How did the bomb in Oklahoma City operate? I know that fertilizer and diesel fuel were used, but how were thet used? Were they mixed together in drums or what?
How was the bomb detonated? Using a timer?
I’m just interested all these years and my interest has been renewed since Oklahoma will try Terry Nicholls again.
SP
Doesn’t this come awfully close to asking for a manual on how to ? Good luck.
I urge all Dopers to provide no information until the Mods can close this thread.
I live in OKC and have friends and family affected by this terrorist act.
I realize that there may be a certain fascination in the mechanics or details of the bomb, but I would suggest leaving such info off of SDMB.
A web search will get you specifics but may well turn up more than you want to know.
No hard feelings towards you, understand…
I am not a terrorist or a sick person. I am sorry if I am frightening some people.
If you desire to close the thread, go ahead.
SP
I understand the sensitivity of the SDMB administration regarding “how to” threads. Still, The History Channel broadcast an answer to the OP to millions of people. “How was it detonated?” I think that such a device requires a detonator. How do you make a detonator? I don’t know. Where can you get one already made (they’re used all the time by businesses who use explosives)? I don’t know. Would I tell how to make one or where to get one if I did know that information? No. I think that would be crossing the line on these boards.
You might want to check The History Channel’s Modern Marvels, as they broadcast the show periodically.
I’ll keep this short: Blasting cap and time-delay fuse.
The book “American Terrorist” goes into a little bit of detail about the bomb. The author of that book got these details from interviews with McVeigh. Check it out if you’re interested. You should be able to find a copy at your local library.
The following link contains part of the transcript of the Oklahama city trial, specifically the testimony of the expert witness on explosives, Paul Rydlund. It answers your questions in some detail.
http://www.okcitytrial.com/content/dailytx/043097p/PaulRydlundDirectExaminati.html
Whats will all the paranoia? If I were planning to blow something up, the LAST thing I would do would be to go on a public forum and ask the world. This information is readily availible in any HS library and all over the internet.
Its not like hes Trying to build a H-bomb
The U.S. is an incredibly litigious society. Juries have awarded huge amounts of money to plaintiffs even when anyone who looks at a situation logically can see that such awards are unjustified.
For example, a couple, both of whom were instrument-rated pilots, lost control of their aircraft when they flew into a thunderstorm. Light aircraft are not designed to fly into T-storms. Nobody expects them to be able to. All pilots know that T-storms are to be avoided. But a jury returned a judgement of something like $41 million to the survivors because the aircraft (and occupants) didn’t survive the encounter. I think Lycoming had to pay some of that, even though the NTSB determined there was nothing wrong with the engine. Cessna stopped building piston-powered aircraft for years after that – which helped to drive up the cost of used aircraft. It’s been said that half the cost of a new aircraft is for the insurance premium.
Anyway, big judgements and actions against individuals and companies that are only periferally involved in an incident get people worried. Suppose someone – not necessarily shep proudfoot, but just someone who happens upon this thread – discovers how to make a bomb. He goes out and makes it and people are killed. It will be brought up in court that the SDMB and the Chicago Reader provided information that allowed the bomber to build his device.
You can say that the Reader did not have any information that isn’t freely and easily available from many other sources; but if the bomber said, “I read about it at SDMB,” then juries will probably find the Reader liable. Or maybe not. But the Reader does not want to take the chance.
At least, that’s how I understand it. If I misunderstand, then a mod or an admin can correct me.
I don’t think we need to give instructions on how to build a fertilizer bomb. I’d probably allow a thread about how to build a thermonuclear bomb, because it’s not something anybody could do in his garage.
bibliophage
moderator GQ