Man Held in Threat to Blow Up Van Near White House

A Michigan man was charged Wednesday with threatening to use an explosive device after telling police that he planned to blow up his van near the White House.

Lowell Timmers, 54, surrendered Tuesday after a 4 1/2 -hour standoff with police that snarled traffic and forced President Bush’s motorcade to divert to another White House entrance.

Timmers appeared in federal court Wednesday where U.S. Magistrate Deborah Robinson ordered him held without bond pending a preliminary hearing Jan. 25. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted.

An affidavit filed by Washington police said Timmers drove up to a Secret Service officer posted at a gate near the White House on Tuesday afternoon. He claimed to have gasoline that he would use to blow up the vehicle.

He showed a switch device with wires and said, “I’m not leaving until my son-in-law is out of jail,” the affidavit said.

A search of the van yielded six glass canisters containing a yellowish liquid and six 5-gallon tin canisters containing gasoline, the affidavit said. The containers appeared to be connected to electrical wiring and a light bulb.

Timmers’ wife, Gloria, said she told FBI agents who came to her home in Cedar Springs, Mich., on Tuesday that her husband had left for Washington the previous day. She said he wanted to talk to lawmakers about why the government was trying to deport his daughter’s fiance.