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12/12/03 - Tyler

New Details In Cyanide Bomb Investigation

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New information tonight concerning a man who recently pled guilty in federal court to possession of a dangerous chemical weapon. We're just learning about details of the investigation so threatening to public safety, that President Bush was given daily briefings on the matter. Nestled away just twelve miles south of Tyler, the town of Noonday on Highway 155 was an ideal hiding place for William Krar. He and his common law wife worked out of Noonday Storage, whose owner thought the couple made money selling odds and ends.

"They worked here most of the day," said Teresa Staples, "but what we saw them unloading was clothing, swimsuits and garden tools."

So, when authorities showed up last April and searched Krar's storage unit in Noonday, what was found shocked everyone.

"This was a huge arsenal," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston, "absolutely a huge arsenal of military style weapons."

Found in Noonday were hundreds of bombs and machine guns, and 500,000 rounds of ammunition. The inventory list of what was found is extensive. But the most startling discovery was the combination of sodium cyanide, acid and gunpowder. Mixed together it becomes a lethal chemical bomb capable of killing everyone inside a 30,000 square foot building. Authorities believed Krar a threat to national security, suspecting him of being a part of a "criminal scheme" to violently attack the U.S. Government.

"We have yet to figure out the actual destination of any of these bombs or any of the devices," said Featherston, "but I don't think you possess these weapons for defensive reasons."

Federal authorities admit they might never have caught onto Krar had it not been for a mistaken delivery. According to an affidavit, Krar sent a package to New Jersey full of fake id's. The box never made it to the right person. Instead it ended up in Staten Island, New York, where someone else opened up the package and found a note inside that said, 'hope this package gets to you ok, we would hate to have this fall into the wrong hands'. tTat person called police. The man who was supposed to get that package in New Jersey has also been arrested. So has Krar's common law wife. Court records suggest these three were white supremacists and involved in anti-government groups. Krar's attorney says there's no proof the 60-year-old man was part of a sinister conspiracy, and that he owned many of the weapons legally.

"I don't believe the government has any direct evidence that says there was a plot or plan to perform any act of terrorism towards the United States," said Tyler attorney Tonda Curry.

Authorities aren't so sure. One of the documents Krar was found traveling with was this paper with instructions on how to allude authorities.

"You don't know what's going through these people's minds," added Featherston. "We wish we did know what was going through their minds because that would make all of us feel a little better."

Krar is reportedly not cooperating with authorities in naming possible unknown conspirators. Which raises questions over how many others are involved, and still out there, and whether or not Krar may have made more than one sodium cyanide bomb and sold them. Krar remains in the Smith County jail, waiting to be sentenced. His lawyer says part of the agreement in exchange for his guilty plea means he will not be prosecuted for anything else in connection with this arrest.

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