Mail-box Bomber??

crazymancometh · Post by **crazymancometh** » Tue May 07, 2002 6:15 pm

Ok according to the news and internet there is a 21 y/o guy driving around america placing pipe bombs in mail boxes....It was stated on news tonight that he started out in Minnesota with a trunk full of pipe bombs....He has been spotted in Texas after a bomb was found there in a mail box.....Now I'm not or ever have claimed to be an expert on explosives...But I am wondering if he had these bombs made up in the trunk would Any SYMer want to be driving that car across America??...Anyone have insight on how exactly these pipe bombs detonate??

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Tue May 07, 2002 6:39 pm

Without getting into specifics about bomb-making, which is certainly against the spirit (if not the letter) of the forum rules, this guy's car could be as safe as any other or it could be a bad accident waiting to happen.

Some types of explosives are very volitile, especially the home-made kind. However, if this guy knows what he's doing (ie-he had military training or bought a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook), he could presumably make some very "safe" explosives. For example, plastic explosives, such as C-4 (which is a military explosive), are so stable that they can be beaten with a hammer and not detonate, or even be subjected to a low level flame without combusting.

I have not been following this story as closely as I probably should be, but from what I've heard, the FBI is getting close enough to have a name and description of the suspect, as well as knowing his general whereabouts.

EDIT-According to CNN.com, it looks like they have the perpetrator of the mailbox bombings. I saw some video of one of his old high school friends who said something like, "Yeah, I can see him doing [the bombing] for fun or to get back at the government, but not to hurt people."

Ode to a Grasshopper · Tue May 07, 2002 11:34 pm

The Anarchist Cookbook used to be good, but in recent years it's just sucked.

Of course, while my friends and I never made any sort of explosives ourselves (Honest

.), if you asked our science teacher how to make them he would gladly tell you how and also tell you how to handle them safely, before telling us about his misadventures as a teenager. I mention this only because there appears to be a recurring motif of mailboxes.

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Wed May 08, 2002 1:17 pm

Check out How To Make A Bomb for better ideas...

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed May 08, 2002 1:19 pm

Supposedly, the bomber's been caught, after one of those long, high-speed chases that the FBI loves to crow over. This will make them look good, since they still haven't found a shred of evidence pointing out the identity (or identities) of the anthrax mailers from last year.

GNGSpam · Post by **GNGSpam** » Wed May 08, 2002 1:35 pm

which is odd, because the question still exists, where the hell did the Anthrax come from? If it were terrorist, the answer would be somewhat obvious (Iraq, as you may know, has had Anthrax in the past and used it before, though 'only' against their own citzens)

But its suspected to be domestic, not overly shocking in and of itself (that is a domestic terrorist, refer to Oklahoma City, Unibomber, our current Mailbox Bomber, etc) but where would a domestic get Anthrax? Its not privately made that I know of. Its not as though he could steal any or make his own. Its a mystery that I think needs much more attention.

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed May 08, 2002 4:32 pm

Originally posted by GNGSpam
which is odd, because the question still exists, where the hell did the Anthrax come from? If it were terrorist, the answer would be somewhat obvious (Iraq, as you may know, has had Anthrax in the past and used it before, though 'only' against their own citzens)

But its suspected to be domestic, not overly shocking in and of itself (that is a domestic terrorist, refer to Oklahoma City, Unibomber, our current Mailbox Bomber, etc) but where would a domestic get Anthrax? Its not privately made that I know of. Its not as though he could steal any or make his own. Its a mystery that I think needs much more attention.

You're stating my line of thought. As I've heard it, low grade anthrax is relatively easy to produce, but some of those samples were high grade and concentrated. One specialist in biological warfare stated at the time that it would have had to come from a special facility in the US. We've heard a lot about tightening the rules for airports, but I've heard nothing about the rules concerning access to high security clearance government buildings where dangerous biological specimens are stored.

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Wed May 08, 2002 4:41 pm

Originally posted by fable
We've heard a lot about tightening the rules for airports, but I've heard nothing about the rules concerning access to high security clearance government buildings where dangerous biological specimens are stored.

It's not shown on TV, but there is a place in north Alabama that stores this type of stuff and you don't want to drive by it. The checking of people and cars just riding down the road near this place have increased. It made the 5th page of the newspaper here. Front page you ask....Blueberry Festival.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Wed May 08, 2002 4:47 pm

by weasel
It's not shown on TV, but there is a place in north Alabama that stores this type of stuff and you don't want to drive by it. The checking of people and cars just riding down the road near this place have increased. It made the 5th page of the newspaper here. Front page you ask....Blueberry Festival.

Well, it's good to know that during these troubled times some folks still have their priorities in order.

I'm sure by now most of you know the bomber has confessed his

cowardly acts

Menomonie, WI is now officially on the map.

crazymancometh · Post by **crazymancometh** » Wed May 08, 2002 9:27 pm

Originally posted by Weasel
It's not shown on TV, but there is a place in north Alabama that stores this type of stuff and you don't want to drive by it. The checking of people and cars just riding down the road near this place have increased. It made the 5th page of the newspaper here. Front page you ask....Blueberry Festival.

5th page for what?? Neway the Judge has said he's mental...The judge said he believes Helder "suffers from some apparent mental health problems" -- a reference to his suspected suicidal intentions...WTF?...A good defense lawyer will have fun with that. But as far as the Anthrax goes will we ever really know what was found in and about the caves in Afghanistan?? I mean the US goverment would not hesitate to hide something to keep people from mass panic or for the simple reason that they are The U S Goverment. Had not 2 of the hi-jackers of 9/11 been tested for Anthrax?? So if they had the stuff no telling how many of their Islamic Co-Horts at the local 7-11 have it.

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Thu May 09, 2002 7:54 am

Clearly the guy must be nuts--it is crazy to plant pipe bombs.

I love how the media is now going to blame the band Nirvana, and probably art schools too.

GNGSpam · Post by **GNGSpam** » Thu May 09, 2002 8:16 am

We've heard a lot about tightening the rules for airports, but I've heard nothing about the rules concerning access to high security clearance government buildings where dangerous biological specimens are stored.

Not nessecarily true. The disease control center in Atlanta went into clamp down secruity almost immediately after the planes hit Sept. 11. Not only is it the place where any diagonosis and cure for an epidemic would be found, but consquently its also where many of the horrors of mankind are stored (ie Smallpox). I dont know if thats where the US makes the higher grade Anthrax, I doubt it is, but it is one place that knew better.

That said, yeah I also heard it was high grade too. Russia was capable of producing the stuff, and they sold the technology to Iraq at some point (late 80s I believe?)

But as I said, neither would likely be plausible options for a domestic terrorist, unless he had strong international connections (which then blurs the lines of a "domestic terrorist")

I see the person who did this as more of a Timothy McVeigh. The aquisition of the Anthrax would have to have happened prior to Sept 11, and in all likelyhood from an American company. This is all just guessing and conjecture though.

GNGSpam · Post by **GNGSpam** » Thu May 09, 2002 8:17 am

I love how the media is now going to blame the band Nirvana

eh? explain or link story please I hadnt heard anything related to this

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Thu May 09, 2002 8:22 am

Originally posted by GNGSpam
eh? explain or link story please I hadnt heard anything related to this

On the news last night, they showed photos of the guy in his band. He had longish blond hair and was obviously trying to look like Kurt Cobain. This is the funny part--they said that the kid was deeply influenced by Nirvana and that they bought a Nirvana album to see if there was any link, but couldn't make out any of the lyrics! I guess they never watched Weird Al's version of Smells Like Teen Spirit, LOL. (I believe this was on CNN)

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Thu May 09, 2002 8:23 am

Originally posted by GNGSpam
eh? explain or link story please I hadnt heard anything related to this

According to one news report, this kid's band was named Apathy and he styled himself after Kurt Cobain, who as we all know, killed himself. If there isn't a connection, some talking head on the air will make one up to keep viewers.

Morlock · Post by **Morlock** » Thu May 09, 2002 11:35 am

This reminds me- I saw in the news a few months ago that a guy from New Jersey sent a meil bomb to his ex wife, but didn't put enough postage. So, it returned, he opened it and lost half of his right hand.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu May 09, 2002 2:49 pm

Just in case you were wondering, I heard a BBC news broadcast a few moments ago that mentioned anthrax being discovered in a mail department connected to the US Federal Reserve Bank.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu May 09, 2002 2:53 pm

potential cross contamination. looks to be 20 pieces of mail, zero of which with hand written addresses.

the tale

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu May 09, 2002 3:28 pm

Yes, that's just been added, too. What worries me is that if this is cross-contamination, where did it "cross over" from? Mail as a rule doesn't sit around for months, at least, not at the Federal Reserve, so chances are it came in from somewhere that's contaminated.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu May 09, 2002 3:41 pm

Good point. Traces of cross contamination were expected in weeks following the mailings last fall. Six months later does seem odd.