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U.S. NEWS Friday 13 July 2018

Judge finds man accused of

mailing explosives incompetent

By MARTHA BELLISLE nected the packages to cause neuro-science ter-
Associated Press Phan, the FBI said. None of ror control my hearing," he
SEATTLE (AP) — A federal the devices ignited, and no told dispatch. "It's called
judge ruled Thursday that a one was injured. synthetic telepathy. Con-
Washington state man ac- FBI investigators have re- trol my body wireless."
cused of mailing explosive covered a total of 18 pack- He had made dozens of
devices to government ages believe to be sent by similar calls since 2016.
agencies in the Washing- Phan, Ayn Dietrich, an FBI His letters said the terror-
ton, D.C., area is not com- spokeswoman in Seattle, ists used his photo ID and
petent to help with his de- said Thursday. The agen- broke into his mail and
fense and should receive cies that received packag- email to send fake informa-
treatment before his case es included the CIA, Secret tion to authorities.
moves forward. Service, Dahlgren Naval Phan warned that the ter-
A competency evaluation Base in Virginia, the Nation- rorist was trying to infiltrate
for Thanh Cong Phan found al Security Agency and FBI the U.S. military, including
him to have schizophre- headquarters. the naval stations in Bethes-
nia, Assistant U.S. Attorney The package sent to the da and Everett.
Bruce Miyake told U.S. Dis- FBI also had a "typed writ- A sheriff's deputy who
trict Judge John Coughe- ten letter with incoherent helped the FBI arrest Phan
nour during a hearing. ramblings." in March said he was fa-
The mental health expert The Snohomish County miliar with Phan because
who examined Phan said Sheriff's Office had many of his many calls to law This undated file photo provided by the Yolo County Sheriff's
Office shows Thanh Cong Phan of Everett, Wash.
she doesn't believe he is interactions with Phan for enforcement.q Associated Press
able to assist his lawyer in several years, according to
his defense. Miyake said police reports and 911 dis-
Phan should be sent to a patch tapes acquired by
hospital for four months to The Associated Press.
have his competency re- Phan had sent similar let-
stored. ters to the sheriff's office,
The judge agreed. and he often called 911 or
Phan, 44, had a history of texted messages detailing
calling, texting and writing conspiracy theories about
to local and federal law government mind-control
enforcement agencies to programs, according to
tell them about his con- the reports.
cerns about mind-control "This is no emergency," he
conspiracies and cyber ter- told the dispatch opera-
rorists. But in March, things tor in one of many calls. "I
changed, according to re- have a problem with high-
cords acquired by The As- tech terrorists cyber. You
sociated Press. understand the word cy-
Eleven packages contain- ber, right?"
ing explosive materials He said this cyber terrorist
were mailed to the agen- was able to read his mind
cies on March 16, accord- and "the FBI's mind" through
ing to an indictment filed a wireless communication.
against Phan, who is from They also had an invisible
Everett, north of Seattle. camera, he said, that was
The agencies received the "on the sky and they can
packages on March 26. see inside a house."
The devices were glass vi- Phan claimed this device
als or bottles containing a could be used as a weap-
smokeless powder and a on. The cell towers were re-
fuse, the indictment said. ally microwave towers that
The FBI traced the pack- could burn his body, he
ages to a post office in Mill said.
Creek, Washington, and "Keep in mind I can talk but
surveillance photos con- I can't hear very well be-