USA: OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING: TIMOTHY MCVEIGH APPEARS IN COURT

(27 Apr 1995) English/Nat

Oklahoma City bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh is due in court today (Thursday) charged with causing the explosion which killed at least 98 people.

Massive security surrounds the Oklahoma prison courtroom where he's appearing.

The authorities fear possible revenge by people who lost loved ones in the blast.

Earlier McVeigh's cousin Terry Nichols faced a judge over moves to have him brought from Kansas to Oklahoma.

Under heavy security and wearing a bullet-proof vest, Terry Nichols was hustled to a courthouse in Wichita, Kansas, where prosecutors sought to extradite him to Oklahoma City. A judge granted the request but delayed it until May 5 so Nichols can appeal.

The primary bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh is being held in a federal prison in El Reno, Oklahoma.

McVeigh is due to appear at a hearing today (Thursday) on a request to move his case out of Oklahoma City.

U-S Marshalls have announced that his arraignment will take place in a special room inside the prison to prevent any incidents.

McVeigh was earlier moved from the Oklahoma City County Jail for security reasons. The city's courthouse was damaged by the force of the bomb blast and remains unsafe.
There have been threats of revenge attacks against him and authorities feel there is good reason for extra vigilance.

SOUNDBITE:
I am not sure that we would choose to keep him well hidden, we will do our best and everything in our power to keep any harm from coming to him at this time. You have to put your personal feelings aside and just do your job at that particular time.
SUPER CAPTION Tim Hock, Oklahoma police dept.

SOUNDBITE:
There are going to be extremes, because there are going to be a lot of people out there that might want to do something to him but we need him in one piece to convict him on this.
SUPER CAPTION Valerie Fox, Oklahoma police dept.

Oklahoma City is filled with security forces, state troopers and FBI agents carry out checks on everybody.

On Wednesday, a federal magistrate rejected motions by McVeigh's attorneys to withdraw from the case and to grant a change of venue.

U-S Magistrate Ronald Howland called the request premature since the court has yet to question potential grand jurors to determine if they can consider the case impartially.

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