Mcveigh Admitted Guilt, Newsweek Says But He Failed Lie Detector Test On Question Of Accomplices

Timothy McVeigh admitted his involvement in the Oklahoma City bombing during a lie detector test given by his lawyers, Newsweek reports in this week’s edition.

But McVeigh failed a question about whether all his co-conspirators are known to investigators, and that may suggest that others were involved in the bombing plot, the magazine said.

The report of the test is attributed to anonymous sources close to the investigation.

“McVeigh confirmed his role in blowing up the Murrah building,” the magazine said. ” … There is even fresh confusion about whether the FBI has tracked down all the members of the conspiracy.”

It said some federal investigators think the lie detector story may be just a ploy by McVeigh’s lawyer, Stephen Jones, to sow confusion before the trial begins.

The defense did not respond to the report of a lie detector test but said the Newsweek report offers insight into the prosecution’s case.

“This detailed outline of the prosecution’s theory proffered to the press far surpasses anything we have received from the prosecution through the legal process,” the defense said in a statement. “We welcome any and all such assistance, both now and in the future.”

Newsweek reported on investigators’ probe into the blast, from how agents located McVeigh, collected evidence like the axle from the Ryder truck used in the bombing, and got witnesses to talk to them.

FBI spokesman Paul Bresson in Washington declined to comment on the report Sunday.

Two other purported McVeigh confessions have upset defense attorneys. They contend the confessions reported by The Dallas Morning News and Playboy magazine in the past two weeks have jeopardized the jury pool.

Last week, they asked U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch to throw the case out of court, delay McVeigh’s March 31 trial for a year, or move it out of Colorado. There was no indication when the judge would rule.

Jones said he was not optimistic the judge would grant any of his requests.

“We felt in order to protect Mr. McVeigh’s rights we needed to file these motions,” he told The Denver Post for Sunday’s editions. “We’d love to have one of three granted, but we’re preparing for trial March 31.”