A Korean American man has been charged with aiding the suicide bombing outside a fertility clinic in Palm Springs last month. Authorities say he provided materials used to build the explosive device that killed the bomber and injured four others.
Daniel Jongyon Park, 32, of Kent, Washington, was arrested by the FBI on June 3 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. According to investigators, Park fled the United States on May 21, four days after the May 17 bombing, traveling through Denmark to Warsaw, Poland, where he was arrested on May 30 and extradited to the U.S.
Federal prosecutors charged Park with providing material support for a terrorist act. The indictment alleges that he supplied 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate to Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, who died in the blast. Prosecutors say Park personally delivered 180 pounds and mailed the remaining 90 pounds to Bartkus prior to the attack.
FBI Links Park to Explosive Materials and Testing
The FBI said it traced six packages of ammonium nitrate sent by Park to Bartkus’s residence in Twentynine Palms, California. A search of Park’s home reportedly uncovered documents describing a bomb-making method similar to the one used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
Investigators also determined that Park and Bartkus conducted explosive tests together between January 25 and February 8 in the garage of Bartkus’s home. The FBI previously recovered a large quantity of chemical precursors and experimental equipment from the garage.
Authorities Cite Shared Extremist Beliefs
Bartkus, who was found dead near the blast site, had expressed beliefs associated with antinatalism, an ideology that argues people should not have children. Authorities say Park also adhered to this philosophy and was active in online forums promoting the belief.
FBI Los Angeles Field Director Kil Davis said Park attempted to recruit like-minded individuals via social media and was actively involved in discussions on antinatalist platforms.
The FBI considers this bombing one of the first organized terrorist attacks linked to antinatalist extremism, and says it plans to expand its investigation into similar threats.
Antinatalism has gained some traction among fringe groups. In April, about ten members of the Austin Democratic Socialists of America Student Chapter drew attention when they chanted antinatalist slogans outside the Natal Conference in Austin, Texas, an event focused on addressing declining birth rates.
Park faces up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted. His extradition was facilitated by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was in Warsaw attending an international meeting of justice ministers. Bondi reportedly urged Polish authorities to expedite the transfer, leading to Park’s return to U.S. custody.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
