(No caption)
A 38-year-old man already on law enforcement radar was badly injured when a homemade bomb tore apart his Warren garage this past weekend. He was making the explosive device, police say.
"Warren police said they found multiple bombs, thousands of rounds of ammunition and weapons inside [the] house," Detroit Free Press coverage begins.
Michael Liburdi lost one hand, suffered extensive damage to both arms and is in a coma at Detroit Receiving Hospital, according to Police Commissioner William Dwyer of Warren. "Authorities aren’t sure if he will recover," reports The Macomb Daily. (Editor's note: An earlier version of this story reported Liburdi had more extensive injuries; that has been corrected.)
Liburdi is also reported by the Metro Times to be an "outlaw biker" with an extensive criminal record.
The Freep has these details:
Police and firefighters were called to the house at 20754 Gentner St. at 3:10 p.m. Saturday. The explosion started in the garage and fire spread throughout the house, Dwyer said.
The police commissioner said investigators believe the victim was working on a explosive device when it exploded. The man is under investigation for manufacturing illegal weapons inside of his home.
(Photo: Rick McOmber/Flickr)
The blast "added further evidence to an ongoing federal investigation," says the suburban newspaper.
"The homeowner had been under investigation by our department for felony violations as well as [by] another federal agency," ... Dwyer said Sunday. "He had an extensive record." ... Dwyer declined to name the federal agency that was investigating Liburdi.
The maimed man lived alone with his dog in the Eight Mile and Schoenherr roads area, The Macomb Daily adds in a subscribers-only article.
Neighbors thought he was a "bit out there," with numerous police scanners in the house, barbed wire lining his fence and a penchant for explosives. ...
After the explosion, officers executed a search warrant of the residence and found one dozen rifles, handguns, loaded AR-style magazines, small explosive device and 4,000 rounds of ammunition.
... Liburdi’s criminal record includes arrests for marijuana possession, possession of dangerous weapons, operating while impaired, resisting arrest and forgery.
