What undercover officers deemed to be “pipe bombs” during the Coutts protest in 2022 have been verified as firecrackers for the purpose of unearthing sandstone for construction work. The trial continues for the remaining two of the “Coutts Four,” a group accused of conspiracy to commit murder against a police officer at the border blockage in Coutts, AB. Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert are currently on trial in Lethbridge to address charges stemming from the pandemic-era blockade at the Canada-US border crossing. Police testimony from undercover officers who infiltrated the protest have argued the accused had intel — and intent — to kill RCMP officers. Olienick is accused of believing officers are pawns of the government and threatened if any came into their group, he would “slit their throats,” per Global News. He is also accused of possessing 40,000 rounds of ammunition, a shotgun, a rifle and what was thought to be two pipe bombs on his property. His friend, Grant Lobban, said he stored his vehicle on Olienick’s property and told the court on Monday they were his. Brian Lambert testified Tuesday he previously employed Olienick to run his sandstone quarry and that he had personally witnessed Olienick use “little firecrackers” to break off pieces of stone, per independent journalist Jason Lavigne. “You make them out of ordinary plumbing pipe and use some kind of propellant like shotgun powder or something like that,” Lambert said.“It depended on how big a hole or how large a piece of stone you were going to crack. The one I saw was about six inches long … maybe an inch in diameter.”He described how the contraptions were lit, with a fireworks fuse.“You can find them at any hobby store,” he said..Further, officers heard the blockade was expecting to receive some covert “shipment,” which they expected to be contraband. However, the court heard Wednesday the shipment turned out to be socks, underwear and a guitar, per Lethbridge News. Jaclyne Martin, who made the delivery, testified she and her partner delivered a bag of items in a camouflage bag to Olienick and Carbert in a field close to the Coutts blockade in February 2022, just a few days before police conducted their raids. “We were picking up socks and underwear, a grinder (hand-held power tool) and a guitar,” Martin told the court. “When I arrived (at the drop site), I saw a black SUV parked, still running.” “Two females (were) on the inside. The interior light was on, so I could see them. I saw Chris Carbert and Tony Olienick standing talking to the females in the SUV.”She parked in the next field over and waited with her engine off until the women left, then handed most of the goods over to Olienick and Carbert, Martin recounted. “The guitar stayed in the truck,” she added.
