Actually, the bomb at Oklahoma was made from Nitrogen fertilizer, and gasoline. The gallon or so of gasoline poured into each of the barrels along with the fertilizer gave off enough fumes to be sufficient to destroy the building alone. In fact, tests done later by AFTE determined conclusively that the bomb was this kind of mix because of the nature of the destruction, compared to a bomb made of ONLY Gasoline, or to a bomb made of fertilizer and keorsene. There is a double shock wave that can be seen in time lapse photography that charactizes the Oklahoma bomb, and explains why certain structures in the building failed.
Its as if this bomb was specifically engineered to destroy that building. It is the motive behind the lengthy search for other conspirators than Timothy McVey even after his conviction of the crime. They were looking for the brains behind the bomb design, as neither of the two men convicted of crimes had that kind of training and education. To date, they have not found enough evidence to charge anyone else.
The Bomb back in 1968 that blew up the Lab building on the U of Wisconsin Campus at Madison, and killed a late night research was a fertilizer/kerosene bomb. A kitchen timer is reported to have been used to delay the ignition to give the bomber time to escape. That bombing led to inclusion of Black Powder, based on press " rumors " in the days following the bombing, in the 1968 Gun Control Act, which was passed before the Investigation identified the true explosive used.
After both bombings Congress held hearings to find ways to trace gasoline, or kerosene, or fertilizer, with "taggants", etc. only to be told that any taggant that might be used would tend to make these products more dangerous to use for their intended purposes.
Because millions of tons of fertilizer are made and sold each year for agricultural uses, as well as home use, it would be impossible to create a registration scheme to restrict access to the materials.
As it is, theft of farm chemicals by people looking for free gasoline, or fertilizer( mostly anhydrous Ammonia) to use in drug making operations, or just people wanting " free fertilizer" -- its expensive-- is a major headache for law enforcement in rural areas. It just doesn't take that much fertilizer to make a bomb.
Each spring, during planting season, thousands of barns are left open and unattended as farmers are out in their fields, often miles away, preparing the soils for planting, fertilizing and then planting the seed.
The farmers are away from the house and barn for long hours every day. Security is virtually non-existent. Of course, people note strangers and strange vehicles going by on the roads, and everyone knows everyone else, and when their neighbor gets a new car or truck. So, farmers are not quite as stupid as some city folk believe.
Once they know a crime is being committed in their area, they band together in rural Neighborhood Watch groups, and pool information about strange vehicles. If the crooks come back( they are so stupid and arrogant, they usually do) they are usually caught, and often at the ugly end of a very large shotgun! :shocked2: :rotf:
If someone wants to make a very large bomb, all they have to do is buy one or two bags of fertilizers at garden supply stores, never buying too much from any one store, and do it over a couple of years. There are dozens of stores in most suburban communities that have fertilizer for sale. Do the same with kerosene purchases.
This is one of the reasons all the efforts being made over the last 100 years to register guns, and restrict gun ownership makes so little sense. Its " feel good " legislation at the best, and a fraud on the public if they are lead to believe these laws make them safer. Tell that to the survivors of the 9/11 attacks, or of the 1993 bombing of the WTC, or of the Oklahoma bombing.
