FBI agent testifies about questioning Terry Nichols

<br>(Oklahoma City-AP) -- An FBI agent testified Friday that he believed after his first interview with bombing conspirator Terry Nichols that Nichols had helped Timothy McVeigh with the Oklahoma City

Friday, May 9th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- An FBI agent testified Friday that he believed after his first interview with bombing conspirator Terry Nichols that Nichols had helped Timothy McVeigh with the Oklahoma City bombing.

Special Agent Steve Smith of Topeka, Kansas, says he interviewed Nichols for nine hours April 21th, 1995, two days after the bombing of the Alfred P-Murrah Federal Building.

Nichols surrendered to police in his hometown of Herington, Kansas.

Nichols told police that he knew McVeigh and that both men had used aliases at gun shows where they worked across the country.

Smith says Nichols told agents he had obtained bomb-making books and pamphlets and discussed the processes with McVeigh.

Smith testified in today in Nichols preliminary hearing. Prosecutors are trying to show that there is enough evidence to try Nichols on 160 state counts of first-degree murder.

Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.