A man from Washington state has been charged with supplying explosive chemicals to the bomber who attacked a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, in May, federal officials announced on June 4.
Authorities say Daniel Park, 32, worked with Guy Edward Bartkus, the man who died in the explosion, by providing chemicals and helping test bomb-making materials in California months before the attack, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Investigators say Park and Bartkus met in online forums focused on anti-natalist beliefs, a fringe movement that opposes human procreation. Their shared ideology led them to target the American Reproductive Centers, a clinic that helps people get pregnant. Officials described the bombing as an act of domestic terrorism and said it may be the largest bomb scene ever in Southern California.
Bartkus, 25, of Twentynine Palms, California, died in the May 17 explosion outside the clinic. The blast gutted the building and shattered windows in nearby structures. Four people were injured. The clinic was closed at the time, and no embryos were harmed.
Daniel Park was arrested on June 3 at New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport after being extradited from Poland, where he fled four days after the bombing.
He appeared in federal court in Brooklyn on June 4 and waived his right to a detention hearing in New York. Judge Cheryl Pollak ordered Park to remain in custody, calling him a serious risk. He will be sent to California for further proceedings.
Authorities searching Park’s home in Kent, Washington, found large quantities of chemicals and handwritten notes about making explosives, including a recipe similar to the one used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, according to Akil Davis, the FBI’s assistant director in charge.
The investigation revealed that Park had purchased and shipped a total of 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate to Bartkus between October 2022 and May 2025. Just days before the explosion, Park bought an additional 90 pounds of the chemical, according to a federal complaint cited by the DOJ.
Three days before Park visited Bartkus in January, Bartkus used an artificial intelligence chat application to ask about explosives, detonation velocity, and fuel mixtures, focusing on how to create the most powerful blast. During Park’s two-week visit to Twentynine Palms, the two men experimented with bomb-making in the detached garage of Bartkus’s family home.
Family members told investigators they were aware of the experiments but did not alert authorities.
Bartkus left behind a website with audio recordings in which he explained his motives, stating: “Basically I’m anti-life. And IVF is like kind of the epitome of pro-life ideology.”
Park appeared to be active in online anti-natalist communities for nearly a decade, sometimes recruiting others to the movement, according to court papers.
Relatives told investigators that Park had made “pro-mortalist” statements since high school. In March, Park posted online seeking to meet other anti-natalists in Washington for protests or events.
The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office described the attack as intentional and ideologically motivated. The clinic confirmed that no staff or embryos were harmed and that its operations remained secure.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the attack, saying, “Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From NTD
