The wave of mail bombs this week is stirring up memories of the most famous serial bomber in U.S. history: the Unabomber.
Bay Area investigators were behind the eventual identification and arrest of the Unabomber, Ted Kazcynski, whose 18-year reign left three people dead and injured another two dozen.
Former FBI Agent Jim Freeman of Tiburon was in charge of the Unabomber Task Force and described Kazcynski as "the Energizer Bunny of serial bombers."
"I don’t think he could have stopped," Freeman said. "In fact, that’s what our behavioral psychologist said, he couldn’t stop."
Investigators are trying to track down a new mail bomber who has sent out at least 10 pipe bombs so far. Freeman has some advice, saying it’s critical one central team takes charge of the case, a team that includes a profiler. He says that was key in the Unabomber case.
"We arrived at a profile loner, anger, acting out against both individuals and representational targets," Freeman said.
Freeman added that investigators need to think outside the box. It wasn’t until his team took the extraordinary step of publishing Kazcynski's manifesto that they got the tip that led them to his Montana cabin.
Local
"If that manifesto had never been published, David Kaczynski may have never made the connection, and we might still be looking for the Unabomber," Freeman said.
