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CNN Live At Daybreak

Police Arreste College Student in Pipe Bomb Cases

Aired May 08, 2002 - 06:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We have some late-breaking developments on that domestic terrorism right here in our own country. As you know, police arrested a college student in the pipe bomb cases. And for more, we want to go live to CNN's Lilian Kim, who is in Reno, Nevada this morning -- Lilian, what can you tell us?

LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, Luke John Helder is behind bars this morning here at the county jail in Reno, and it appears authorities captured him before his work was done. Officers say they found a gun and explosive devices in his car.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KIM (voice-over): He is 21 years old, a college junior. And now, Lucas John Helder is in federal custody after a nationwide manhunt. He is suspected of planting 18 pipe bombs in rural mailboxes in five states.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lucas John Helder, age 21, from Menomonie, Wisconsin has been charged in a criminal complaint with one count of using an explosive to maliciously destroy property affecting interstate commerce, and one count of using a destructive device to commit the crime of violence.

KIM: Helder surrendered without incident Tuesday afternoon after a 40-mile car chase on a Nevada highway. The first bomb was found on Friday in Illinois. Then more bombs found in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Texas. In all, six of the 18 bombs exploded, wounding four postal workers and two residents. Most of the devices, described as three- quarter inch steel pipes with 9 volt batteries, had anti-government messages attached.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I really want you to know that Luke is not a dangerous person. I think he was just trying to make a statement about the way our government is run.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KIM: Authorities were able to identify Helder as their suspect, after he sent a letter to a college newspaper at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and the text was reportedly very similar to the notes that were attached to the pipe bombs. Now, the charges against Helder carry penalties of up to $250,000 in fines and life in prison.

Reporting live from Reno, Nevada, I am Lilian Kim -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: And, Lilian, from what we can gather, he just wanted attention.

KIM: That apparently is what he was after, and apparently he didn't injure anyone too seriously. The people that were injured received shrapnel cuts and wounds such as those. So a good thing that no one was critically injured.

COSTELLO: That's true. Lilian Kim reporting live from Reno, Nevada -- thank you very much.

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