From: "Silcock, Stephen" <SilcocSM@tbacrm001.prose.dpi.qld.gov.au>
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 01:41:26 +0800
To: Cypherpunks mailing list <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: Re: Fertilizer & fuel oil as cause for suspicion - similar to cryptography?
Message-ID: <3144AEFF@inferno.ind.dpi.qld.gov.au>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



On Friday 8th March Allen wrote:

<quote>
        In the below article, the cops seem to be claiming that fuel oil,
fertilizer, and bomb-making knowledge = illegal explosives possession. This
idea doesn't make sense.
        Crypto relevance? An example of how governmental idiots are likely 
to
take cryptography.
        -Allen

 -----------------
      Copyright &copy 1996 Nando.net
      Copyright &copy 1996 The Associated Press

   CORVALLIS, Ore. (Mar 8, 1996 11:09 a.m. EST) -- Ingredients for a
   fertilizer bomb like the one that killed 169 people in Oklahoma City
   were found on a farm along with bomb-making instructions, guns and
   drugs, police said.

   Four people were arrested on weapons and drug charges. Charges
   involving illegal explosives were expected to be filed later, police
   Sgt. Dennis Carson said Thursday.

   Officers seized a large quantity of fuel oil and the fertilizer
   ammonium nitrate, two key ingredients in the April 19 Oklahoma City
   bombing.

   "My understanding is it could have made a large bomb and a rather
   large explosion had it been detonated," Carson said. "All they had to
   do was mix the parts. It would take just a few minutes."

   He wouldn't say how much fertilizer was found in the raid Wednesday
   night near this city about 80 miles south of Portland. The fertilizer,
   found in an 8,000-square-foot barn, was removed in a state police
   bomb-squad truck.

   Carson said investigators were trying to determine whether those
   arrested had plans to bomb a building or had ties to any
   anti-government groups.

   The federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms is investigating.

   Along with the material for the fertilizer bomb, officers found 29
   guns, including eight assault rifles, and material to make pipe bombs.
   Three ounces of marijuana and some methamphetamine were also found.

[...]

   All were charged with drug possession and Luehring and the younger
   Bradley were also charged with being ex-convicts in possession of
   weapons.

   Carson didn't have details on their criminal past.

[...]

<unquote>

     I would be the first to admit that fertilizer and petrol are freely 
available and quite possibly innocent enough, but when the people involved 
are ex-convicts also in possession (apparently illegally; I don't know US 
law that well) of TWENTY-NINE firearms including EIGHT ASSAULT RIFLES, then 
I think police concern is quite reasonably warranted.