Lombard man charged with possessing explosive materials

A Lombard man was charged with illegally possessing explosive materials, officials said Saturday.

Lombard police early this week served a search warrant at the home of Daniel Waters, 22, after learning that he may have had guns and explosive materials, according to a news release from the DuPage County state's attorney's office. Authorities found a diatribe written about starting a militia and multiple bags of materials and other items used to make bombs, such as potassium nitrate, sulfur, activated charcoal, pipes, ball bearings, BBS and PVC pipe, the release said.

Waters is in custody at the DuPage County jail on an unrelated domestic battery charges, the release said, but was charged with one count of unlawful possession of explosive material, a felony. He appeared in bond court Saturday, and his bail was set at $100,000. The DuPage County sheriff's office says he's next due in court Aug. 15.

“It is alleged that Mr. Waters possessed guns and a significant amount of materials that could be used in the manufacture of bombs or other incendiary devices,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “Thanks to the efforts of the Lombard Police Department, the DuPage County Bomb Squad, the FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, a potential tragedy may have been averted. I would like to thank Assistant State's Attorney Alyssa Rabulinski for her work in preparing a strong case against Mr. Waters.”

Lombard Police Chief Roy Newton also offered a statement.

“I would like to thank the ATF, FBI, the DuPage County Bomb Squad and the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office for their cooperation and assistance in this matter,” Newton said. “The cooperative efforts displayed by all the agencies involved led to today's charges and the seizure of a considerable amount of potentially dangerous materials.”