                            THE OKLAHOMA BOMBING
                            ********************
                                     by
                                     **
                                   TYPHON
                                   ******


        No, don't jump to conclusions, I am not claiming responsibility
for one of the most horrific acts of terrorism on American soil.  A
bombing which also happens to have been one of the most awesome
explosions documented of recent times.
        On the 20th of April, 1995, a truck, packed with high explosives,
had been left parked in front of a U.S. federal building.  When the bomb
was detonated it did so with enough force to destroy every floor of the
building, compacting them.  The second floor, which housed a child day
care centre, ended up in the basement.  The structural damage caused to
buildings nearby has resulted in the necessity for them to be demolished
as well, yet nearby trees remained standing.
        I was intrigued as to what kind of explosive was used, but the
first article I saw gave no clues as to what it might be, though there
was no doubt that it was a high explosive.  The evening news showed only
on-the-scene reports and part of a speech by President Clinton.  All
information on the explosive was that it was about 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
worth, that's how much explosives there was, not how much force it
produced.
        Later I watched the late night news, part of which showed a
representative of the F.B.I. (or some investigative agency) talking
about how forensic and bomb experts would be able to ascertain who made
the bomb based on analysis of bomb fragments.  One of the things she
said was that one of the major ingredients in the explosive was ammonium
nitrate.
        On the mid-morning news the following day hope was waning for
more survivors being found, sketches of two men thought to be
responsible were shown and mention of a $2,000,000 reward for the
capture (or information leading to the capture) of the perpetrators.
Also mentioned briefly was that the bomb was made of "fertilizer and
fuel oil."  This clicked for me, the fertilizer was obviously the
ammonium nitrate mentioned earlier and the fuel oil was probably petrol.
        The bomb was a thousand pounds of A.N.F.O.S. (Ammonium Nitrate
Fuel Oil Solution) in the back of a rented truck and detonated by a time
delay.  The actual compounds of the detonator are unknown at this time.
This file is more concerned with identifying the high explosive used,
not teaching people how to blow up Jeff Kennett's tree house (though I
wouldn't mind if someone did).
        As it happens A.N.F.O.S. is probably one of the easiest,
cheapest and, most importantly, safest high explosives to manufacture.
There are only two ingredients, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (petrol or
kerosene).  Both of these are very easy to obtain just about anywhere in
the world.  Below I have included part of one of those "how to" files on
manufacturing A.N.F.O.S.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The following information was retrieved from Stealth Research
Industries' Book of Terror and originated from Gunzenbomz
Pyro-Technologies' Terrorist's Handbook:

3.341      AMMONIUM NITRATE

      Ammonium nitrate could be made by a terrorist according to the hap-
hazard method in section 2.33, or it could be stolen from a construction
site, since it is usually used in blasting, because it is very stable and
insensitive to shock and heat.  A terrorist could also buy several Instant
Cold-Paks from a drug store or medical supply store.  The major disadvantage
with ammonium nitrate, from a terrorist's point of view, would be detonating
it.  A rather powerful priming charge must be used, and usually with a
booster charge.  The diagram below will explain.

                  _________________________________________
                  |       |                               |
          ________|       |                               |
         |        | T.N.T.|         ammonium nitrate      |
         | primer |booster|                               |
         |________|       |                               |
                  |       |                               |
                  |_______|_______________________________|

      The primer explodes, detonating the T.N.T., which detonates, sending
a tremendous shockwave through the ammonium nitrate, detonating it.


3.342     ANFOS

      ANFO is an acronym for Ammonium Nitrate - Fuel Oil Solution.  An ANFO
solves the only other major problem with ammonium nitrate: its tendency to
pick up water vapor from the air.  This results in the explosive failing to
detonate when such an attempt is made.  This is rectified by mixing 94% (by
weight) ammonium nitrate with 6% fuel oil, or kerosene.  The kerosene keeps
the ammonium nitrate from absorbing moisture from the air. An ANFO also
requires a large shockwave to set it off.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
        There are already enough anarchy/terrorist files around telling
people how to make bombs powerful enough to blow up a U.S. federal
building.  What we need to see now is files on the results of the use of
some of these explosives.  As far as new anarchy files are concerned the
only things that really need to be expanded upon at this point are more
things on blasting caps & detonators, and ways of obtaining chemicals in
countries other than America.
        If anyone actually does get around to making A.N.F.O.S. I would
be interested to know the results.  In fact, if anyone tries their hand
at bomb making of any kind (just try not to lose it) I'm interested in
hearing the results, and tell us what it was you used and any variations
on the given recipes you used.
        I can be contacted through a friend of mine, Khayman, at
Vapourware BBS on 429 8510.

        Later,
              Typhon
