Kaczynski Wrote About Blast, Documents Say

Theodore Kaczynski wrote in his journal in 1985 that he “planted bomb disguised to look like scrap of lumber” behind a Sacramento computer store, and the owner was “blown to bits,” according to court documents filed Thursday.

Prosecutors filed the documents to outline how they plan to prove that Kaczynski was responsible for all 16 bombings attributed to the anti-technology terrorist known as the Unabomber, even though he is charged in only five of the blasts.

Defense lawyers have asked U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell Jr. to seal portions of the evidence that the prosecution wants to use to avoid influencing prospective jurors.

“There are no alternatives to sealing that will adequately protect the defendant’s right to a fair trial,” defense lawyers Quin Denvir and Judy Clarke told Burrell.

Only portions of the prosecution documents were released by the court Thursday. The remainder was withheld until the court can rule on the defense request for closure. Some of the material has been made public since Kaczynski’s arrest in April 1996.

Among evidence taken from Kaczynski’s remote Montana cabin, prosecutors wrote, were copies of letters sent by the Unabomber and an autobiography written about 1979.

Also seized was a coded journal in which Kaczynski allegedly memorialized the bombing results.

Prosecutors said one entry reads: “EXPERIMENT 976. DEC. 11, 1985 I PLANTED BOMB DISGUISED TO LOOK LIKE SCRAP OF LUMBER BEHIND RENTECH COMPUTE STORE IN SACRAMENTO. ACCORDING TO SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER, DEC.20, THE ‘OPERATOR’ (OWNER? MANAGER?) OF THE STORE WAS KILLED, ‘BLOWN TO BITS’, ON DEC. 12.”

Store owner Hugh Scrutton was killed Dec. 11, 1985, by a bomb found outside his store.

Kaczynski, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he could get the death penalty.