ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 7, 1997 TAG: 9702070080
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DALLAS
SOURCE: Associated Press|
Timothy McVeigh bombed the Oklahoma City federal building to take revenge for the government's 1993 raid on the Branch Davidians' compound near Waco, Texas, a key witness reportedly told investigators.
Documents obtained by KTVT, a CBS television affiliate in Fort Worth, show Michael Fortier told investigators McVeigh wanted to ``wake up America to the danger of our federal government and their intrusion on our rights.''
Fortier said during plea bargain negotiations in 1995 that McVeigh ``selected Oklahoma City for the fact that agents and orders that came out of that building were responsible for the tragedy at Waco,'' the documents show.
Fortier and his wife told federal agents they knew in advance that McVeigh and Terry Nichols planned to blow up the building.
Fortier, who met McVeigh and Nichols in the Army, pleaded guilty to knowing about the bombing but failing to report it, and to weapons charges. He faces 23 years in prison.
McVeigh's lawyer, Stephen Jones, did not return a telephone call Thursday to The Associated Press. Jones told CBS that Fortier is lying.
McVeigh and Nichols face the death penalty if convicted of murder, conspiracy and weapons counts in the April 19, 1995 bombing that killed 168 people. Two years to the day earlier, David Koresh and 78 followers died in the blaze at their compound in Waco.
Fortier told investigators that McVeigh felt the Branch Davidians were ``murdered by the federal government,'' particularly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Authorities have said the Waco raid was planned by a Houston ATF office and carried out by agents from Texas and Louisiana.
Fortier said he received a letter from McVeigh asking him to help McVeigh and Nichols take action against the government; later, McVeigh told him he was planning to blow up the federal building, CBS reported.
Fortier told investigators that McVeigh told him he would put explosives in 55-gallon barrels, load them into a truck and then drill a hole from the cab into the back of the truck for the fuse, according to CBS.
Lori Fortier, who has been granted immunity in exchange for her testimony, told the FBI that she ``laminated the fake driver's license'' that prosecutors say McVeigh used to purchase explosives.
McVeigh's lawyers have accused the Fortiers of planning their testimony against him during telephone calls taped by prison officials. They asked U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch of Denver to order the tapes turned over.
LENGTH: Medium: 52 linesby CNB