Next week will mark the 20th anniversary of the
terrorist bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, which
killed 168 people including 19 children. The mainstream media will
undoubtedly focus its attention on Timothy McVeigh, who was put to death
in June 2001 for his part in the crime. They might also mention Terry
Nichols, who was convicted of helping McVeigh plan the bombing and is
serving a life sentence without parole.
There
will be less discussion about how the FBI spent years hunting for a man
who witnesses say accompanied McVeigh on the day of the bombing. They
called this accomplice John Doe #2 and theories about his identity range
from an Iraqi named Hussain Al-Hussaini, to a German national described
below, to a neo-nazi bank robber named Richard Guthrie. The Justice
Department finally gave up its search and said it was all a mistake—
that there was never any credible evidence of a John Doe #2 being
involved.
That reversal demonstrates a pattern of cover-up by authorities and limited media coverage in the years since the crime. This week, accounts will not repeat early reports of secondary devices in the building, or reports of the involvement of unknown middle-eastern characters. There will also be little if any mention of the extensive independent investigation into the crime that was conducted by leading members of the OKC community. Here are seven more facts that will probably not see much coverage on the 20th anniversary.
There
will be less discussion about how the FBI spent years hunting for a man
who witnesses say accompanied McVeigh on the day of the bombing. They
called this accomplice John Doe #2 and theories about his identity range
from an Iraqi named Hussain Al-Hussaini, to a German national described
below, to a neo-nazi bank robber named Richard Guthrie. The Justice
Department finally gave up its search and said it was all a mistake—
that there was never any credible evidence of a John Doe #2 being
involved.That reversal demonstrates a pattern of cover-up by authorities and limited media coverage in the years since the crime. This week, accounts will not repeat early reports of secondary devices in the building, or reports of the involvement of unknown middle-eastern characters. There will also be little if any mention of the extensive independent investigation into the crime that was conducted by leading members of the OKC community. Here are seven more facts that will probably not see much coverage on the 20th anniversary.
- Attorney Jesse Trentadue began investigating the case after his brother Kenney was killed in prison, apparently having been tortured to death by the FBI in its search for John Doe #2. Trentadue’s investigation led to a federal judge nearly finding the FBI in contempt of court for tampering with a key witness. Trentadue now says, “There’s no doubt in my mind, and it’s proven beyond any doubt, that the FBI knew that the bombing was going to take place months before it happened, and they didn’t stop it.”
- Judge Clark Waddoups, who presided over the case brought by Jesse Trentadue, ruled in 2010 that CIA documents associated with the case must be held secret. These documents show that the CIA was involved in the OKC bombing investigation and the prosecution of McVeigh. This means that foreign parties were involved because the CIA is prohibited from interfering in purely domestic investigations.
- Andreas Strassmeir, a former German military officer, was suspected of being John Doe #2. Strassmeir became close friends with McVeigh and they were both associated with a neo-nazi organization located in Elohim City, OK. A retired U.S. intelligence official claimed that Strassmeir was “working for the German government and the FBI” while at Elohim City. Mainstream reports about the OKC bombing typically avoid reference to Strassmeir.