Times Publishing Company St.
Petersburg Times
October 7, 1993, Thursday, City Edition
SECTION: NATIONAL; THE NATION; Pg. 7A
LENGTH: 370 words
HEADLINE: $ 1-million reward for mail bomber SOURCE: Scripps Howard News Service
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
BODY:
A federal task force Wednesday announced a $ 1-million reward for help in cracking a 15-year string of bombings stretching from coast to coast.
The heads of the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Postal Inspection Service jointly made the unusual appeal after conceding they have few clues.
The 14 mail bombings, which have been aimed at people involved in airline and high-tech industries, as well as academic scientific research since 1978, have left one dead and 23 wounded.
"Despite years of hard work, federal investigators have no viable suspects in these bombings, and that is why the public's help is needed so badly,"UNABOM task force officials said.
UNABOM is an acronym formed from university and bomb.
At a news conference at FBI headquarters, officials disclosed a new clue in the case - a note believed written by the bomber - and predicted there will be more bombs.
The words in the note said, "Call Nathan R - Wed 7 pm."
"We cannot disclose the source of the notation at this time, but the UNABOM Task Force has reason to believe that "Nathan R'may be associated in some fashion with the bomber or bombers,"said FBI Director Louis Freeh. "And it may be a completely innocent association."
Freeh would give no information about where or exactly when the note was found.
He said "Nathan R"may have received a call from the bomber or bombers in June, when the two most recent bombs were mailed. Two persons were gravely injured in separate incidents when they opened rigged packages.
In June, the New York Times received a letter claiming that a group was responsible for the earlier bombings. Investigators believe the letter was sent by the person or persons responsible for the bombings.
Four of the bombings have occurred in Illinois and four in California. The 45-member UNABOM task force is based in San Francisco and Sacramento, Calif.
Chief Postal Inspector Kenneth Hunter warned Americans to be wary of parcels delivered to their home or workplace that are unmarked or the origin of which is unknown.
Officials encouraged anyone with knowledge of the case to call this toll-free number: 1-800-701-BOMB. LANGUAGE: ENGLISH LOAD-DATE: October 8, 1993