Palm Springs fertility clinic bombed

A car bomb has been detonated outside a fertility clinic in California in an 'intentional act of terrorism' according to the FBI.

The explosion seriously damaged the American Reproductive Centres building in Palm Springs and shattered windows in the surrounding area, injuring four people. One person, believed to be the bomber, was killed. None of the injured people are believed to be associated with the clinic or the suspect.

'Thank God [the day of the bombing] happened to be a day that we have no patients,' the clinic's director Dr Maher Abdallah told the Associated Press. He was later able to confirm via Facebook that: 'Fortunately for us, our staff was unharmed and the IVF lab is intact.... The embryos are safe.'

The FBI have named the suspect as Guy Edward Bartkus who lived about an hour away from the clinic. Before the bombing, the self-described 'pro-mortalist' recorded an audio file detailing his motivations for targeting an IVF facility.

'The subject had nihilistic ideations and this was a targeted attack,' said Akil Davis, assistant director at the Los Angeles FBI field office. 'We believe he was attempting to livestream it and yes, that is also part of our investigation.'

Palm Springs Police Chief Andrew Mills confirmed that there is no continuing threat to local residents, adding: 'I really want to recognise the IVF community.... This is one of those heartbreaking things for many community members who are going through the process of trying to build families.'

IVF has been a controversial topic in the USA, but the attack has been condemned across the political spectrum.

Advocacy group the Centre for Reproductive Rights called the attack 'unconscionable' in a statement, adding: 'The history of violence against reproductive health centres is why clinics need protections and patients must feel safe'.

The US attorney general Pam Bondi – part of the Trump administration – said: 'Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable'.