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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A federal judge refused to dismiss charges Monday against an Illinois man accused of igniting a pipe bomb in a Salt Lake City library.
Attorneys for Thomas Zajac attacked the case on two fronts but failed.
They argued the library isn't used in interstate commerce, a requirement under federal arson law.
The defense also accused prosecutors of reviewing recorded phone calls between Zajac and his attorneys. U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball, however, said there's no evidence.
Prosecutors had a list of Zajac's phone calls from the Weber County jail but did not listen to calls to his attorneys, Kimball said.
"Defendant provides conclusory and speculative accusations that the government engaged in egregious and outrageous illegal conduct. There are no specific facts" to support the claims, the judge said.
Zajac, 54, is blamed for a pipe bomb that exploded at Salt Lake City's downtown library in September 2006. No one was hurt. The Downers Grove, Ill., man denies the charges and says he was in the library studying the Mormon religion.
Federal investigators have said Zajac's fingerprint is on an igniter used in the blast. They said he also appears on library surveillance video.
Zajac has been in custody for 18 months.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
