FBI pursuing ‘fruitful leads’ in Washington bomb case

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Investigators say they’re pursuing promising leads in a chilling bombing attempt at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Spokane, Wash., in which someone left a backpack filled with explosives on a bench.

An official familiar with the case says the bomb had a remote detonator and the ability to cause mass casualties. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he isn’t authorized to release information about the investigation.

The bomb was defused without incident but unnerved residents, especially those who took part in the parade.

Frank Harrill, special agent in charge of the Spokane FBI office, said today that investigators are following up on “fruitful leads” they’ve received from the public. He declined to elaborate.

Harrill says the black Swiss Army backpack has been shipped to an FBI lab in Quantico, Va., for analysis.