Alleged Southwest Plaza Suspect Pens Letter To CBS4's Sallinger

DENVER (CBS4) - The man charged with leaving a bomb at the Southwest Plaza last month may have implicated himself in a letter he sent to a CBS4 reporter.

Earl Albert Moore, 65, is accused of leaving propane tanks and a pipe bomb in the mall on April 20. He also is suspected of starting the small fire that led to an evacuation of the mall but failed to detonate the bomb. He was arrested in Boulder five days later.

The letter was sent from prison to CBS4 investigator Rick Sallinger. It's about three quarters of a page long and written very neatly with good grammar and perhaps a bit of legal vulnerability.

The letter came in response to several questions CBS4 sent Moore. He chose to answer only one.

CBS4 asked "Since the bomb placed at the mall was on the 12th anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings, was there any connection with that?"

The reply: "There was absolutely no connection between this event and Columbine anniversary, or Columbine period."

But how would Moore know that, unless he was the one who planted the device?

CBS4 asked attorney Reid Neureiter, who represented Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols, if Moore is implicating himself in the letter.

"I think the answer to that is he certainly seems to implicate himself," Neureiter said.

So far there has been no official word on a motive in the case. Speculation has focused on whether the bomb was intended for Moore's ex-wife, who investigators say worked there. That woman was not working there last month, though.

Another possibility is that Moore may have been angry over what he considered improper medical treatment in prison for cancer. Moore was released from prison shortly before the attempted bombing.

The bomb was placed on a ledge near some electrical equipment. A meter was melted by a resulting fire but adding to the mystery is why the device was placed in a restricted hallway where few people go.

In Moore's letter he promises to write more about the incident later after discussions with his attorney.

Moore faces 35 years to life in prison if he is convicted of the federal charges he faces. He is being held without bail.

READ ON: View the indictment of Moore made public last week by the U.S. District Court in Denver.