The Bombing Incident Essay

The Oklahoma City Bombing

The Oklahoma City bombing was regarded as the deadliest terrorist attack on American territory up until the September 11, 2001, twin bombings in New York. The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the target of a truck explosion by domestic terrorists in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, in the nation’s capital of Oklahoma. Timothy McVeigh, a security guard and former soldier in the Army, purposefully positioned a rented explosive-filled truck in front of the structure that morning. The car was equipped with a potent bomb that was filled with a lethal mixture of different chemicals, including diesel fuel and fertilizer for crops. After parking the vehicle in his desired position, he locked the door, and left for his getaway car. It was at this point that he ignited the fuse, and at exactly 9:02 a.m., all hell broke loose as the bomb exploded.

The Devastating Aftermath

Within seconds, the surrounding area resembled a war zone, with a third of the building having been reduced to ruins. The floors had been flattened, with the powerful explosion tearing off the entire northern wall of the building. Hundreds of neighboring buildings were destroyed or damaged, while tens of cars were reduced to ashes. The authorities later placed the total number of buildings at 324, all being within a radius of 16 blocks. Close to 258 others had their glass windows shattered, and the destroyed cars came to 86 in total. Alone, the broken glass caused 5 percent of the deaths and 69 percent of the injuries that occurred outside the building. On estimation, the entire damage was valued at $652 million (Hewitt, 2003).

McVeigh’s Actions

McVeigh got into the city at 8:50 a.m. seven minutes later, the security camera at the lobby of the Regency Towers Apartment building recorded the Ryder truck as it headed for the Murrah Building. The camera had recorded Nichols’ truck three days prior to the bombing. It was at this time that McVeigh set off the five-minute fuse, and the two minute fuse three minutes later. He positioned the bomb-laden truck in a drop-off section beneath the daycare center, alighted, locked it, and headed for the getaway car dropping the Ryder truck’s keys a short distance away. At 9:02 a.m., the Ryder truck containing the explosive mixture blew up on the northern side of the building, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. A third of the building was ripped off by the blast, which also created a 30-foot-wide (9.1 m), 8-foot-deep (2.4 m) crater on NW 5th Street next to the building.

Rescue Efforts and Aftermath

In the wake of the incident, the local state and federal authorities embarked on extensive rescue efforts in conjunction with global and national humanitarian agencies. The organizations received substantial amounts of funds in the form of donations from across the nation to help in carrying out the exercise. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mobilized more than ten of its Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces, made up of close to 700 rescuers to assist in the operations. Two weeks later, the rescue mission came to an end, revealing a death toll of 168 people and more than 650 injuries. The deceased included nineteen children from a daycare center situated in the building. To date, the unpleasant incident remains the worst act of domestic (as opposed to international) terrorism in the history of the United States (History.com).

The Perpetrators

Based on the World Trade Center bombing two years earlier, initial suspicions on those behind the Oklahoma City incident mistakenly focused on terrorist groups from the Middle East. The second alternative was that a drug cartel may have been on a revenge mission against DEA agents whose office was situated in the building. A further hypothesis indicated the beginning of a rebellion against the federal government by revolutionary right-wing radicals. However, the assumptions later changed when authorities pinned the incident to Timothy McVeigh and his associate, Terry Nichols. They were identified as former soldiers of the United States Army and found to be members of a radical Michigan-based right-wing survivalist group.

The Investigation and Arrests

Unknown to officers investigating the bombing, McVeigh was apprehended within one and a half hours of the bomb explosion. He was heading north on Interstate 35 near Perry in Noble County, Oklahoma, his offense being driving without a license plate. The officer then arrested him for being in possession of a concealed gun. Earlier when asked for his address, he had misleadingly claimed that he lived at the Michigan home of Terry Nichols’ brother, James. When searching his car after booking McVeigh into prison, the arresting officer, Charlie Hanger, discovered a business card hidden by the suspect as he was being handcuffed. The back of the Wisconsin military surplus store card bore the words “TNT at $5 a stick. Need more.” The business card was later used as evidence in the trial of McVeigh.

While examining the scene of crime, federal agents discovered an axis of the truck used in the bombing together with bits and pieces of the license plate, which they traced back to a certain Ryder car rental agency based in Junction City, Kansas. With the help of the agency owner who provided facial details, the investigators were able to implicate McVeigh. Further information from a motel owner who had seen the suspect park the yellow Ryder truck provided weight to the case, also adding that the suspect had used his real name to sign in.

Meanwhile, he was in court to face the charges for concealed firearms which was held on April 21, 1995. Before he could be released, the FBI picked him up for further questioning on his involvement in the bombing as they conducted more investigation. At this time, a large edgy crowd had gathered outside the building after getting tipped off by the heavy police presence and word that a bombing suspect was held inside. The agents also began searching for the Nichols brothers, James and Terry, though upon earning of the impending hunt by the authorities, Terry turned himself in on April 21, 1995. His house was laden with incriminating evidence including blasting caps, the ammonium nitrate fertilizer, and electric drill that McVeigh used in drilling out the quarry locks. Others included books with bomb-making instructions, a copy of William Luther Pierce’s 1989 Hunter novel, and a hand-drawn map detailing the Murrah Federal Building, as well as the spot in which the perpetrator’s getaway vehicle was hidden. He was later held in state custody after close to ten hours of interrogation where he would stay until his trial. Four days later, on April 25, 1995, his brother James was also apprehended, though after 32 days he was set free for lack of evidence. McVeigh’s sister, Jennifer, was indicted for sending ammunition to her brother, though she was granted immunity on the condition that she would help in further investigation and also testify against him during the trial.

The Trial and Verdicts

On June 2, 1997, McVeigh was found guilty on the eleven counts leveled against him. Two months later, on August 14, he got the death penalty. He died by lethal injection on June 11, 2001, aged 33, at the United States penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, being the first federal prisoner to be killed since 1963. Nichols’ verdict came later in the year, where he was sentenced to life in jail for a conspiracy count, involuntary manslaughter, the death of law enforcement officers, and 161 counts of first-degree murder. The following year saw Michael Fortier, a friend of the duo, apprehended and charged for having prior knowledge of the bombing plan and for his failure to alert the authorities. He was sentenced to 12 years though his release came early as a result of good behavior.

Motives

The key perpetrators, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, first met at Fort Benning during their basic training after enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1988. Together with McVeigh’s accomplice, Michael Fortier, the trio had common interests in survivalism. They were especially angered by the manner in which the federal government handled the 1992 FBI altercation with Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge. Apparently, the three were also unhappy with the events of the Waco siege, another 51-day standoff in 1993 between the federal agents and members of the Branch Davidian. The row had begun with a botched attempt by the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) to effect a search warrant, resulting in a fire fight and deaths of 75 people from burning and shootings. It is still not known who, between the Branch Davidians and agents, fired the first shot. McVeigh was at the Waco site during the confrontation and visited again after it was concluded. It was after this incident that he made up his mind to plant an explosive in a federal building as a form of reaction to the raids. The explosion was slated for April 19, 1995, coinciding with the remembrance of the Waco siege and also in commemoration of the 220th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

During questioning, McVeigh intimated that his initial plan was to assassinate the then Attorney General, Janet Reno, and Lon Horiuchi among others, as opposed to attacking a building. After the bombing, he told authorities he sometimes wished he had opted to carry out assassinations instead. While he had intended to only destroy a federal building, he later thought that his message would have more weight if people were killed. His target was the destruction of at least two of three law enforcement agencies being ATF, FBI, and DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the Drug Enforcement Administration respectively. He termed the presence of additional agencies as a bonus.

The Device

The explosive device was made up of a deadly concoction containing various chemicals including diesel fuel and agricultural fertilizer. The perpetrators confessed that they bought or stole component materials for manufacturing the explosive. As early as August 1994, McVeigh purchased kinestiks from Roger E. Moore, a gun collector, which he ignited with Nichols at his Kansas home. In the following month, Nichols bought forty 23kg bags of ammonium nitrate fertilizer from Mid-Kansas Coop in McPherson. The two later robbed guns, jewelry, gold, and silver from Moore’s home, which they put away in rented sheds similar to all the materials obtained for the bomb. In October 1994, McVeigh intimated to his former friend, Michael Fortier, and his wife about the bomb he intended to build, showing them a diagram he had drawn earlier. His plan involved using more than 2,300 kg (5,000 pounds) of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which would be mixed with 540 kilograms (1,200 pounds) of liquefied nitromethane. To this, he would add 160 kilos (350 pounds) of Tovex. Based on the initial plans, the aggregate weight of the device was estimated to be about 3,200 kg (7,000 pounds) due to the additional weight of the sixteen drums in which the mixture would be packed.

McVeigh and Nichols arranged thirteen barrels in the truck, filling them up with chemicals mixed using plastic buckets and a bathroom scale. After each barrel was filled with up to 230 kg of the blend, they then put additional explosives on the driver’s side, which would be ignited with a handgun in case the fuses failed. Finally, the duo installed a twin-fuse ignition system that could be accessed from the front of the truck. The fuses were fixed to set off the 160 kilograms of Tovex Blastrite Gel “sausages” through the shock tubes. In turn, the Tovex would light the arranged barrels at the back of the truck. Of these, nine had been filled with ammonium nitrate and nitromethane while the remaining four were a combination of the fertilizer and around 15 liters (4 U.S. gallons) of diesel fuel.

Response and Recovery Efforts

How well was the Incident Command System (ICS) Applied to the Incident? Was the response effective?

The first of the close to 2,000 9-1-1 calls related to the bombing was received by EMSA (Emergency Medical Services Authority) at 9:03 a.m. However, the police, firefighters, and ambulances had heard the explosion and were already rushing to the scene. Civilians who were in close proximity and had witnessed or heard the blast also made their way to aid the victims and the rescue process. Less than half an hour later, the SEOC (State Emergency Operations Center) had already been set up, comprising representatives from various federal departments, including military, human services, health, public service, and education. The Air Force, American Red Cross, the National Weather Service, and Civil Air Patrol were also on-site to offer expert assistance to the SEOC.

The initial operations prioritized immediately following the attack included setting up triage, offering treatment, transportation, and decontamination. Within the first sixty minutes, fifty people had been rescued from the building, with around 300 victims being treated in the various hospitals in the area, including St. Anthony, Presbyterian, and University Hospitals. Efforts towards rescuing and recovery of victims came to an end on May 5, 1995, at 12:05 a.m., by which time all but three bodies had been found. They were later recovered 18 days later after the Federal Murrah Building was demolished.

The rescue efforts received substantial amounts of assistance in the form of humanitarian aid, federal and state government aid. For instance, meals for the rescue workers and victims were provided by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, which at the time was in the middle of a trade show. The Salvation Army also served more than 100,000 meals alongside other items such as gloves, ponchos, and hard hats to the rescuers. Blood donations in excess of 9,000 pints were received, with only 131 units being used for the operation while the rest was kept away in blood banks.

Besides the financial and logistical assistance provided by the federal government to the rescue efforts, numerous legislations saw the light of day as a result of the incident, including the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. President Clinton signed The Victim Allocution Clarification Act of 1997 on March 20, allowing victims the right to monitor trials and also provide any impact testimony during the hearing. When passing the legislation, the President asserted that victims of violence should be actively involved in the criminal justice process, as opposed to being onlookers of unfolding events.

Improving Government Response and Addressing Threats

Following the bombing, the government in association with scientists, bomb, and security experts should come up with requirements that regulate the purchase of any probable explosives. While ammonium nitrate may be considered a harmless but productive fertilizer by some, McVeigh acquired large quantities of the same, turning it into a most deadly weapon. Additionally, it is critical to improve the minimum standards required for ensuring security in federal buildings. Such measures should include the erection of long-lasting and more aesthetically considerate security barriers driven deep into the ground for added strength. The required sturdiness should also be improved to minimize or entirely prevent collapsing in case of a similar attack. The buildings should also be less accessible from the adjacent streets, with maximum security to allow for extensive scrutiny of those wishing to access the buildings. Also, there must be adequate video surveillance to help in monitoring any strange activities within the vicinity.

While these measures may be considered inadequate in preventing a threat of this magnitude, the government should put measures to sensitize the public on matters pertaining to bombs and explosives. The information would help them stay alert and also take note of individuals trying to collect any explosive materials. With such information being reported to relevant authorities in time, albeit on suspicion, it would prompt early interventions that would prevent the actualization of the attack. Besides, potential offenders would be afraid of being netted, which could be instrumental in them calling off the operation. In conjunction with non-profits, the government should educate the nation about the dangers of perpetrating such attacks. In the Oklahoma City Bombing, 19 children and hundreds of innocent civilians lost their lives while thousands were affected directly or indirectly. Therefore, the sensitization programs would include teaching them the value of human life. Besides, the program should present the masses with alternative channels for expressing their views, opinions, as well as frustrations as opposed to taking part in radical activities.

References

ADL. The significance of the Oklahoma City Bombing. Retrieved from https://www.adl.org/news/article/oklahoma-city-bombing

Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Oklahoma City Bombing: 20 years later. Retrieved from https://stories.fbi.gov/oklahoma-bombing/

Hewitt, C. (2003). Understanding Terrorism in America: From the Klan to the Al Qaeda. Routledge

History. Oklahoma City Bombing. Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing

History. Oklahoma City Building. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/oklahoma-city-bombing