Suspect arrested after pipe bomb thrown onto Satanic temple in Massachusetts

A suspect was arrested and charged for allegedly throwing a pipe bomb onto the porch of the Satanic Temple in Salem, Mass., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts said.

An Oklahoma man is accused of throwing an improvised explosive device (IED) during last week’s incident, which caused minor damage, according to charging documents. 

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okla., was arrested Wednesday morning, the agency said in a press release issued later that day.

Prosecutors say the man threw the explosive around 4:14 a.m. April 8 at the Satanic Temple’s main entrance. The explosive detonated, causing “minor fire and related damage to TST’s exterior," according to the press release.

Law enforcement said last week nobody was in the building at the time. 

Investigators found a six-page handwritten note adjacent to the IED, according to an affidavit written by an FBI agent.

“Dear Satanist,” the note said, while also referencing Elohim, a Hebrew name for God. 

“Elohim send me 7 months ago to give you peaceful message to hope you repent,” the note said, according to the affidavit. “You say no, Elohim now send me to smite Satan and I happy to obey.”

If found guilty, he could get up to 20 years in jail and be fined up to $250,000, according to prosecutors. Investigators identified a car belonging to Palmer that was driven minutes before and after the incident in the area of the temple.

Palmer was set to appear in Oklahoma District Court on Thursday. 

The Satanic Temple has had previous bomb threats. The center was founded in 2013. The headquarters in Salem contains exhibits on witch hunts and Satanism. It “often hosts and performs formal ceremonial events, lectures, screenings, and meetings,” according to its website.