigators scrutinized Warner's interest in conspiracy theories after being told by some of the people they interviewed that he believed shape-shifting reptiles take on a human form to gain control over society and that he discussed taking trips to hunt aliens.
- Despite online speculation that Warner may have been motivated by conspiracy theories about 5G technology, given the proximity of the explosion to an AT&T building and the resulting havoc to cellphone service in the area, FBI spokesperson Joel Siskovic said the investigation found no indication that AT&T had anything to do with Warner's selection of the location. The FBI statement also said the investigation concluded that Warner's actions were not related to terrorism.
- “The FBI’s analysis did not reveal indications of a broader ideological motive to use violence to bring about social or political change, nor does it reveal indications of a specific personal grievance focused on individuals or entities in and around the location of the explosion,” the FBI said.
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