Abortion clinic bomber gets 40 years

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Abortion clinic bomber gets 40 years

Posted 2 hours 39 minutes ago

A Texan man who pleaded guilty to the attempted bombing of a health clinic where abortions were performed has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, officials said.

Paul Evans, 27, left a nail-packed bomb in the parking lot of the Austin Women's Health Centre on April 25, but it failed to go off.

Prosecutors have not disclosed why he wanted to bomb the clinic but the Austin American-Statesman said Evans admitted in court that he wanted to harm abortion providers.

"I never meant for anyone, except for the abortionists, to get hurt," Evans told US District Judge Sam Sparks.

"I obviously have a lot of beliefs and honestly, if I had that day to do over again, I would change everything about it," he was quoted as saying.

Evans was given the maximum 40-year sentence after pleading guilty to the crime in July in a plea bargain with prosecutors.

Evans was linked to the bomb through purchases he made at stores in Austin and Lufkin, Texas, and was arrested on April 27.

He had previous convictions for aggravated robbery and burglary.

The National Abortion Federation, which tracks violence against abortion providers, said Evans' attempted bombing was the only "major attack" against an abortion clinic this year.

It said 41 abortion clinic bombings have occurred in the last 20 years, with the last one reported in 2001.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007 ... 064977.htm