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More agents assigned to Olympic bombing
Jewell still a suspect, sources say
October 24, 1996
Web posted at: 2:45 p.m. EDT
ATLANTA (CNN) -- The FBI is adding as many as two dozen agents to the investigation of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, and security guard Richard Jewell remains a suspect, sources told CNN Thursday.
While Jewell hasn't been removed from the FBI's list of suspects, he has been "moved down the list" and may soon be dropped, according to sources close to the investigation.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester said he considered Jewell a "former suspect." But the final determination of who is or is not a suspect lies in the hands of the FBI and Department of Justice.
Forrester, acting on a request by the media to release documents relating to the Jewell investigation, gave the FBI five days to make the documents public or appeal the ruling.
Jewell's attorneys said the judge's ruling demonstrates that their client is innocent. They added that they want a letter from the U.S. attorney officially dropping Jewell from the suspect list.
Sources said such a letter is under consideration.
Jewell, 33, was working as a security guard at Centennial Olympic Park when a pipe bomb exploded July 27, killing one person and injuring more than 100. A Turkish journalist died of a heart attack running to the scene. His death was later ruled a homicide.
Jewell was initially hailed as a hero for spotting the knapsack containing the bomb and trying to direct people away. He was named a suspect three days later.
Despite months of investigation, Jewell has not been charged with a crime.
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Related stories:
- Olympic Park bombing suspect answers FBI questions - October 8, 1996
- FBI drops 24-hour watch on Olympic bombing suspect - October 1, 1996
- FBI asks Jewell to take lie detector test - September 26, 1996
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