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Winnipeg friend testifies writing on letter bomb looked like that of accused

Nov 10, 2017 | 6:30 PM

WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg man testified the writing on a package containing a bomb looked similar to that of his friend, Guido Amsel.

Ollie Ehrmantraut told court Friday that he’s known Amsel for years and when a package came to his auto shop on July 2, 2015, he and the co-worker noted it looked “like kids’ writing, like Guido’s writing.”

That package had Amsel’s ex-wife’s name on it — she worked at a nearby shop — and police later safely detonated it with no injuries.

Amsel, who is 51, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder and several explosives-related charges after letter bombs were sent to two Winnipeg law offices and his ex-wife’s workplace in July 2015.

Amsel is also being tried on charges related to an explosion at his ex-wife’s home in 2013.

Ehrmantraut testified he asked Amsel in 2014 or 2015 if he bombed his ex-wife’s house, but Amsel didn’t answer.

“There was no ‘yes’. No ‘no’. It was almost a blank off stare but no response,” Ehrmantraut said, adding he thought was an unusual response for Amsel.

“Guido’s the kind of guy who would just tell you straight up.”

Ehrmantraut told court Amsel then asked him, “If the first time misses, do you think the second time would miss?”

Amsel’s lawyer, Saheel Zaman, asked if he contacted police or Amsel’s ex-wife to let her know what Amsel had said.

Ehrmantraut said he didn’t contact police and can’t remember whether he told Iris Amsel.

“Police were already investigating,” Ehrmantraut told court. “I’m assuming police were on top of their jobs.”

Ehrmantraut also testified that after Amsel and his ex-wife separated, he told Ehrmantraut “millions of dollars were taken away” from him and “everybody was against him.”

Maria Mitousis, a lawyer who had represented Amsel’s ex-wife in the couple’s divorce, lost her right hand and suffered other injuries when a package delivered to her office exploded on July 3, 2015.

(CTV Winnipeg)

 

The Canadian Press