For Immediate Release
November 18, 1997

FBI National Press Office

Today the Atlanta Bomb Task Force is releasing information about some of the components used in the bombs that exploded at Centennial Olympic Park on July 27, 1996; at the Sandy Springs Professional Building on January 16, 1997; and at The Otherside Lounge on February 21, 1997. The components that we will be discussing are displayed here on the three tables, one table for each bombing. We are making this information public today because we are confident that when the public sees these items, someone will be able to provide information that will assist us in identifying the person or persons responsible for these terrible crimes. We ask that the public examine the descriptions of these components, and if you believe that you have information about the bombings, please call our toll-free number: 1-888-ATF-BOMB; that is 1-888-283-2662. If the information you provide does lead to the arrest and conviction of the bomber or bombers, you could receive a half-million dollar reward.

Before we begin discussing the components we have here, let me clarify the limits of what we are doing today. We are not releasing complete mock-up devices that show what the components looked like when fully assembled into bombs. We assume the bomber was guarded about letting anyone see the bombs as they were being made, and even more so once the bombs were completed. If someone saw one of the assembled bombs, he or she knows it, and we do not need to display a mock-up to remind that person of what was seen. However, we also believe that someone may have observed the bomb maker with some of the components before they were assembled, either when they were purchased, or even while they were partially assembled, in a car or truck, a workshop or garage, or in a home. Despite the fact that many of these components are very common, we believe that someone may recall seeing a customer, a friend, an acquaintance, a co-worker, a neighbor, or a relative with some of these components, and if you did - we are appealing to you today to call us with that information.

Because of the common nature of many of the components, we will not go into each one, but will discuss only the more unusual ones, and those we will describe in terms a bystander or onlooker might observe. We are not revealing everything we know about the components, and we ask that the media respect that limitation.

Having said that, let me now introduce Inspector in Charge Woody Enderson who will discuss the items we have chosen to make public.

Photographs of Bomb Components

Let's begin with the bomb that exploded at Centennial Olympic Park at approximately 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, July 27, 1996. As we have previously described, the bomb was concealed in this type of olive green military-style backpack, commonly known as a medium-size ALICE pack. Note that black plastic tape was wrapped around these buckles on the front of the pack. The pack used by the bomber did not have an internal frame, but did have an improvised handle made by inserting a round wooden rod here at the top of the pack. We know that some military personnel have used the same type of technique in carrying ALICE packs, but it is possible that other groups have used or taught that same technique. If you know of a military unit, or any other type of group -- such as a hiking club or hunting club -- that used or taught this technique, or if you saw someone carrying this type of backpack with taped buckles and this type of wooden handle, before the Olympic Park bombing, please call our toll-free hotline: 1-888-283-2662.

The other items here were concealed inside the backpack. The bomber used a 1/8-inch thick, or 11 gauge, steel plate, about 15 inches long and 12 inches wide. The plate was cut from a larger piece of steel using an oxyacetylene torch. Our question to the public is, Did you see someone before the Olympic Park bombing with a steel plate like this? Did anyone buy a plate like this from you, or ask you to cut a plate this size? Your information may help solve these deadly crimes.

The bomber padded the steel plate with this olive green foam padding, commonly used as military-style sleeping mats. The foam pad was approximately the same size as the steel plate, but was actually composed of two separate 3/8-inch thick sheets of padding that were laminated together. The padding is not manufactured this way; the bomber, or someone else, actually laminated the two sheets together after obtaining the padding. Have you ever seen anyone laminate foam padding like this? Before the Olympic Park bombing, did you see anyone with a piece of foam padding this size -- or a sheet of foam padding with pieces this size cut out?

The Olympic Park bomb consisted of three metal pipes this size, 2 inches in diameter and 12 inches long, threaded on each end, with 2 inch metal endcaps on each pipe. Our investigation reveals that it is fairly unusual for anyone to buy three pipes this size at one time. Did you sell three pipes or six endcaps like this to anyone before the Olympic Park bombing? Did you see someone buying three pipes like these? Did you see someone with these items in their car, home, workshop or anywhere else before July 27, 1996? Please contact us with that information.

The Olympic Park bomb used as much as three or four pounds of Accurate Arms brand #7 or #9 smokeless gunpowder, which is a lot of this type of powder to buy at one time. Before the Olympics, did you sell a quantity of that type of gunpowder to anyone, either all at once or in several sales within a short time frame? Did you see someone buying powder like this? Do you know anyone who had that much Accurate Arms #7 or #9 smokeless powder prior to the Olympic Park bombing?

The bomb also contained about six pounds of these size 8d, 2 1/2-inch long nails, called concrete or masonry nails. This is an unusual type of nail to purchase in such large quantities, unless they are, for example, being used on a construction project. Did you sell a large quantity of this type of nail prior to the bombing on July 27, 1996? Did you see anyone with a large quantity of these nails in their home or workshop during that period of time?

Finally, the bomb used a blue Eveready 12-volt lantern battery like this one, a Westclox brand "Big Ben" wind-up alarm clock, gray duct tape and black plastic electrical tape. We know that these items are very common, but hope that someone my have seen them in combination with the other items we have discussed here today. If you have information concerning any of the components discussed - remembering that the bomber had to have them before July 27, 1996 - please call us at 1-888-283-2662.

Photographs of Bomb Components

Photographs of "The Army of God" Letter and Envelopes

Now let's look at some of the components used in the two bombs that exploded at the Sandy Springs Professional Building, in north Atlanta, about an hour apart on the morning of Thursday, January 16, 1997.

Each of the bombs was contained in this type of olive green military-style ammunition can, and each made use of a 1/8 inch thick, 11 gauge steel plate, roughly 11 inches long and 8 inches wide, cut to that size with an oxyacetylene torch. Again, we are looking for anyone who may have been asked to cut two steel plates like this, or who knows someone who may have cut the steel themselves. Before the bombings in Sandy Springs in January, did you see someone with two steel plates this size?

The Sandy Springs bomber used more than 3 1/2 pounds of this size 4d, 1 1/2-inch long, cut flooring nails. That is also a large amount of this type of nail for someone to have, unless they are working on a flooring project. We want to identify anyone who may have purchased or somehow obtained a large quantity of 4d, 1 1/2-inch long nails before January 16, 1997. We would also like to identify anyone who may have been seen with several pounds of this type of nail, outside the normal course of business.

The bomber also used a large amount of twisted galvanized wire. The wire was not manufactured twisted like this; the bomber had or purchased plain coils of wire and then twisted two to three stands together using an electric drill or other tool. We estimate that as much as 100 feet of twisted wire was used, meaning that the bomber had to start with more than 200 feet of plain wire. We would like to know if anyone in the public has ever seen a large quantity of twisted wire like this used for any purpose, or seen anyone twisting lengths of wire using a drill or other tools. If you have, please call our hotline.

The explosive used in each of the bombs at Sandy Springs was dynamite, which I will discuss in more detail in a moment.

Each of the bombs at Sandy Springs used a Westclox "Baby Ben" alarm clock, Duracell D-cell batteries, gray duct tape, and black plastic electrical tape. Again, we know how common those are, but believe that someone may recall an individual either purchasing or possessing more than one of these clocks at a time, or having several of these components together prior to the Sandy Springs bombings. If you have that type of information, please call us at 1-888-283-2662.

Photographs of Bomb Components

The last group of components we will discuss came from the bombs that exploded at The Otherside Lounge, in midtown Atlanta, on the night of Friday, February 21, 1997.

One of the bombs there was concealed in this type of olive green, polyester backpack with black straps. Both bombs at this location were contained in 1.3 gallon plastic storage containers shaped like the ones here.

Like the bombs in the Olympic Park and in Sandy Springs, the bombs at The Otherside Lounge each used a steel plate, approximately 9 inches long and 7 inches wide. Unlike the earlier plates, however, these steel plates were 1/4-inch instead of 1/8-inch thick, and appear to have been cut with a plasma arc cutter, which is different from an oxyacetylene torch. We'd like the public to try and remember: Before the bombing at The Otherside Lounge in February, did you see anyone with two 1/4-inch thick steel plates like this? Did anyone buy plates like this from you, or ask you to cut two pieces of steel plate this size?

As shrapnel, the bombs contained a total of more than 6 1/2 pounds of this size 6d, 2 inch long, galvanized wire nails. These nails are more commonly used in larger quantities than the others. But we think it is still possible that someone might recall a person outside the normal course of business buying a large quantity of these nails, or that someone may have seen a large quantity of these nails with other components of these bombs in a person's shop, garage, car or truck, or elsewhere. Do you recall making an unusual sale of these nails? Did you see that many 6d nails along with some of the other components from these bombs? If you did, please call us.

The bombs at The Otherside Lounge also used these 6-volt Eveready Energizer lantern batteries, Westclox "Baby Ben" alarm clocks, gray duct tape and black electrical tape. Did you see someone with two or more of these batteries and "Baby Ben" alarm clocks before February 21, 1997? If so, please call 1-888-283-2662.

Finally, the explosive used in both of the Sandy Springs bombs and the two bombs at The Otherside Lounge was dynamite, with a total amount of perhaps 30 to 50 half-pound sticks. That is a large quantity of dynamite to have outside a regulated business that uses dynamite. So, the question we have is, Did you see anyone with a large quantity of dynamite before January 16, 1997, or did anyone steal a large amount of dynamite, or did anyone ask you to get them some dynamite before January of this year?

As you can see, these bombs contained a number of components that the average person would not have, either because the item itself is unusual -- like the backpack with a wooden handle, the steel plates cut to specific sizes, and the dynamite -- or because it is unusual to have a quantity of the more common items, such as the large quantity of nails, the twisted wire, or several "Baby Ben" alarm clocks at the same time.

We are confident that someone in the public has information regarding the components we have described -- either because the bomber allowed them to be seen, or had to ask someone for help in procuring them, or because the bomber purchases unusual quantities of some of the components. You may remember something as ordinary as alarm clocks. It's not unusual to see a Baby Ben alarm clock, but you might remember someone who bought two or more alarm clocks from you at one time; or you might have thought it was unusual when you saw someone with more than one alarm clock in a workshop or garage, along with some of the other components. Or, you may remember something as seemingly innocent as a customer asking you for some scrap pieces of steel plate shortly before the Olympics, or someone who asked you to use your oxyacetylene torch or plasma arc cutter to cut small matching pieces of steel plate for him. Your information could help solve this case, and could possibly save lives.

If you have any information about these components, please call us at 1-888-ATF-BOMB; again, that's 1-888-283-2662. We know that person may be a friend or relative, and it may not be easy to make that call, but your call may help prevent more innocent people from being killed. Finally, we again want to remind the public that there is a $500,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for any of the Atlanta bombings.

Thank you, and I'll take a few questions.