RENO: to face charges.

Wednesday, May 8, 2002 | 6:17 a.m.

He has been assigned a deputy public defender, Vito de la Cruz, who could not immediately be reached Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Helder told the FBI he made the first eight bombs in his apartment in Menomonie, Wis.

An FBI affidavit quoting Rodney G. Getting, a Nebraska State Patrol bomb technician, described the devices as having red and black nine-volt batteries wrapped end-to-end with black electrical tape, rigged with a spring and a paper clip switch and a Christmas tree bulb as the spark initiator.

The six-inch long, one-inch wide tubes were fitted with caps on each end and packed with smokeless gunpowder and BBs or nails, the document said.

Most were placed inside clear plastic bags with a note.

Authorities put out an alert for Helder after his father, Cameron, called police late Monday about a letter from his son that contained reference to the bombings, Menomonie Police Chief Dennis Beety said Wednesday. Helder attends college in Menomonie.

According to a federal complaint filed Wednesday in Iowa, the letter received by Helder's father Monday contained references to death and dying, anti-government comments and the phrase "Mailboxes are exploding." That same phrase was in the notes found with the bombs.

Helder's father also told authorities his son's roommate called and told him about possible bomb-making materials found under his bed.

Six people - four letter carriers and two residents - were injured Friday by bombs left in mailboxes in Illinois and Iowa. Twelve other bombs found later in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Texas did not explode.

Five pipe bombs were found in Helder's car when he was arrested. They were dismantled by bomb squad members.

Authorities had asked residents in several states to leave their roadside mailboxes open to give nervous letter carriers a clear look inside. That request was lifted Wednesday morning, authorities said, because they believe Helder acted alone.

"We have no indication of any more bombs out there, and we haven't found any," FBI Agent Pete Sakaris in Omaha said Wednesday Still, he urged the public to be cautious.

Federal prosecutors in Iowa charged Helder with using an explosive to maliciously destroy property affecting interstate commerce and with using a destructive device to commit a crime of violence. The charges carry penalties of up to life in prison and fines of $250,000. In addition, he was booked on a federal firearms charge.

U.S. Attorney Charles W. Larson said Helder was responsible for cuts and shrapnel wounds suffered Friday by Delores Werling, 70, of Tipton, Iowa.

Federal charges were filed Wednesday in Illinois - the same two charges as in Iowa; and in Nebraska - where he was charged with interstate transportation of explosives. He was expected to be taken to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to face those charges first, authorities said.