According to the FBI, Malone used generative AI tools to design a remote detonator and obtain chemical formulas without leaving traces in conventional search engines.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York stated that this case “marks a new type of domestic threat.”
The device was found partially assembled, and although it failed to detonate, authorities described it as “functional and potentially lethal”.
Malone faces charges of possession of explosive materials and misuse of technology for terrorist purposes. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 24.
Legal experts say the ruling may embolden conservative lawmakers to introduce more restrictive legislation targeting transgender rights. Meanwhile, civil rights organizations are preparing to challenge similar laws in federal courts, hoping to reverse what they see as a dangerous rollback of protections for trans youth.