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Two Charged with WMD After 17 Explosives Found

5/21/2026

49 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Two men were arrested and charged with weapons of mass destruction after police recovered 17 homemade explosives linked to the Catasauqua blast.
State police investigated an explosive device thrown from a vehicle near the Salem United Church of Christ polling place in Catasauqua on May 19, 2026, and reported no injuries.
Authorities closed parts of Third and Walnut Streets, which officials said lowered voter turnout even though polls stayed open.

History

Historical Context

On April 19 1995 Timothy McVeigh detonated a Ryder truck loaded with about 7,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, killing 168 people at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The attack spurred nationwide bomb-detection training that later helped Catasauqua police seize 17 homemade explosives and arrest two suspects on May 19 2026, illustrating the lasting influence of the 1995 bombing on modern security tactics.

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Story summary

Two men were arrested and charged with weapons of mass destruction after police recovered 17 homemade explosives linked to the Catasauqua blast.
State police investigated an explosive device thrown from a vehicle near the Salem United Church of Christ polling place in Catasauqua on May 19, 2026, and reported no injuries.
Authorities closed parts of Third and Walnut Streets, which officials said lowered voter turnout even though polls stayed open.

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