A man from Washington state has been charged with terrorism for his involvement in a deadly bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California. Daniel Park, 32, was arrested at JFK airport in New York after returning from Europe, where he had fled shortly after the attack.
The bombing occurred on May 17, when 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus detonated a bomb at the American Reproductive Centers. Bartkus died in the explosion, which injured four others and created a debris field of about 250 yards. Park is accused of helping Bartkus obtain 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in making explosives.
According to federal prosecutors, Park shipped approximately 180 pounds of the chemical earlier in the year and arranged for an additional 90 pounds to be sent to Bartkus just days before the bombing. The two men had reportedly spent time together in Twentynine Palms, California, where they conducted experiments in Bartkus’s garage.
After the bombing, Park traveled to Europe but was detained by Polish authorities. When confronted, he allegedly attempted to harm himself. Upon his return to the United States, he was quickly arrested by federal agents.
Park made his first court appearance in Brooklyn and was ordered to be held without bail. Prosecutors have described both men as sharing similar extremist ideologies, with Bartkus expressing beliefs against procreation and advocating for a world without human existence.
The FBI has noted that the Palm Springs bombing was one of the most significant attacks in Southern California in recent years, surpassing previous incidents in terms of the damage caused. Investigators are continuing to analyze evidence from the scene and search Park’s home for further details on his role in the attack.