Aug. 14 (UPI) — A 47-year-old Hawaiian man has been arrested and charged in connection to multiple improvised explosive devices found on the island of Maui, one of which detonated while another was discovered near an elementary school.
Robert Francis Dumaran of Kahului made his initial appearance in court Tuesday, local and federal authorities said as their investigation continues.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii said Dumaran has been charged with possessing an unregistered destructive device and attempting to damage property by means of explosives.
He is being held without bail with a preliminary hearing set for Aug. 27.
“We understand that the community may have concerns, and we want to reassure the public that we are taking all necessary precautions to maintain the safety of our residents and visitors,” the Maui Police Department said in a statement.
Local and federal authorities had been searching for a suspect since the first IED was located July 23 in a roadway near the fence of Kahului Elementary School.
The device’s discovery was reported to police at about 7:51 a.m. and forced the evacuation of nearby residents and the closure of several roads. Summer school staff were also instructed and told police there were no children on campus.
Images of the police response provided by MPD to media show an officer in a bomb suit confronting the device, which was rendered safe by what was called “a water disruption shot.” It was then sent to the FBI Laboratory for forensic analysis, and residents were permitted to return to the area before noon.
Federal prosecutors said the device contained explosive powder, a battery and shrapnel, and fingerprints that would match Dumaran were recovered from packaging tape used in the creation of the bomb.
More than two weeks later, on Aug. 7, Maui police officers found “multiple” IEDs near Kaamana Street in Kula, which is about 20 miles southeast of where the initial explosive was found.
The next day — Aug. 8 — an explosion was reported in the area of Old Haleakala Highway and Ikea Place, which is about halfway between the locations where the previous devices were found.
Maui police said the explosion caused a car accident, resulting in the vehicle sustaining unspecified damage. The vehicle’s driver was transported to the hospital but later released, it said.
No injuries were reported, and the FBI called on the public to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
On Aug. 9, the FBI issued a statement confirming that the explosion was caused by an IED.
According to the FBI, the devices were found along roads and in trash receptacles while others had been lying in plain view. The devices were described by the FBI as 7-inch by 4-inch cylinders that look like “small, makeshift baskets” though their appearances vary.
The complaint filed against Dumaran only charges him in connection to the first device discovered. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison for possessing an unregistered destructive device and up to 20 years for attempting to damage property with an explosion.