McVeigh's defence rests its case

DENVER - Mr Timothy McVeigh's lawyers rested their case yesterday after only 3 1/2 days and about two dozen witnesses, ending…

DENVER - Mr Timothy McVeigh's lawyers rested their case yesterday after only 3 1/2 days and about two dozen witnesses, ending with wiretapped phone conversations of a star prosecution witness saying he could make money spinning a "fable" about the Oklahoma City bombing.

Mr McVeigh's lawyers presented a scaled down case after US District Judge Richard Matsch refused to allow them call witnesses to discuss theories of a larger conspiracy involving foreign and domestic terrorists.

Instead, they sought to raise the possibility that a "mystery bomber" was responsible for the explosion at the federal building and to raise concerns about the FBI's handling of bombing evidence.