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American Morning

Interview with Gorlyn Nun, James Bogner, Rick Bowdren

Aired May 06, 2002 - 07:09   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The "Big Question" at this hour: Who is behind the mailbox bombings? Well, in recent days, there have been a total of 15 pipe bombs discovered in mostly rural areas of Nebraska, Illinois and Iowa. Two more yesterday, though one of those turns out to be a hoax.

So far, the bombs have been discovered in six different counties in Nebraska, three counties in Illinois and, as you can see here on the map, four in Iowa. Six bombs exploded in Illinois and Iowa on Friday, wounding four postal workers and two elderly residents.

To help shed some light on what has happened, and the investigation as into whom might be responsible for that, we turn first to Gorlyn Nun, who actually went to his mailbox over the weekend and had quite a surprise.

Mr. Nun, good morning -- thanks so much for being with us. What happened to you?

GORLYN NUN, VICTIM: As I said before, when I went to my mailbox, I had seen this package on top of my mail. And foolishly, I picked it up and looked at it. And then when I realized what it was, I pulled my mail out and set the package back down and came in the house and called the local authorities, the county sheriff.

ZAHN: Describe to us what the packaged looked like.

NUN: It was a clear Ziploc-type plastic bag, and inside of the bag, there was about a three-quarter inch diameter of pipe about six inches long with end caps on it. And there was a 9-volt battery in there also with some wires attached to it. And there was some paper I there, which I assumed was a note. I didn't see any writing or any printing on it, so that's what I saw in the bag.

ZAHN: So you immediately knew then when you saw the contents of this bag you were looking at a pipe bomb?

NUN: Well, not immediately, but it didn't take me very long to figure it out after I had seen all of the components of what it was.

ZAHN: Were you frightened?

NUN: No, not really. I think it kind of shocked maybe of what it was, but not frightened. ZAHN: And you had been familiar with the fact that other folks in the Midwest had received these as well.

NUN: No, I hadn't. I hadn't heard of that at the time.

ZAHN: Well, like you are a very lucky guy that you at least recognized some of the contents in that bag. Thank you very much for sharing that with us.

Now we're going to be joined from Omaha, Nebraska by the postal inspector, Rick Bowdren, and James Bogner, the FBI special agent leading the investigation -- good morning, gentlemen.

JAMES F. BOGNER, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Good morning.

RICK BOWDREN, POSTAL INSPECTOR: Good morning.

ZAHN: Mr. Bowdren, where does the investigation go from here?

BOWDREN: Right now, we are concentrating the investigation in Nebraska. We do have approximately 50 inspectors working with FBI agents as well in Iowa. We are investigating leads to address who this bomber is.

ZAHN: And, Mr. Bogner, do you have any idea why we are talking about such a wide area assaulted by these pipe bombs?

BOGNER: No, I don't. We are looking at that and trying to develop leads and information and asking the public, anyone that has information, maybe someone that has read this letter. I know the letter has been posted on various media Web sites, and it will be posted on the FBI's Web sites. And we are hoping that someone will look at that and recognize it and call us.

ZAHN: In the meantime, Mr. Bogner, why don't we put up on the screen a small part of the letter that was found in many of these different packages? And it reads: "Mailboxes are exploding. Why, you ask? Attention people: If the government controls what you want to do, they control what you do. P.S.: More information will be delivered to various locations around the country."

What can you decipher from this letter, Mr. Bogner?

BOGNER: Well, we understand that the individual has some kind of complaint, anti-government complaint, but we are trying to understand that, using -- even though they talk about mailboxes here, using devices which injure people, a 70-year-old woman, a 61-year-old woman, postal carriers. That's not just targeting the mailboxes. That's targeting individuals, and we are hoping that no one else gets hurt.

ZAHN: Some analysts have already suggested they think whoever wrote this letter was an older person, and a person who might have mental health problems. Are you willing to go that far? Does your analysis suggest that?

BOGNER: I am not willing to go that far. We are looking at the letters. We are analyzing them, and also in relation to all of the facts as we know them.

ZAHN: Mr. Bowdren, do you know who the intended target is? Is it the people who receive these letters, or is it postal workers or the mail deliver?

BOWDREN: It's really hard to say at this time. Clearly, it seems to be a random situation that he is trying to make a statement. He is using the mail receptacles simply as a device in order to get his message across. I don't think clearly he is looking at carriers vs. the public. He is obviously making a statement from this standpoint.

ZAHN: So what are you telling residents to do in the days to come?

BOWDREN: We are telling the public, because the bomber is using rural mailboxes, to keep the lids of the mailboxes open, keep them down. This way when the public goes to look into the mailbox, they are to exercise care, exercise caution. If they see anything that's unusual, do not touch it, contact the police and we will respond.

ZAHN: And, Mr. Bogner, do you think this is the last we have seen of it? Or do you expect more of these intended attacks?

BOGNER: I don't know, but I hope that we don't see anymore. I hope that no one else gets injured.

ZAHN: Well, gentlemen, we wish you a great deal of luck with your investigation. James Bogner and Mr. Bowdren, thank you for your time this morning.

BOGNER: Thank you.

BOWDREN: Thank you.

ZAHN: Good luck.

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