"Mother Of Satan" Explosives Found In Lake Helen Home

Lake Helen, FL - A highly volatile explosive known by terrorist organizations worldwide is found in a home by Lake Helen police and Volusia County deputies. Volusia County Sheriff's Office, alongside the Lake Helen Police Department, investigated the home of 37-year-old Jared Coburn off West Pennsylvania Avenue yesterday afternoon (November 13th), after receiving a tip about explosive materials. It was at that home that VCSO and LHPD found jars containing a white crystal substance that was later determined to be a highly volatile explosive called triacetone triperoxide (TATP).

A few of the items recovered during yesterday's search at a home in Lake Helen. Total: 2 jars, 2 vials & 1 baggie of TATP (highly volatile explosive). Also, 2 homemade explosives & bomb-making paraphernalia with explosives residue. We set off 7 total countercharges last night. pic.twitter.com/alOljBZVyj

— Volusia Co. Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) November 14, 2018

TATP is referred to as "Mother of Satan" by terrorist organizations who have used it in previous deadly attacks worldwide. "He tried to explain to us that he was making his own version of a firework," said Lake Helen Police Chief Mike Walker. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) also responded to the incident. "Everybody's here because everybody understands how volatile this stuff is," said Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. "(The priority is to) defuse the situation without any police officer being injured and without anyone in this neighborhood being injured." Coburn is facing a charge of making an explosive device with additional charges possible pending the findings of the investigation. A search warrant was signed by a judge that night with an additional search of the house to follow at a later time. Because of the volatility of the material, the substance was not transported but instead detonated underground in a nearby field.

If you heard a boom in Lake Helen, that was us detonating one of the items. All good. There will be more booms, so don't be alarmed!

— Volusia Co. Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) November 14, 2018

The investigation is still ongoing, we'll update the story as more details become available.