Chicago, IL, (ENN) April 19, 1995 --The normal activities of a Wednesday morning in Oklahoma City, OK were shattered by a massive explosion that destroyed the entire front of the Federal Building and broke windows for more than two blocks. The unthinkable has happened again, terrorism had come to America...this time in a most deadly way. The second story of the building housed a day care center. At least sixteen (16) children are reported dead as the result of the blast. More than two-hundred and fifty (250) others are reported missing at this hour and another three hundred (300) are reported injured.
Federal bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigators say that they have not firmly determined a motive or suspects in this latest atrocity. Reportedly, the primary device left a 20ft. circular crater that is 8ft. deep. A secondary device was also reportedly found inside the building, believed placed there with a time delay fuse to kill rescuers, after they had arrived on the scene. Unconfirmed reports were also received of a third device. The secondary device was reported disarmed at the scene. Further details regarding the actual configuration of the devices is being withheld by federal officials as the investigation continues. Reports claim that more than one radical group has called to accept responsibility for the bombing.
Clark Staten, Executive Director of the Chicago-based Emergency Response & Research Institute (ERRI), and the author of the "Emergency Response Guide to Terrorism" said that, "The incident has all of the earmarks of a improvised device using ammonium nitrate fertilizer, mixed with fuel oil and with oxygen tanks added for acceleration". "Although this is speculation at this point, it would appear to be a recently common tactic used by terrorist organizations...it could be similar to the device used in the World Trade Center bombing", Staten continued. "From the size of the crater and the collateral damage, it is obvious that it was done by 'professionals' and that they intended to cause massive damage and a large numbers of deaths", the veteran emergency manager added. "It is likely that this attack came from the direction of the Mid-East", the counter-terrorist analyst said.
"The FBI and ATF crime labs will be able to determine the basic composition of the explosives within a fairly short period of time, and that should offer them some clues in regard to the perpetrators", Staten continued. "Chemical analysis of the remains of the scene and the presence or absence of nitrates should provide investigators with information what kind of explosives were used", he continued. "We have been advised that a large number of the U.S. Government's best criminologists, bomb technicians, and investigators are on-scene or enroute to the scene...they'll get to the bottom of it", Staten added.
According to Staten, ERRI had been monitoring an increasing threat level for the past several weeks and had predicted the possibility of another monstrousness attack in the United States. In a report issued about three weeks ago, following the Gas Poisoning attack in Tokyo, ERRI analysts had outlined a fictional bombing scenario in Chicago and warned of an additional threat against the United States. Angry rhetoric and verbal threats from Iran and her allies had prompted an additional concern by the emergency service think-tank.
Rescue operations are still underway at the time of this report. As many as three-hundred (300) people are still missing and many believed trapped in the "pan-caked" collapse of the front of the stricken building. Mutual aid fire and ambulance units have responded from the Oklahoma City vicinity, as well as specialty units from other parts of the United States. Several U.S. Army and Oklahoma National Guard units are either on-scene or enroute, including a special Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Unit from Texas. Dog handlers and search dogs have also reportedly been arriving on the scene.
According to several unofficial reports, federal buildings and postal facilities in several areas of the country were closed and employees sent home during the day today. Numerous law enforcement agencies have been advised to increase their state of alert and additional federal law enforcement resources have been made available to track the hundreds of leads that are being generated by the attack in Oklahoma. The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, James Witt, was reportedly sent to Oklahoma city by President Clinton, late this afternoon.
As the rescue continues, more questions than answers remain. One thing is certain. America has again been struck a damaging blow, this time, in its heartland. The ugly threat of international terrorism continues.
Chicago, IL, (ENN) April 20, 1995-- At least three suspects/witnesses have reportedly been tentatively identified by the federal bombing task force and one or more may have been taken into custody. Several sources are reporting that three males of "middle-eastern extraction" are being sought in Texas and Oklahoma, and that some witnesses are being questioned at this hour by federal officers. Another suspect/witness has been reportedly denied entry and detained in London, England as he attempted to travel to Italy. The FBI is currently attempting to locate two additional individuals, who they say may have additional information regarding the atrocity in Oklahoma City. A special FBI number, 1-800-905-1514, has been set up for people to call with information regarding possible suspects.
Speculation continues in regard to the motivation and identification of the perpetrators. Federal officials, who are in the process of questioning suspects and processing evidence, do not want to "tip their hand" or give possible suspects any information that could hamper their future investigation. Although unconfirmed by federal sources, several counter-terrorist analysts say that the motivation of the attack in Oklahoma City may have been primarily to cause fear that terrorists can strike anywhere...including the "breadbasket" of America.
A major debate has arisen today about the general security in America, and how future attacks such as this can be prevented. Many Americans, who might not previously have been concerned about terrorism, have suddenly awakened to the vulnerability of the United States. Inherent in this fear is a discussion of the limitation of personal freedoms in order to prevent future attacks. Ironically, counter-terrorist experts say that to develop effective plans to thwart additional assaults, it may require that at least some constitutionally guaranteed freedoms would have to be curtailed. Effective counter-terrorist tactics in Israel and England, for example, have involved check-points, electronic surveillance, expanded wiretap powers and a variety of other measures.
In other developments, rescue operations in Oklahoma City have reportedly been halted for two or three hours, due to unstable conditions in the stricken building. An Oklahoma City fire official said that all rescuers have been ordered to exit the bombed out shell that once was the Murrah Federal Office building. Rescue officials are said to be preparing to "shore up" several sections of the building, in hopes of stabilizing the structure enough to allow rescuers back into it. At least one report has been received that there still may be people alive in the structure.
Several FEMA USAR (Urban Search & Rescue) teams are on-site in Oklahoma City, as are dog handlers and special search dogs that are used to find victims in earthquakes or other entrapment situations. Additional fire/rescue and Emergency Medical Service personnel have arrived in Oklahoma City to assist in what is turning out to be a "world-class" rescue operation. Rescue experts and emergency historians say that victims have been found alive in collapsed structures for many hours after earthquakes and other natural disasters. Rescuers in Oklahoma City say that they still have hopes that they can successfully extricate people from the structure.
A massive federal effort is underway to determine the identity of the assailants and their locations. Many more questions must be asked and answered before this inquiry can actually be resolved.
Chicago, IL, April 23, 1995 - As the focus of the U.S. government investigation has shifted from a largely international to a domestic terrorist conspiracy, many questions have begun to be asked about why many counter-terrorist experts and analysts had chosen to predict that the Oklahoma City bombing had been perpetrated by a Mid-Eastern Moslem Extremist organization. A number of members of the Moslem community have painted a picture that suggests that men and women, who were attempting to unravel the mysterious and devastating bombing in Oklahoma, were somehow doing so with a "racist motive" of condemning Moslems worldwide. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In interviews, conducted during the past few days, most counter-terrorist analysts were quick to point out that the perpetrators could be members of a "fringe extremist element" of the larger worldwide Moslem movement. Most have publicly acknowledged, as has ERRI, that a majority of Moslems are peace loving, loyal citizens of the countries in which they reside, and that their religion prohibits the kind of senseless violence that was seen in Oklahoma. Those that study such issues understand, as many citizens may not, that there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Moslems that condemn violence and believe in peacemaking and brotherhood with all of their neighbors.
That being said, how could any number of these "experts" quickly jump to the conclusion that the perpetrators in Oklahoma City were "Moslem Extremists"?? Most of the law enforcement officials and counter-terrorist analysts, interviewed by ENN, indicated that it was a matter of historic and analytical perspective...not a quest to justify the condemnation of any ethnic group. Some, again including ERRI, said that they had considered a domestic connection to the Waco Branch Davidian incident because of the date of the event, but had discounted it as details of the type of bomb and the tactics used were discovered. Most said that the circumstances surrounding the deadly atrocity in Oklahoma were just too similar to those seen in Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, England, and elsewhere to lead them to believe that this was a domestic attack.
Many anti-terrorist experts were aware of the existence of any number of "right-wing" paramilitary organizations within the United States, and their incumbent sympathies regarding the Branch Davidian siege and fiery conclusion. Some agencies have very thorough investigative files regarding "fringe paramilitary organizations" that have existed in the United States for several years. Most, however, did not believe that Americans would attack Americans in such a bloody pursuit of their social and political agenda. As more facts became known, most of the people interviewed for this article were astonished that such a monstrous act could have been executed by those trained within our own military and those that have lived among us for their entire lives. The incongruity of killing innocent American women and children because of disagreement over government policies was beyond comprehension to many that study these issues.
As the evidence continues to be gathered of connections, with "white Supremacist" and other American "extremist organizations", many counter-terrorist operatives say that the revelations concerning Oklahoma City are, in some ways, more frightening than an external threat. They say that a growing domestic "neo-nazi", "skinhead", or "white supremacist" threat is something that has been studied, but not in the way that it has manifested itself in Oklahoma City. Most agree that this threat may be far more insidious and violent than had been previously anticipated.
So, as the rescue workers toil on in an agonizing and heartbreaking search for additional life, and others attempt to find solace at a memorial service in Oklahoma City, those that study terrorists and terrorism have begun a new focus of their efforts. As before, they also will attempt to help save lives and discover the tenuous links between violent individuals and groups that would wish Americans harm. They will continue to attempt to explain the inexplicable, and help to prevent future catastrophes like Oklahoma City. Worst of all, they may have just discovered that some of our most evil enemies are Americans.
(c) Emergencynet NEWS Service, 1995
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