A suspect arrested in Connecticut after police stopped a car full of explosives was charged earlier this year with illegally trying to make bombs, court records show.
Police took 38-year-old John Iannucci and Jessup Bollinger, 27, into custody after they stopped the car Tuesday night in a residential New Haven neighborhood.
Both were charged with the illegal manufacture bombs, possession of explosives and other offenses.
SLIDESHOW: Bomb-Packed Car Case
Iannucci, of Branford, Conn., was arrested earlier this year on charges of manufacturing bombs and possession of explosives after a device blew up inside a vehicle he was driving, records show.
He pleaded not guilty, but that case still is pending.
East Haven Sgt. Bruce Scobie said Iannucci, who was unemployed at the time of his earlier arrest, told them he didn't intend to harm anyone. He didn't give a reason for why he had the explosives, Scobie said.
"I think he was experimenting with this stuff and playing with it like a kid plays with fireworks," Scobie said.
East Haven police said they searched his home where they found a few cases of a mixture that can be used to make explosives and cartridges that can be used for grenade launchers.
Authorities said they were tipped off to Iannucci and Bollinger, of New Haven, by an anonymous caller Tuesday night.
The pair was held on $500,000 bond Wednesday. It was unclear if they had attorneys.
New Haven Officer Joseph Avery said police don't know if the suspects planned to use the explosives, because they're not talking to investigators.
FBI New Haven spokesman William Reiner told FOXNews.com on Tuesday that the bureau is now helping local police in the probe, but he declined to elaborate.
Cops pulled the car over at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday and say they found it packed with pipe bombs, rifles and a propane tank.
A bomb squad was called in and a silver Mercedes was towed away, FOX 61 reported. There were no reports of injuries.
Click here for more from FOX 61.com.
FOXNews.com's Ali Reed and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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