Explosives removed from Spokane Valley apartment

Explosives popular among suicide bombers were removed Monday from a Spokane Valley apartment belonging to a man upset about his divorce, authorities said. John D. Raymond, 53, allowed detectives into his home at the Oakwood Club Apartments, 726 N. McDonald Road, and showed them the material, which was stored in a glass jar, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The apartment complex had been evacuated but officials expected to begin letting residents into their units later that night. Residents along the west side of Broadway were asked to stay inside, and a portion of McDonald Road was blocked. A bomb squad planned to detonate the estimated half pound of “very potent, very unstable explosives,” identified as acetone peroxide, or TATP, in a secure location, said Sgt. Dave Reagan. The material was removed from Raymond’s home by a robot about 8 p.m. Raymond, who is in a wheelchair, was transported by ambulance to the Spokane County Jail, where he was booked on a civil bench warrant. He faces possible criminal charges related to manufacturing and possession explosives, Reagan said. It was unclear what initially brought Raymond to the attention of law enforcement, but Reagan said detectives learned he was upset about his divorce proceedings in Spokane County Superior Court and might be building bombs. The substance is sometimes used by suicide bombers, according to terrorism experts at GlobalSecurity.org.