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McVeigh served in the Gulf War

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh never viewed the 168 people killed in the April 19, 1995, blast as "individuals," but he has shown compassion privately for the "pain that came out of this," one of his attorneys said Friday.

Attorney Richard Burr told CNN's "Wolf Blitzer Reports" that the decorated Army Gulf War veteran is "preparing to die" and "letting go of life" ahead of his execution at the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, at 7 a.m. (8 a.m. ET) Monday.

Survivors of the blast and family members of those killed have hoped McVeigh will express remorse for the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. In his recent biography, "American Terrorist," McVeigh expressed no regret.

Execution countdown Sunday, June 10 7:00 a.m. CDT McVeigh's telephone privileges and visitors will be restricted to his attorneys, his immediate family members and a spiritual adviser, if he requests one. Midnight The Bureau of Prisons will begin to shuttle demonstrators, who will gather in two nearby parks, to the prison grounds. Monday, June 11 5:00 a.m. Any visitors McVeigh may have must leave. 6:30 a.m. McVeigh will be searched and restrained if necessary, before being taken to the execution room and strapped to the gurney. Witnesses will be escorted to their seats and the drapes of the witness rooms will be opened. 7:00 a.m. The executioners will administer the lethal injection.  IN-DEPTH • Execution of Timothy McVeigh • Oklahoma City Bombing  MESSAGE BOARD McVeigh execution  ON THE SCENE Roger Cossack: McVeigh's legal options  DOCUMENTS Read documents in the McVeigh case (FindLaw) (PDF) U.S. Court of Appeals denies McVeigh's stay request, June 7 Transcript of the McVeigh stay hearing, June 6 More documents Documents in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.  ALSO • Who's to die? Who's to say? • Appeals court blocks execution taping, for now • Reaction to judge's denial of stay for McVeigh • U.S., Japan urged to end executions   LEGAL RESOURCES Latest Legal News Law Library FindLaw Consumer Center Select a topic Bankruptcy Discrimination Divorce Estate Planning Landlord-Tenant Personal Injury Taxes

Asked if his client ever expressed remorse for the bombing, Burr said, "There were a number of times throughout my relationship with him where he expressed compassion for the pain that came out of this. He had tremendous compassion for the people who died at Waco, and he saw this event as something in his mind that had to be done to get the federal government to pay attention to the abuses that it was carrying out against its citizens.

"He did not see the victims of this case as individuals, as people he intended to kill in that sense," Burr continued. "I think that at some levels he is sorry that there's been so much suffering that, in his mind, had to come from this."

The attorney said he's not sure exactly what McVeigh will say in his final statement -- "I doubt he'd share that with anybody -- but he's got an idea.

"I expect that it will be dignified, that it will be a statement of strength and a statement probably about honor," Burr said.

Beth Wilkinson, a prosecutor in McVeigh's 1997 trial, said she was always disturbed by McVeigh's arrogant, remorseless demeanor in court.

"It was always disturbing to see that Mr. McVeigh tried to be so affable and he tried to crack jokes and talk to people," Wilkinson told CNN's "The Point with Greta Van Susteren." "It was as if he had stepped outside of himself and was enjoying being the center of attention."

With McVeigh's execution nearing, Wilkinson said she doesn't "feel any sense of triumph. I think there's justice, but I regret that it ever had to come to this."

In explaining what turned McVeigh against the government, Burr said it was McVeigh's experience in the Gulf War that "shattered his illusion about government." He said McVeigh saw "what he believed was genocide" being carried out by the United States, through its devastating air campaign, against the Iraqi people.

"I think the critical point for him was the Gulf War," Burr said.

From there, McVeigh's opinion of the federal government deteriorated, culminating with the April 19, 1993, FBI siege on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. About 80 people were killed there when a fire swept through the compound.

Now, Burr said, McVeigh is spending his final few hours on death row.

"He is letting go of life, and saying his farewells to people that count to him. And I'm sure he's meditating a lot," Burr said. "He went through the process of learning to deal with that fear as a soldier. And I think that probably has helped him to some extent not be as afraid as one might be in these circumstances."