Posted on 04/19/2006 5:57:10 AM PDT by Coop
BBC archive:
1995: Many feared dead in Oklahoma bombing
A huge car bomb has exploded at a government building in Oklahoma City killing at least 80 people including 17 children at a nursery.
At least 100 people have been injured and the number of dead is expected to rise.
In an emotional speech, President Bill Clinton vowed "swift, certain and severe" punishment for those behind the atrocity.
"The United States will not tolerate and I will not allow the people of this country to be intimidated by evil cowards," he told a White House news conference this evening.
Trapped in the rubble
The blast happened just after 0900 local time when most workers were in their offices. It destroyed the facade of the ten-storey Alfred Murrah Building.
One survivor said he thought there was an earthquake: "I never heard anything that loud. It was a horrible noise...the roar of the whole building crumbling,"
There were scenes of chaos as paramedics treated the wounded on the pavement and rescue workers battled to dig out those still trapped in the rubble.
The building housed a children's nursery on the second floor as well as social security, customs, agriculture and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
Some federal agents noted that the ATF mounted the operation two years ago today which ended the siege of David Koresh's Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas. However members of the cult commemorating the siege have angrily denied any connection.
The State Department would not discuss the possibility of this being a terrorist attack but the FBI and Oklahoma police put out an alert for three men believed to be of Middle Eastern origin driving a brown Chevrolet pick-up truck.
Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman and ten of his supporters are currently on trial for the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.
Government buildings in Washington and all over the US have been put on high alert. Federal offices in Wilmington, Boston and Rochester were evacuated after bomb scares.
Dead men tell no tales...
LOL!
Or perhaps, is about to happen!
How, uh, nice for you...
What, exactly, makes you think she isn't?
Now here's the bummer. We are selling our house here in OC and relocating to Dallas. That is Ranger territory and we can't stand them. We figure the upside is that when the Angels are playing at Texas, out family will get to see us on TV, becuase we WILL be decked out in our Angels Gear! :o) I assume you are in or near So. Cal?
The eyes, something about the eyes.
"Friends --
"I've debated myself about whether to post this -- but in light of my 17 year old son asking me this morning about the OKC Bombing (10 years ago today) and whether I was affected, I decided that I would take a moment of personal privilege to give some of you a glimpse of that catastrophic event from ground zero. My advance apologies if inappropriate.
"On Wednesday morning April 19, 1995 I was appearing in Bankruptcy Court for a friend of mine that did not want to drive 3 hours for a minor hearing. As was my custom, I parked in the Murrah Building garage. Arriving in the seventh floor courtroom at 8:58 a.m., I awaited the arrival of the judge.
"Naturally the judge was not punctual, and several lawyers began fidgeting and looking at their watches. Suddenly a tremendous explosion occurred which shattered all windows in the courtroom (and as I later discovered every window in the building). The Bailiff ordered everyone to the ground.
"All complied pushing aside shards of glass giving no thought to ruining their clothes. The bailiff then ordered everyone to exit the building via the staircase. All complied avoiding glass and ceiling tiles for seven flights. No one knew what happened, or whether it would happen again.
"On arriving outside I observed a scene reminiscent of a war movie. Large numbers of people with blood stained shirts, hands, faces were walking/running in panic with vacant eyes. I went to the parking garage and was met by a yellow tape, manned by a GSA employee. He told me that there wasn't any way I could get my vehicle out at that time. The sidewalk beside the garage was being used as a triage location.
"Five days after the bombing I received a BBS message from Rob G_______ (San Francisco) asking if I was OK. Rob tells me that he printed my response and still carries it in his wallet. I responded on April 24 as follows:
'Rob, thank you for your concern and compassion. I am doing OK. I was about 1 1/2 blocks from the blast site at the time of the explosion. My auto was closer (beneath the federal building). I still have not been able to examine any damage to it. I am told that it will be included 'inside' the crime scene for a month or more. As a result, my carrier has declared it a total loss. Although knowing I personally drove over the spot where the crater is now about 18 minutes prior to the explosion is sobering, it will probably pale compared to the feeling when I return downtown. I think I am still operating on adrenalin. On reflection, I believe that this situation is much more difficult for those who do not know about their loved ones. The relief my wife felt when I was able to call her was almost inexpressible. About 40 minutes passed between the explosion and talking with her as I had to walk about 1 mile to an operational phone. I cannot fathom the grief of those who still may not know about their loved ones.
'Some of my Business Law students were thought to be downtown that day in order to earn extra credit. You can imagine my relief on finding out that 16 of them had been down the day before. On returning to my office that afternoon, I had the administration contact all of them to ascertain their whereabouts. Fortunately, none were involved.
'I earnestly believe that this event will be a strengthening event for our community, state, and country. It will be a coalescing force to point to solving more serious problems regarding terrorism, both domestic and international. For that, I am grateful. It will be the watershed day remembered much the same as December 7, 1941, or November 22, 1963. I have gotten more firm in my personal conviction, and confidence in the family of man as a result of this.
'Sorry for having rambled a bit, but perhaps you can sense that I am still not able to clearly focus on tasks at hand. It still seems a blur. There is so much to say. There is so much to do. But, me and mine are physically OK. My 3 children still have trouble sleeping. Other than that, there are no physical effects on my family. Thanks again for your thoughts and concerns. Please pray for those who are still in the dark as to their husbands, mothers, children, friends, and loved ones. They need all the support that can be summoned. Jackson'
"Today is a sobering day -- remembering the events that took place ten years ago. Tonight (or when you next see them), hug your spouse and children.
"Call them if you won't see them soon. Tell them that you love them.
"So, why am I putting this on the listserve? In the aftermath of the bombing I received much support from members of a national network. I find that "family" with this group. A group where we can share each others pains and successes. I hope your day is prosperous and fruitful.
Best regards,
Guy"
Clearly the powers that be did not learn sufficient lessons so as to avoid September 11, 2001. The passage of time does not reduce the sting of the event.
Gwjack
I was away at school!
Wasn't McVeigh executed after Clinton left office?
Well, yes, June 11, 2001, but why spoil a perfectly good rant?
I was in Houston on April 19th, 1995. Ironically I am now sitting in an office in OKC only a few blocks from the bombing site. I read somewhere that McVeigh bombed the Federal Building in order get back at the ATF agents that were involved in Waco. Those particular agents came out of the Houston office whose building was across the street from where I worked in Houston.
not enough charisma. i'd believe it of bill first, and her being the beast he rides.
I was at work listening to then president Clinton blaming right wing talk show hosts for it. Nothing much has changed. Besides, we know that Muslims -- who practice a religion of peace -- would never commit a savage act like bombing civilians and helpless infants.
We now know that talk radio was not the culprit. We know that some 'lily whites' were into up to their eyeballs, but we also know that there were lots of leads and connections to the Middle East and the Phillipines where, remarkably, Muslins are present in huge numbers.
But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.
I had just gotten home from school. I think I was trying to find 'Darkwing Duck' on tv, but news about the bombing was on instead.
The immediate attacks on "hate radio" as they called it, was the beginning of the end of Newt's conservative revolution. Even Limbaugh backed off and spent the next year and a half stoking controversy over smoking and tobacco lawsuits. Klintoon turned the tragedy into his political rehabilitation.
I was home sick that day. It was quite eery for me because I was also home sick that same day two years earlier (when the Waco Massacre happened).
Yep, see my previous post at #136.
I was in 7th grade.
Read the date again. :-)
Prayers for all that have been affected.
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