A man from Washington state has been charged with terrorism-related offenses in connection with a deadly bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, that occurred last month.
Daniel Park, 32, was arrested after federal authorities announced charges of providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist during a press conference on Wednesday morning.
Park is accused of aiding Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, who allegedly detonated a bomb at the American Reproductive Centers on May 17, killing himself and injuring four others.
According to officials, the explosion created a debris field of 250 yards and was one of the most destructive bombings in Southern California history.
Following the bombing, Park reportedly fled the U.S. for Europe. Polish law enforcement detained him last Friday, and he was subsequently deported and arrested at JFK airport in New York on Tuesday night.
When confronted by Polish authorities, Park attempted to harm himself, as noted in an FBI affidavit.
Park’s involvement in the attack surfaced as investigators detailed his alleged procurement of approximately 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a key ingredient used to make explosives.
He reportedly shipped around 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate in January and later financed an additional 90 pounds that were sent to Bartkus just before the bombing.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that Park spent two weeks visiting Bartkus in late January and early February, during which Bartkus researched how to create powerful explosives using ammonium nitrate and fuel.
This research included inquiries made to AI systems on mixing ammonium nitrate with diesel fuel.
Investigators claim that Park and Bartkus conducted experiments together in the garage of Bartkus’ home, where the FBI later discovered significant amounts of chemical precursors and laboratory equipment.
FBI Assistant Director for Los Angeles, Akil Davis, noted that Park and Bartkus shared similar extremist ideologies that they discussed extensively in online forums, dating as far back as 2016.
Bartkus has been described as holding “antinatalist” beliefs, arguing against procreation since it occurs without the unborn’s consent, particularly in a world suffering from environmental degradation, violence, and overpopulation.
Davis remarked that Park’s online posts suggest he was attempting to recruit others who shared this ideology, characterizing their relationship as mutual support between like-minded individuals met online.
Law enforcement officials indicated that the two men expressed beliefs that life should not exist, echoing sentiments rooted in their radical ideology.
Search warrants executed at Park’s home in Washington led investigators to recognize his connection to the bombing and the handling of explosives.
Davis stated that six packages containing ammonium nitrate had been sent from Park in Seattle to Bartkus.
As of now, authorities are awaiting analyses of the explosive precursor materials linked to Park.
Additionally, it is alleged that Park possessed a recipe for explosives similar to the one used in the Oklahoma City bombing, a tragic event that resulted in the deaths of 168 individuals and is recognized as the deadliest homegrown act of terrorism in U.S. history.
The Palm Springs bombing’s magnitude was such that it caused damage to buildings several blocks away, further underscoring its severity.
Authorities indicated that the explosives employed in the attack were so powerful that they shredded Bartkus’s remains at the blast site.
Following the bombing, investigators recovered explosive materials from Bartkus’s home, revealing his proficiency in constructing explosive devices and his extensive background in rocketry.
In addition to their physical evidence, authorities have been analyzing an extensive online trail connected to Bartkus.
This trail includes a website dedicated to the Palm Springs bombing featuring a recording uploaded around the time of the explosion and a promise of a video that has yet to surface.
There are also YouTube videos linked to Bartkus’s online persona, as well as discussions on Reddit and other forums discussing suicide.
In those online platforms, Bartkus expressed profound grief over the death of a close friend, which he claims motivated his actions.
The friend, Sophie, who lived in Washington, was killed by her partner, who allegedly claimed he acted at her request.
Davis pointed out that while the antinatalist movement has been active for over a decade, the Palm Springs bombing marks the first incident of violence attributed to it.
He expressed concern that both Park and Bartkus had evaded law enforcement scrutiny, highlighting the potential threat posed by individuals able to construct such a destructive device independently.
In the aftermath of the bombing, authorities discovered a cellphone belonging to Bartkus that he used to record the event.
Upon examination of the cellphone, FBI investigators found an image of a car parked outside the fertility clinic prior to the explosion.
This image was notably labeled with the term “Promortalism.”
According to agent Andrew Bland’s affidavit, Bartkus also left behind a recorded manifesto that included a countdown to the bombing alongside explanations for his choice of target, suggesting that the clinic represented the pinnacle of pro-life ideology.
The shocking details surrounding this case reveal the extent of extremism tied to the antinatalist movement and the grave consequences that can arise from it.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-04/arrest-jfk-palm-springs-bombing
