PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Federal agents testified Monday a construction worker who thought he was following God's law admitted bombing four abortion clinics and they hinted there is a 'secret' organization committing terrorist acts.
Matthew John Goldsby was ordered held without bail Monday by U.S. Magistrate Robert Crongeyer, who was told by federal agents the suspect was 'a danger to the community.'
Crongeyer scheduled a preliminary hearing for Jan. 7 and said there was 'strong evidence' the 21-year-old construction worker had committed 'acts of extreme violence.'
Goldsby was accused of bombing The Ladies Center and two other Pensacola abortion clinics early Christmas day under the cover of a pre-dawn fog. He was also was charged in the June 25 bombing of The Ladies Center at its old location.
In all, Goldsby faces eight federal charges that each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Authorities declined to say what made them suspect Goldsby might have been involved in the abortion clinic bombings.
'He (Goldsby) told us that he had bombed all four clinics,' Morris Pelham, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, told Crongeyer.
'He felt like what he was doing was worthwhile, if he saved one life it would be worthwhile,' Pelham said. 'He felt God's law was the law he had to follow, and not man's law.'
Pelham said Goldsby claimed he acted alone in the bombings, but ATF agent Robert Hoffer Jr. said authorities had evidence to the contrary.
'We do have some evidence of a secret type organization,' Hoffer testified, but added he would 'rather not get into that.'
Goldsby was arrested Sunday after ATF agents searched his home and car and found evidence that coincided with the type of material used in the bombings.
Hoffer said the bombs weighed 15 pounds each and were 'more sophisticated than some we've seen.'
Pelham said Goldsby told agents he tried to place the bombs 'so no one would get hurt.' There were no injuries, but the three Christmas Day blasts caused more than $400,000 in damage.
Hoffer said agents searching Goldsby's house also found duct tape, fine wire, a drill bit of same size used to drill into the bombs, sweepings of what appeared to be an explosive black powder, and empty black powder cans.
The three clinics that were bombed -- The Ladies Center operated by Linda Taggart and clinics operated by Dr, William Permenter and Dr. Bo Bagenholm -- had been the targets of generally peaceful picketing during the last year.
Authorities said Goldsby had never been known to participate in anti-abortion protests. But one anti-abortion picket leader, John Burt, said Goldsby's mother had participated in some demonstrations.
