Waco Paper Tipped Off Cult, Agent Says : Standoff: Wounded federal officer files suit against Tribune-Herald. It denies having alerted the compound about the raid.

A federal agent wounded in the gun battle with members of David Koresh’s cult accused the local newspaper Wednesday of tipping off the Branch Davidian sect that a raid was imminent on the fortified compound.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent John T. Risenhoover, 29, who was shot twice in the ankle and once in the hip, charged in a lawsuit that the Waco Tribune-Herald not only called the compound to warn of the Feb. 28 raid, but that reporters on the scene told either a sect member or sympathizer they were awaiting ATF agents who were going to storm the compound.

“The conduct of the Waco Tribune-Herald warned and notified the occupants of the compound that the raid was to be conducted and enabled the occupants to prepare and forcibly resist the ATF agents and other law enforcement officials,” the personal damage suit said. Four ATF agents were killed and 16 others were wounded in the shootout.

Bob Lott, the editor of the Tribune-Herald, said “we categorically deny that any of our people informed those in the compound of any pending ATF action. The injuries to agent Risenhoover and the deaths and injuries to others are regrettable. But they were not caused by this paper.”

The suit did not offer evidence directly backing up Risenhoover’s allegation. Risenhoover’s lawyer, James Dunham, said he would not comment further.

Also on Wednesday, an Australian member of the Branch Davidians who left the compound in the wake of the gun battle vowed his love for cult leader David Koresh even as he was being led back to jail.

“I love David Koresh with all my heart and hope to see him one day,” Oliver Gyarfas told a group of reporters gathered outside the courthouse.

Federal magistrate Dennis Green, ordered that Gyarfas, 19, must remain in jail despite arguments by his lawyer that he would cooperate with authorities.

In the course of the hearing, prosecutors played a tape of a telephone conversation between Gyarfas and FBI agent John Cox that seemed to indicate the young cult member had at least been armed during the raid.

“I saw one of you guys’ reflections in a puddle and I couldn’t shoot him because he was behind cement, so he was lucky,” Gyarfas told Cox. “I’m ready for any action you guys give out.”

Gyarfas’ lawyer, Brian Pollard, said it was possible that the taped conversation was taken out of context.

Meanwhile, federal officials said Wednesday that as many as 30 people were on the verge of leaving the Koresh compound but were waiting for a clarification of legal questions before making a move.

“They are preparing a list of questions regarding the legal system,” said FBI spokesman Bob Ricks at what has become the routine morning press conference. He also said that Koresh might be allowed access to the media, as was the case two days after the raid. But this time, Ricks said negotiators would need more than Koresh’s assurance that he would leave at the end of the broadcast.

“We will no longer allow him direct access to the media unless we are assured he is coming out of the compound,” Ricks said.