Man accused of leaving Colo. bombs kills himself

The threat that shut down this resort town on New Year's Eve was real: Police said Thursday that four packages in holiday wrapping held dangerous bombs made of gasoline and cell phones parts and came with notes warning of "mass death." The man suspected of placing the bombs in two banks and in an alleyway on Wednesday shot and killed himself a short time later, police said. The body of James Chester Blanning, who grew up in Aspen and lived in Denver since 2003, was found Thursday, police said. Police did not give a motive for his actions.

Blanning, 72, walked into two Aspen banks at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and left packages wrapped in holiday paper along with notes saying the boxes contained bombs. The notes threatened "mass death" and demanded $60,000 cash, along with criticisms of President George Bush, Assistant Aspen Police Chief Bill Linn said at a news conference.

Blanning's notes said he was targeting four banks, police said, but only two - a Wells Fargo Bank and a nearby Vectra Bank - received the packages. Later, police found two similar packages atop a black sled in a downtown alley. All four boxes contained homemade bombs made of gasoline and cell phone components, police said.

"We believe the suspect abandoned his plan halfway through," said Linn, who said Blanning's notes didn't say which other two banks he planned to target. The Aspen Times newspaper reported that Blanning left a typewritten note at the newspaper's offices Wednesday evening. The profanity-laced note, which appeared to match those Blanning left at banks, said "Aspen will pay a horrible price in blood" if his demands were not met. The note said a fifth bomb was "hidden in a high end watering hole." Linn said Aspen bars had been searched but that no additional bomb was discovered....(more)