Domestic terrorism is undergoing evolution every day. Terrorists no longer depend on the traditional ways of planning and executing attacks. The current terror threats are blend by lone offenders who share their ideologies on the internet and on the social media. It is on these platforms that citizens are radicalized. In this paper, I will look on the domestic attack of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and its impact on Homeland Security, and the agencies responsible for securing American citizens, properties and resources.
Murrah Federal Building Terror Attack
Timothy McVeigh was a lone wolf who carried out the terrorist attack at Oklahoma City in 1995. He targeted Murrah Federal Building that housed government agencies offices. Timothy McVeigh was a survivalist who had an opportunity to join the Army. He had fought for the American Army and bagged several accolades. His interest with weapons and firearms was developed at his early age. Later in life he became an ardent reader of publications, such as The Turner Diaries, that talked about guns (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012).
When Timothy failed to secure a position in the Special Forces he chose to be discharged from the army earlier in his life. Immediately he left the army he developed a dislike of the United States government. He believed the government was in a mission to deny him the right to have fire-arms and American needed a revolution. His intention of bombing the building that housed government agencies and employees was to send a message to the federal government of how it had failed the citizens (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012).
The Method, Effect and Motivations of the Murrah Federal Building Attack
Timothy McVeigh used bombing method to carry out his attack. The expenses of the attack were met through selling weapons that his friend Nichols had stolen in a firearm outlet and selling anti-government outfits like T-shirts, caps and stickers. Timothy McVeigh used the knowledge he had read from the manual Home Made C4 to make a bomb that brought Murrah building down. To prepare the bomb he acquired ammonium nitrate fertilizer, nitro methane racing fuel, Tovex, drums with the help of his friends, Nichols and Fortier (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012).
Timothy McVeigh attack on Murrah building left 168 citizens dead and more than 500 with injuries. The Murrah building and other building in the vicinity were also destroyed. The attack remains as the worst ever domestic terrorist act on the United State soil carried out by an American. The attack left an indelible post traumatic experiences on American citizens, especially the residents of Oklahoma who heard the bomb blast (Psychiatric Times, 2020). More than two decades gone psychologists believe the mental wellness of the Americans who experienced that attack through the loss of their loved ones or injury is still life.
The motivations behind Timothy McVeigh terror attack were; a desire to topple the government. He believed the government had failed its citizen. Two, he wanted to disturb the government by attacking its employees and destroying its properties, specifically people who were entrusted with securing Americans. Three, it was a revenge of what the government had done to the survivalists in its raids in Waco siege and shooting at Ruby Ridge in Idaho (History, 2021). Lastly, the attack was motivated by a mind of stimulating changes in government policy particularly gun control, that is why the attack was fixed exactly when the Americans were remembering 220 years after the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Why Mcveigh Plans Were Not Detected and the Agencies Fighting Domestic Terrorism
Timothy McVeigh was able to conduct the attack without being detected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other law enforcement agencies because he was once a soldier and he knew loopholes in the security agencies. Two, he used the pseudonym while purchasing ammonium nitrate to hide his identity. Three, he bought ammonium nitrate in quantities that could not raise distrust (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012). Lastly, the FBI and other agencies were not concerned about domestic terrorism, the eyes of these agencies were on the overseas terrorism activities.
The federal agencies mandated with securing the Americans and ensuring domestic terrorism attacks like the one carried out by Timothy McVeigh and other lone wolves are prevented includes; Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US state department. The DHS main goal is to protect the American citizens and thwart terrorism acts before they occur (eLearners, nd). The CIA and FBI gathers and disseminates intelligence information to the relevant agency. This ensures terror acts that are motivated and planned by extremists and other groups that are a threat to the security of Americans like supremacists, anti-governments and neo-Nazi organizations do not materialize. In conclusion, although, the American government is investing heavily in agencies that prevents domestic terrorism, Americans have a role to play of informing relevant authorities about the presence of lone wolves in their midst. The citizens need to incorporate the DHS slogan “see something say something” in their lives. Without the public participation domestic terrorism will remain a big issue as far as the security of Americans is concerned.
Murrah Federal Building Terror Attack
Timothy McVeigh was a lone wolf who carried out the terrorist attack at Oklahoma City in 1995. He targeted Murrah Federal Building that housed government agencies offices. Timothy McVeigh was a survivalist who had an opportunity to join the Army. He had fought for the American Army and bagged several accolades. His interest with weapons and firearms was developed at his early age. Later in life he became an ardent reader of publications, such as The Turner Diaries, that talked about guns (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012).
When Timothy failed to secure a position in the Special Forces he chose to be discharged from the army earlier in his life. Immediately he left the army he developed a dislike of the United States government. He believed the government was in a mission to deny him the right to have fire-arms and American needed a revolution. His intention of bombing the building that housed government agencies and employees was to send a message to the federal government of how it had failed the citizens (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012).
The Method, Effect and Motivations of the Murrah Federal Building Attack
Timothy McVeigh used bombing method to carry out his attack. The expenses of the attack were met through selling weapons that his friend Nichols had stolen in a firearm outlet and selling anti-government outfits like T-shirts, caps and stickers. Timothy McVeigh used the knowledge he had read from the manual Home Made C4 to make a bomb that brought Murrah building down. To prepare the bomb he acquired ammonium nitrate fertilizer, nitro methane racing fuel, Tovex, drums with the help of his friends, Nichols and Fortier (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012).
Timothy McVeigh attack on Murrah building left 168 citizens dead and more than 500 with injuries. The Murrah building and other building in the vicinity were also destroyed. The attack remains as the worst ever domestic terrorist act on the United State soil carried out by an American. The attack left an indelible post traumatic experiences on American citizens, especially the residents of Oklahoma who heard the bomb blast (Psychiatric Times, 2020). More than two decades gone psychologists believe the mental wellness of the Americans who experienced that attack through the loss of their loved ones or injury is still life.
The motivations behind Timothy McVeigh terror attack were; a desire to topple the government. He believed the government had failed its citizen. Two, he wanted to disturb the government by attacking its employees and destroying its properties, specifically people who were entrusted with securing Americans. Three, it was a revenge of what the government had done to the survivalists in its raids in Waco siege and shooting at Ruby Ridge in Idaho (History, 2021). Lastly, the attack was motivated by a mind of stimulating changes in government policy particularly gun control, that is why the attack was fixed exactly when the Americans were remembering 220 years after the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Why Mcveigh Plans Were Not Detected and the Agencies Fighting Domestic Terrorism
Timothy McVeigh was able to conduct the attack without being detected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other law enforcement agencies because he was once a soldier and he knew loopholes in the security agencies. Two, he used the pseudonym while purchasing ammonium nitrate to hide his identity. Three, he bought ammonium nitrate in quantities that could not raise distrust (International Center for the Study of Terrorism, 2012). Lastly, the FBI and other agencies were not concerned about domestic terrorism, the eyes of these agencies were on the overseas terrorism activities.
The federal agencies mandated with securing the Americans and ensuring domestic terrorism attacks like the one carried out by Timothy McVeigh and other lone wolves are prevented includes; Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US state department. The DHS main goal is to protect the American citizens and thwart terrorism acts before they occur (eLearners, nd). The CIA and FBI gathers and disseminates intelligence information to the relevant agency. This ensures terror acts that are motivated and planned by extremists and other groups that are a threat to the security of Americans like supremacists, anti-governments and neo-Nazi organizations do not materialize. In conclusion, although, the American government is investing heavily in agencies that prevents domestic terrorism, Americans have a role to play of informing relevant authorities about the presence of lone wolves in their midst. The citizens need to incorporate the DHS slogan “see something say something” in their lives. Without the public participation domestic terrorism will remain a big issue as far as the security of Americans is concerned.
