Copyright 1994 The New York Times Company
The New York Times
December 18, 1994, Sunday, Late Edition - Final
SECTION: Section 4; Page 2; Column 2; Week in Review Desk
LENGTH: 232 words
HEADLINE: Dec. 11-17: Parcel of Death; Serial Bomber Kills Again, And the F.B.I. Is Stumped
BYLINE: By CLIFFORD J. LEVY
BODY:
The package bomb that killed Thomas J. Mosser last weekend was crafted by hand from metal, wood, explosives and a few other easily obtainable materials, but it was not crude. Its trigger was so expertly made that it withstood the jostling of a cross-country trip through the Christmas mails without exploding. It arrived at the Mosser home in North Caldwell, N.J., looking harmless.
When it did detonate, Mr. Mosser, 50, a prominent advertising executive, became the latest victim of a mysterious serial bomber who has made 14 other attacks since 1978, killing one other person and wounding 22 in a case hundreds of Federal agents have vainly tried to solve.
The F.B.I. believes that the suspect is a middle-aged recluse with anarchist leanings who may be operating from northern California, but even that is uncertain. The bomber seems to harbor a hatred for the growing influence of technology in society. But why that led him to go after Mr. Mosser is unclear. Perhaps it was because Mr. Mosser's firm, Young & Rubicam, has handled technology clients.
With so few leads and fears that the bomber may strike again, Federal agencies appear to be changing strategy in the case, which has been called Unabom because the suspect's early targets were universities and airlines. They are now appealing to the public and publicizing a sketch of the suspect.CLIFFORD J. LEVY