A former NYC teacher and his twin brother were arrested for building bombs. They were discovered after a student one brother was having an affair with called in a bomb threat to Harlem Prep where she attended school.
The brothers, Christian and Tyler Toro paid students in the neighborhood of fifty dollars an hour to take apart fireworks and to separate the explosive powder.
In December police arrested a fifteen-year-old girl, who was having a sexual affair with Christian, over a bomb threat made to the school and that’s when the police discovered what the brothers were up to. Police say that the brothers were well below the radar and neither had any history of criminal behavior. Christian resigned from the school shortly after the girl was arrested.
His brother, Tyler, returned the laptop the school had issued to Christian and upon examination found the bomb-making information and turned it over to the authorities.
On Thursday, agents searched the apartment and found a host of materials used to make explosives including iron oxide, aluminum powder, potassium nitrate, and a glass jar containing explosive powder, the FBI said in a news release.
They also discovered a handwritten diary with Tyler’s name.
“We are twin Toros strike us now, we will return with nano-thermite” and “I am here 100%, living, buying weapons. Whatever we need,” were among the writings in the diary, according to the FBI.
A backpack that agents believe belonged to Christian held an index card with handwriting that read, “Under the full moon the small ones will know terror.”
It’s still unclear what the brothers may have been planning to do, officials said.
Police say that they have found no other threat than the one they stopped when they arrested the two brothers and confiscated their bomb-making supplies. On January 31st, Christian was arrested for the rape of the fifteen-year-old.
Christian has since been charged with one count of manufacturing an explosive device and one count of distributing explosive material to a minor. Tyler was charged with unlawfully manufacturing an explosive device.
No word yet on the motive or plans the brothers had for the explosives. Both have pleaded not guilty.