Bomb Suspect Gives Up After Cardinal’s Plea

A former Marine explosives expert charged with bombing two New York City abortion clinics turned himself in to federal authorities Tuesday after hearing a dramatic televised appeal to surrender from Cardinal John J. O’Connor--one of the nation’s staunchest anti-abortion advocates.

In his TV message, O’Connor stressed that violence should not be used to fight the battle against abortion. Warning that the bombing attacks were “completely contradictory to the fundamental teachings of our Catholic faith,” the cardinal urged Dennis John Malvasi, a Roman Catholic, to give up.

“If you are Catholic, as your archbishop, it is essential that you do this,” O’Connor ordered.

“If you have been involved, I pray, God willing, you will not do anything of this sort again,” the cardinal told Malvasi. “ . . . I appeal to you as a citizen to turn yourself in to the police. Get this over with and certainly do not engage in anything of this sort in the meanwhile.”

Minutes after the appeal Monday, Malvasi phoned the archdiocese and spoke with a key O’Connor aide. He said he was “working his way in.”

Malvasi, a fireworks technician who worked on the Statue of Liberty’s centennial fireworks display over the Fourth of July weekend, phoned again on Tuesday and spoke again with Msgr. Peter G. Finn, the archdiocese’s director of communications.

Malvasi said he wanted to give up in the Manhattan offices of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Finn asked if he wanted a priest present, and Malvasi said no.

‘Hard to Turn Down’

At 2:10 p.m. the fugitive surrendered to the federal agents. “It was hard to turn down the cardinal,” he told them.

“It’s a direct result of O’Connor’s plea that he surrendered,” a spokesman for the bureau said.

“We thank Cardinal O’Connor for his plea,” added U.S. Atty. Rudolph W. Giuliani.

The cardinal, who was in meetings during the day, had no immediate comment. But a spokesman for the New York Archdiocese said Malvasi was not affiliated with any known organized anti-abortion group.

Bombs at Two Clinics

According to a federal criminal complaint, Malvasi, 37, who also used the alias “Albert Alfano,” is alleged to have planted dynamite bombs at two clinics in Manhattan, the first at the Eastern Women’s Shelter last October and the second at a clinic operated by Margaret Sanger Pavilion of Planned Parenthood in December. Abortions are performed at both of the clinics.

When the bomb at the Eastern Women’s Center detonated, it caused extensive damage to the building. The other bomb at the Margaret Sanger Pavilion exploded only partially and caused minor damage.

Giuliani said that Malvasi, a pyrotechnist licensed by New York City, may have had accomplices in the bombings. He said police and federal agents are searching for other suspects, one of whom is believed to be a woman.

Cites Evidence

The U.S. attorney added that prosecutors possess forensic evidence linking Malvasi to the Margaret Sanger bombing and that investigators believe he has been in the New York City area since the attacks on the abortion clinics.

According to the complaint, Malvasi also was identified by a witness as having been seen at the Queens Women’s Medical office last Nov. 10, the day before a dynamite bomb was discovered at that facility.

Prosecutors said that Malvasi, born in Brooklyn, received his demolition training during the Vietnam War, and also held a blaster’s license under his assumed name. He has a criminal record for weapons possession and is a fugitive from federal authorities in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he is wanted on firearms charges. If convicted in New York, he could face up to 20 years in prison and $500,000 in fines.

Researcher Siobhan Flynn also contributed to this story.