A Whitehall man accused of making online threats and homemade bombs now faces federal weapons charges after a grand jury returned a five-count indictment against him.

Kurt Cofano, 32, originally was wanted by Whitehall police last week in connection with a mental health warrant, according to police.

Cofano said online that he wanted to “blow up” the Treasury Department in Harrisburg and “go to the CIA headquarters in (Washington) DC and take out as many (expletives) as I can before I get gunned down,” police said.

Mt. Lebanon police officers spotted Cofano’s white Mercedes-Benz turning onto Washington Road and stopped him. They said Cofano surrendered and said there were guns in the car along with supplies to make “M-80 type fireworks.”

Investigators found chemicals used for making explosives, homemade explosives, homemade detonators, homemade grenade tubes, modified training grenades and suspected marijuana.

Federal authorities became involved in the case, and the grand jury returned the indictment Tuesday, according to U.S. Attorney Scott Brady, who said in such a serious case, “justice will be swift.”

Mike Christman, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI’s Pittsburgh office, called Cofano “a very real threat.”

“A mix of unstable, homemade manufactured explosives, large amounts of ammo and a person who has already made threats to inflect harm is an extremely dangerous combination,” he said.

Mt. Lebanon police originally charged Cofano with having weapons of mass destruction, possession of explosives, prohibited offensive weapons and other weapons charges. Whitehall police followed by filing charges of risking a catastrophe, weapons of mass destruction, possession of an explosive and making terroristic threats.

Cofano is being held without bail in the Allegheny County Jail.

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