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McVeigh 'pleased' yet 'disappointed' with book

From Susan Candiotti
CNN Miami Bureau

ALSO • Psychiatrist: McVeigh was alienated, not deranged  CHAT TRANSCRIPT Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck chat about their book, "American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing."  VIDEO In new book, Timothy McVeigh expresses no remorse. CNN's Susan Candiotti reports Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)  RESOURCES Newsmaker Profiles: Timothy McVeigh Read Timothy McVeigh's agreement with the Coroner of Vigo County, Indiana - March 9, 2001 (FindLaw) (PDF format)* *Documents in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.  MESSAGE BOARD Death penalty

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TULSA, Oklahoma (CNN) -- Convicted bomber Timothy McVeigh is "pleased" overall with a new book detailing his bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, his lawyer said Thursday, but he is "disappointed" with the way he was portrayed and the explanation of his motive.

The book, "American Terrorist," claims to be a complete and candid account of McVeigh's life and the events surrounding the April 19, 1995, bombing. It was released Monday.

Attorney Rob Nigh told CNN that when he spoke to his client Wednesday, McVeigh said he had read the book.

"Overall he was pleased," Nigh said, "though I think he was disappointed -- not in the book, but in the treatment he received. I think he was disappointed because he felt there was a superficial treatment of his motive."

Nigh said McVeigh would not be making a direct statement about the book at this time.

McVeigh told his lawyer there was an "omission of certain additional material" regarding his motives for the bombing, but Nigh would not elaborate on what that material was or whether McVeigh felt the authors or the editors were to blame.

Written by Buffalo News reporters Dan Herbeck and Lou Michel, "American Terrorist" is based on interviews with 150 people from childhood friends to the psychiatrist hired by the defense team to examine McVeigh, according to publisher HarperCollins. The authors also say they conducted 75 hours of interviews with their subject in prison.

Jennifer Suitor, spokeswoman for HarperCollins, refused comment.

The full name of the book is "American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing."

The book says McVeigh decided on the Murrah federal building because its glass front made it particularly vulnerable and because several law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Drug Enforcement Administration, were housed there.

"Timothy McVeigh wanted a body count -- the higher the better," wrote the authors.

The bombing killed 168 people. McVeigh was convicted and sentenced to death. He is scheduled for execution by lethal injection on May 16 at the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.

McVeigh is quoted in the book as saying federal employees were like "storm troopers in Star Wars ... because they work for the Evil Empire."

He also refers several times to the FBI standoffs at Waco and Ruby Ridge, telling the authors his thoughts as the bomb blew up behind him: "Just like at Waco. ... Reap what you sow."

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January 16, 2001
Judge says McVeigh can drop appeals
December 28, 2000
Roger Cossack on McVeigh request to end death penalty appeals
December 28, 2000
Oklahoma City bombing victims remembered, 5 years later
April 19, 2000
McVeigh: Gulf War killings led him on path to disillusionment
March 13, 2000
Grand jury finds McVeigh, Nichols acted alone in Oklahoma bombing
December 30, 1998
Oklahoma City bombing trial
March 1997
Timothy McVeigh and the death penalty
December 1996
McVeigh, Nichols plead not guilty in bombing
August 13, 1996

Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of Justice
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
Oklahoma State Government
Death Penalty Information Center
U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons

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