STATEMENT
OF ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN ASHCROFT REGARDING THE ARREST
OF ERIC ROBERT RUDOLPH:
Attorney General John Ashcroft released the following
statement regarding the capture of Eric Robert Rudolph,
one of the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives. Rudolph
is charged with bombing attacks that killed 2 people
and injured more than 150 others:
"Today,
Eric Robert Rudolph, the most notorious American fugitive
on the FBI's 'Most Wanted' list has been captured
and will face American justice. American law enforcement's
unyielding efforts to capture Eric Robert Rudolph
have been rewarded. Working with law enforcement nationwide,
the FBI always gets their man. This sends a clear
message that we will never cease in our efforts to
hunt down all terrorists, foreign or domestic, and
stop them from harming the innocent.
"I
want to especially congratulate the local authorities
in Murphy, North Carolina, who with the FBI and other
local and state law enforcement throughout the country
were able to apprehend this suspect. While it has
been a long struggle, they never stopped, never yielded
and never gave up. The American people, most importantly
the victims of these terrorist attacks, can rest easier
knowing that another alleged killer is no longer a
threat."
Eric Robert Rudolph is charged in connection with
the bombing of a health clinic in Birmingham, Alabama,
in which a police officer was killed and a nurse critically
wounded. He is also charged in connection with the
fatal bombings at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown
Atlanta, Georgia, the double bombings at the Sandy
Springs Professional Office Building north of Atlanta,
and the double bombings at the Otherside Lounge in
midtown Atlanta. These bomb blasts injured more than
150 people.
Media
Note: FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Swecker along
with local law enforcement authorities will provide
further details at a noon press conference at the
Murphy, North Carolina courthouse.
