Police say Austin bomber’s motive still unknown, despite ‘confessional’ video
A 25-minute mobile phone video left behind by the bomber whose deadly explosives terrorised Austin for weeks, details the differences in the weapons he built and amounts to a confession, police said. But his motive remains a mystery.
Mark Anthony Conditt, an unemployed college dropout, recorded the video hours before he died after detonating one of his own devices as Swat teams closed in. It seemed to indicate the 23-year-old knew he was about to be caught, said Brian Manley, the police chief in the Texas state capital.
“It is the cry of a very challenged young man talking about challenges in his own life,” Mr Manley said.
Authorities declined to release the video.
Law enforcement officials did not say whether Conditt acted alone in the five bombings that killed two people and badly wounded four others. However, “the same person built each one of these devices”, said Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators recovered bomb components and explosive materials from Conditt’s home in Pflugerville. They were analysing Conditt’s internet history to find out how he learnt to make bombs.
His two roommates were detained for questioning and one was later released.
Authorities have released few details about Conditt, except his age and that he was white. Neighbours said he was home-schooled.
He later attended Austin Community College from 2010 to 2012, a college spokeswoman said, but did not graduate.
In a 2012 online blog that the college spokeswoman said Conditt created as part of a US government class project, he gives his opinion on several issues, often in response to someone else’s commentary. He wrote that same-sex marriage should be illegal, argued in favour of the death penalty and gave his thoughts on “why we might want to consider” eliminating sex offender registries.
In the “about me” section of the blog, Conditt wrote that he was not “that politically inclined” but did view himself as conservative.
A neighbour who watched Conditt grow up said he always seemed smart and polite. Jeff Reeb said he had lived next to Conditt’s parents for about 17 years and described them as good neighbours.
Conditt had visited his parents regularly, he said.