A Long Island man has been indicted on federal charges after allegedly using artificial intelligence to help build seven homemade bombs he intended to detonate in New York City.
Michael Gann, 55, is accused of transporting the devices from Long Island to Manhattan, where he stored five of them and four shotgun shells on a rooftop in the SoHo neighborhood, NBC News reported citing court documents.
Gann used online-ordered chemicals and more than 200 cardboard tubes to construct the devices, one of which contained 30 grams of explosive powder, far exceeding the legal limit for consumer fireworks, it said.
Authorities said that Gann admitted to learning how to build the explosives using AI tools, which he called "easier than buying gunpowder."
Gann, who allegedly acted alone, was arrested after posting a message on Instagram that read, "Who wants me to go out to play like no tomorrow?"
He had previously posted a cryptic message to President Donald Trump's official X account, referring to potential unrest in New York, according to NBC News.
"Dear @POTUS, I'm thinking just now here in NYC that it's too bad that the wall wasn't built before the National Guard would have to come here for the Protests and Riotation," he was said to have written. "Or would you just drop a bomb on this place while and because they seem to be coming and coming?"
Gann has not entered a plea, while his attorney declined to comment, said NBC News.
