Man pleads guilty in pipe bomb attack on Massachusetts group Satanic Temple

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Man pleads guilty in pipe bomb attack on Massachusetts group Satanic Temple

2025-03-21 07:47 Last Updated At：07:52

BOSTON (AP) — An Oklahoma man accused of throwing a pipe bomb at the Massachusetts headquarters of a group called The Satanic Temple pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court.

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins changed an earlier plea of not guilty on one count of using an explosive to damage a building following the attack last year on the headquarters. The building is also used as an art gallery.

The Salem-based group says on its website that it campaigns for secularism and individual liberties, and that its members don’t actually worship Satan.

Investigators said surveillance cameras showed a man walking up to the building soon after 4 a.m. on April 8, 2024, wearing a face covering, a tactical vest and gloves. The man then ignited an improvised explosive device, threw it at the main entrance and ran away. The bomb partially detonated, resulting in some minor damage, authorities said.

The bomb appeared to be made from a piece of plastic pipe, authorities said, and they were able to extract a DNA sample from a single hair on the bomb.

An attorney for Palmer could not be immediately reached for comment.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said investigators found a six-page note in a flowerbed near the building addressed to “Dear Satanist” and urged repentance. Authorities said Palmer had posted similar comments on social media. They also said surveillance footage showed a black Volvo registered to Palmer driving erratically in the area before and after the incident.

Palmer, who will be sentenced June 12, faces five years to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Doctors will provide first in-person update in Pope Francis' recovery from pneumonia

2025-03-23 00:07 Last Updated At：00:11

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis ’ doctors are providing their first in-person update on the pontiff’s condition in a month, in a sign that he has made good and steady progress in his battle against double pneumonia.

The Saturday evening briefing is the first since Feb. 21, a week after the 88-year-old Francis was brought to Gemelli hospital after experiencing several respiratory crises that landed him in critical condition, though he has since stabilized.

In another development, the Vatican announced that Francis would appear on Sunday morning to bless faithful from his 10th floor suite at the hospital. While Francis released an audio message on March 6 and the Vatican distributed a photo of him March 16, Sunday’s blessing will be the first live appearance since Francis was admitted on Feb. 14 for what has become the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy.

The Argentine pope, who has chronic lung disease, is prone to respiratory problems in winter and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted after a bout of bronchitis worsened.

Doctors first diagnosed a complex bacterial, viral and fungal respiratory tract infection and soon thereafter, pneumonia in both lungs. Blood tests showed signs of anemia, low blood platelets and the onset of kidney failure, all of which later resolved after two blood transfusions.

The most serious setbacks began on Feb. 28, when Francis experienced an acute coughing fit and inhaled vomit, requiring he use a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask to help him breathe. He suffered two more respiratory crises in the following days, which required doctors manually aspirate the mucus, at which point he began sleeping with the ventilation mask at night to help his lungs clear the accumulation of fluids.

At no point did he lose consciousness, and doctors reported he was alert and cooperative.

Over the past two weeks, he has stabilized and registered slight improvements, the Vatican press office has reported. He no longer needs to wear the ventilation mask at night, and is cutting back his reliance on high flows of supplemental oxygen during the day.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.