Unsealed search warrant shows FBI was worried about IEDs, chemical warfare agents at west Lawton apartment

LAWTON, OK (TNN) - An FBI search warrant, which was unsealed earlier this month, has provided new information into an investigation of a west Lawton apartment in late January, including the discovery of a potentially deadly chemical warfare agent.

The FBI filed the search warrant on January 31. The warrant allowed agents to go inside the home of Philip Heath to collect evidence after numerous chemicals and components were found by Lawton police and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Bomb Squad.

According to the warrant, when Lawton police went to the apartment on the morning of January 30 to serve a drug-related search warrant, they found detonating cord along with several unknown chemicals. Some of those chemicals had labels on them but several others did not. The FBI Special Agent who filed the warrant said some of the chemicals found in the apartment could have been used for creating improvised explosive devices. Investigators also said they found evidence that Heath had researched how to make explosive devices on the internet. No constructed devices were found inside the apartment.

The FBI’s Oklahoma-based master bomb technician was called to the scene along with agents from the ATF and experts from the Oklahoma National Guard. With their help, chemical and explosives experts continued to assess the contents found in the residence. During their continued search of the chemicals in the home, agents tested a blue liquid which showed to have a small presence of the chemical warfare agent “CX.” They also located some of the ingredients which would be required to create CX inside the apartment. There was also an amber-colored liquid found inside the residence which FBI experts believed could pose a hazard.

According to NewsOK, a witness statement to the FBI was presented as evidence during a hearing last week which claimed that Heath was attempting to create a virus to release and had talked of blowing up a man’s home in February and then killing himself.

The hearing on March 11 was held at the federal courthouse in Oklahoma City to decide if Heath should remain in custody until his trial. The judge in that hearing determined there was sufficient evidence of Heath being a danger to the public and he should be held in jail until his trial.

Heath is currently facing a federal charge of possession of a handgun after a prior felony conviction.

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