Worker Sold Fertilizer to Man Using Nichols' Alias

McALESTER, Okla. – A farmers' co-op worker testified Monday at Terry Nichols (search) murder trial that he sold a ton of fertilizer like that used to blow up the Oklahoma City federal building to a man using Nichols' alleged alias.

The testimony from Jerry Showalter came as the second week of Nichols' trial resumed with prosecutors' continuing attempts to link him to the purchase of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

Showalter, who works at the farmers' co-op in Kansas, testified he sold a ton of the substance to Mike Havens on Sept. 30, 1994. Prosecutors allege that Mike Havens was an alias used by Nichols.

The jury has already heard from the manager of the co-op who said Havens bought two tons of the fertilizer in 1994.

Ammonium nitrate was combined with fuel oil to make the bomb that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah federal building (search) on April 19, 1995, killing 168 people.

But neither Showalter or Frederick Schlender Jr., who ran the co-op's branch in McPherson, Kan., and testified last week, could identify Nichols as the buyer.

Prosecutors allege that Nichols also stole blasting caps and detonation cord from a rock quarry located about 25 miles from Herington, Kan., where Nichols lived at the time. Authorities say the items were similar to those used to bomb the Oklahoma City federal building.

Nichols is charged with 161 state first-degree murder charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

He is already serving a life prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter and conspiracy convictions for the deaths of eight federal law enforcement officers in the bombing. The state charges are for the other 160 victims and one victim's fetus.

Prosecutors allege that Nichols and co-conspirator Timothy McVeigh (search) gathered components for the ammonium nitrate and fuel oil bomb and built it.

The government says the bombing was a twisted plot to avenge the deaths of about 80 people exactly two years earlier at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas.

McVeigh was convicted of federal murder charges and executed in 2001.