Not-Guilty Plea in Bombing Case : Businessman Accused of Arranging Woman’s Death

LOS ANGELES — Real estate dealer William Ross entered a not guilty plea Tuesday to a charge that he arranged to have a mail bomb delivered to a woman who had sued him over the sale of a house.

Ross, who claimed to court officials to have equity in real estate worth over $2.6 million, was again ordered held without bail.

Ross, 51, a South Bay businessman who lives in the Hollywood area, is a former Jewish Defense League member and supporter. Two other former JDL members, Rochelle and Robert Manning, have also been charged in the 1980 bombing, which killed a secretary who opened a disguised explosive device at a Manhattan Beach computer firm.

The Mannings, known as adamantly anti-Arab, have been identified by government officials as suspects in the 1985 bomb blast that killed Arab activist Alex Odeh in Santa Ana.

Officials of the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Service allege that Ross masterminded the Manhattan Beach bombing to eliminate Brenda Adams, with whom he was embroiled in a bitter dispute over her attempted purchase of a house.

Despite Ross’ offer to surrender his passport and those of his wife, daughter and son, U.S. District Judge A. Wallace Tashima said Ross would pose “a risk of flight to Israel” and a danger to the community.

Rochelle Manning is in custody in Los Angeles, while her husband Robert is a fugitive in Israel.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Nancy Wieben Stock argued that the intimidation of witnesses in the case, plus Ross’ ties to Israel, made his release on bail unwise.