Man held in local bomb threats linked to Washington and Dallas postal explosions

Investigators are trying to determine if a device that exploded at the main Washington, D.C., post office last week was addressed to President Clinton and sent by a man linked to bomb incidents here and in Dallas.

The Washington explosion, which occurred late Thursday or early Friday, was being investigated by federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents and U.S. postal inspectors, who revealed few details about the blast and its intensity other than to say no one was injured.

However, a federal law enforcement source who requested anonymity told The Associated Press that investigators were working on the theory that the device was addressed to President Clinton.

The source, who would not reveal why authorities believed Clinton might have been the target, said a preliminary analysis by ATF indicated that the Washington device left residue similar to that found after an explosion Sunday at the Dallas Bulk Mail Center.

Frank Darwin Alexander, 53, who has been linked to the Dallas bombing, is being held in Las Vegas on state and federal bomb charges.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal on Thursday also quoted an unnamed source as saying federal authorities were looking at the possibility that Alexander mailed a bomb to President Clinton.

The Secret Service, which investigates all threats against the president, Thursday referred questions about Alexander to the U.S. Attorney's office in Las Vegas.

"Various agencies are taking a real close look at this guy," said Thomas M. O'Connell, assistant United State attorney here.

O'Connell said he could not "confirm or deny" any link between the Las Vegas incident and possible threats on the president.

Alexander faces five federal charges in connection with an attempt to send an explosive device to the ATF bureau in Las Vegas. He also faces eight state charges in connection with explosive devices found in his downtown motel room here Sunday. And authorities believe he is linked to a pipe bomb that exploded in the Dallas mail facility on Sunday.

No injuries were reported in that incident.

"His pathways are not something we're going to talk about," said Tracy Hite, special agent of the local ATF bureau. "We're still investigating his days prior to Sunday. We continue to try to understand everything that was going on.

"We're not going to talk about motive," she said.

Alexander, who also uses the alias Samuel Caine, is being held without bond in the Clark County Detention Center on eight charges of possession of bomb components with intent to manufacture an explosive device.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, he was believed to have recently lived in Morgan City, La. The state charges stem from materials found Sunday in his room at the Budget Inn in downtown Las Vegas, two days after he arrived here.

On Monday the Las Vegas Fire Department bomb squad disarmed an explosive device in the downtown Greyhound bus depot, across the street from the Budget Inn. The package was addressed to an ATF employee at the local bureau. The name of the employee has not been released.

Alexander was indicted late Wednesday on five counts in connection with the ATF bomb. They include attempted arson by explosive, two counts of use of a firearm during a crime, attempted murder of a federal employee and making a destructive device. He was to appear Friday for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Robert Johnston.

The pipe bomb that exploded Sunday at the Dallas Bulk Mail Center was believed to have been addressed to San Antonio tele-evangelist John Hagee, pastor of the 17,000-member Cornerstone Ministries, said Linda Kirksey, a U.S. postal inspector in Dallas. She said she knew of no connection between Alexander and Hagee.

In a brief statement, Hagee said he was cooperating with the FBI and ATF and would have no other comment.

Kirksey said Alexander indicated the package was sent to Hagee, but the address on the package had been burned off by the explosion.

No one was injured when the bomb exploded on a conveyor belt about 30 feet off the floor at the facility, but the blast touched off a small fire. Damage was described as slight.

Hite said authorities were "following every possible lead to make sure we know everything we can about anything out there, if there is anything out there."

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Associated Press Writer Mike Sniffen contributed to this story.

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