S.F. Man Held in One Bombing, Three Attempts

A 51-year-old San Franciscan with “interest in white hate groups” was arrested by city and federal agents Friday in one bombing and three attempted bombings in the city over the past five months, the FBI announced.

Coy Ray Phelps was not accused of the bombing attempt Monday at a rabbi’s home, but he is charged with two other incidents the same day. The FBI indicated it might file “additional charges” involving Phelps, who was denied bail.

Raymond A. Mislock Jr., San Francisco FBI acting special agent-in-charge, said Phelps was not armed when he was arrested at noon by agents of the FBI, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and San Francisco police.

‘Acted Independently’

Mislock said agents, armed with a search warrant, “found evidence linking (Phelps)” to the bomb incidents and also found evidence of his interest in white hate groups. “At this time we have no indication he is affiliated with any white hate group,” Mislock said. “We believe he acted independently.”

Mislock’s associates from the other agencies indicated that Phelps’ garage at his north-central San Francisco home yielded hate literature and “rounds of ammunition” but no explosives.

Mislock said the literature was similar to that associated with the “Aryan Nation and the American Nazi Party,” but he refused to specify what was found.

‘On His Own’

“He was on his own,” said Mislock, adding that there was “no indication there are other individuals involved” in the bomb incidents.

Phelps was formally charged before U.S. Magistrate Frederick J. Woelflen with the placement of bombs at the Business/Ethnic Studies Building on the campus of San Francisco State University on May 14; at the Congregation Adath Israel on July 1, and at the Horowitz Community Center on Monday. He was also charged with bombing the Humanist Party Office on Monday.

Anti-Semitic literature was found Monday at the Humanist Party Office and at the site of the bombing attempts at the community center, where people were celebrating Rosh Hashanah, and at the home of Rabbi Jacob Traub. Police defused the latter two bombs.