Hate crime charge for man accused of placing bomb

SPOKANE, Wash. – A man accused of placing a bomb along the planned route of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade is facing a federal hate crime charge.

The Seattle Times reports that Kevin Harpham is named in a new indictment issued Thursday by a grand jury in Spokane. It adds two counts — one accusing him of violating the federal Hate Crimes Act and the other accusing him of attempting to use an explosive device in connection with the hate crime.

The 36-year-old Harpham earlier pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and unauthorized possession of an unregistered explosive device. Public defender Roger Peven says he hasn't seen the new indictment.

The bomb was found and disabled in Spokane on Jan. 17 before it could explode.