MONTREAL -- The man charged in the terror bombing of Montreal's main railway station shortly before Pope John Paul II's visit to Canada told a U.S. tourist that the pontiff would never complete his visit, the tourist testified Tuesday.
Defendant Thomas Brigham added, 'If you year of an explosion, you'll know it was me,' according to Deborah Hockenbury, 31, of Wilmington, N.C., who was touring Canada shortly before the attack Sept. 3 that killed three French tourists and wounded 41 other people.
Brigham, 65, a native of Rochester, N.Y., is charged with first-degree murder in the three deaths.
Hockenbury said she, her husband, Jay, and daughter, Caroline, had a half-hour talk with Brigham during a train trip from Montreal to Ste. Foy, Quebec, on Aug. 19.
In the rambling conversation, she said, Brigham discussed World War II bombings and how he received messages from cosmic forces to visit graveyards, among other topics.
'He made a statement about the pope,' Hockenbury said under questioning by prosecutor Claude Parent. 'He said the pope would never arrive.'
As the family left the train, she said, Brigham approached them carrying a white plastic bag containing a piece of posterboard with large block letters printed on it. She said he told her he was going to deliver the package to the news media.
As his parting remark, she said, Brigham whispered: 'If you hear of an explosion, you'll know it was me.'
On the train, Hockenbury testified, Brigham told her also 'he would like to start a revolution, like in Northern Ireland' and would like to enlighten Roman Catholics.
Hockenbury said she became worried about her 'impressionable' 13-year-old daughter listening to the conversation and suggested they go get a drink. Brigham left them shortly afterward.
Under cross-examination by defense lawyer Pierre Poupart, Hockenbury said Brigham 'seemed nervous' during their conversation.
'He did a lot of blinking, wiping his brow, moving around,' she said. 'Within a half-hour he mentioned the subject of explosions several times. He had a preoccupation with explosions.'
Brigham listened intently to Hockenbury's testimony and occasionaly smiled. He waved and said, 'Hi, Deborah' when she identified him for the court record.
During cross-examination, Hockenbury said, 'I wish this man no harm, I wish it didn't happen, I wish I didn't have to be here.' Brigham held up his hands as if in compassion and said quietly, 'It's all right, Deborah, it had to be.'
