Suspect: Paul Rosenfeld, 56, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly building a 200-pound bomb with the intent to blow himself up

FBI agents and local police have arrested a New York man for allegedly trying to build a 200-pound bomb they say he planned to use to blow himself up on the National Mall in Washington DC on Election Day next month.

Paul Rosenfeld, 56, of Tappan, was charged on Wednesday with unlawfully manufacturing a destructive device and interstate transportation and receipt of an explosive.

Prosecutors said Rosenfeld's aim was to kill himself with the bomb and draw attention to a political system known from ancient Greece called sortition, in which public officials are chosen by a lottery rather than elected.

He also said he was angry at the direction the country was going.

The FBI raided Rosenfeld's home Tuesday and found a functional bomb in his basement that consisted of black powder inside a plywood box, according to a criminal complaint.

Agents also found empty canisters of black powder often used in firearms and artillery, the complaint said.

Scroll down for video

Rosenfeld's home in Tappan, New York, is pictured on Wednesday, a day after his arrest

FBI agents raided Rosenfeld's home (pictured) and found a functional bomb in his basement

An agent is seen removing evidence in a box from the crime scene in Tappan, New York

The FBI said in court filings that Rosenfeld, after being pulled over on Tuesday, confessed to ordering large quantities of black powder over the internet and having the substance delivered to 'a location in New Jersey.'

Rosenfeld then took the black powder to his home New York, constructed smaller explosive devices and conducted test detonations, according to the criminal complaint.

William Sweeney Jr, the assistant director of the FBI's New York field office, said in a statement that Rosenfeld intended to 'detonate a large explosive to kill himself and draw attention to his radical beliefs.'

'Had he been successful, Rosenfeld's alleged plot could have claimed the lives of innocent bystanders and caused untold destruction,' Sweeney said in the statement. 'Fortunately, his plans were thwarted by the quick action of a concerned citizen and the diligent work of a host of our law enforcement partners and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force.'

Police and FBI descended on Rosenfeld's home after he was pulled over by cops acting on a tip from a reporter in Pennsylvania

Rosenfeld reportedly said he did not want to hurt anyone but himself

Rosenfled's alleged plan was to blow himself up on the National Mall in DC on Election Day

Rosenfeld was said to have sent letters and text messages to a Pennsylvania reporter in August and September detailing his deadly plot, which was thwarted when the reported alerted the authorities.

The 56-year-old had an initial court appearance before a magistrate at a federal courthouse in White Plains on Wednesday afternoon. If convicted of the charges against him, he could be looking at up to 20 years in prison.

Rosenfeld has no past criminal history and is not believed to have ties to any extremist or terrorist organizations.

'There is no danger to the public,' the Rockland County town supervisor said in a statement.