The FBI says that JOEL HENRY HINRICHS III was not spotted on security tapes trying to enter the University of Oklahoma vs. Kansas State football game before he blew himself up just outside the stadium on October 1st.
This is important news that would indicate that earlier reports that Hinrichs was seen trying to enter the stadium, but ran away when security guards attempted to check his backpack, were wrong. If Hinrichs was really part of larger Islamic plot to commit an act of terrorism, then why didn't he try to get into the stadium where he could do maximun damage?
However, the report is unclear just how much of the stadium is under video surveillance. If all the entrance gates were not under surveillance, then the fact that Hinrichs does not appear on video is really a minor point.
The same report also says that the bench where Hinrichs blew up was also not under surveillance. The bench was about 100 yards from the stadium.
1
I'm not sure that him not attempting to enter a football game makes it mean any less. Just about anyone knows that it would be easier to evade detection by rent-a-cop bag searchers by just standing outside till the game is over, the same amount of people on the inside, will then be outside where they are a much easier target. no?
Posted by: dave at October 08, 2005 02:17 PM (CcXvt)
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It's possible, of course, but seems less likely.
Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at October 08, 2005 02:28 PM (JQjhA)
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Dave has a point. No security in the parking lot, and no less of a crowd of people, so all the obstacles that would be present in trying to get into the stadium would be avoided, and the victims would come to him. Too bad it didn't go off while all the splodeydopes were in the same room.
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at October 08, 2005 02:37 PM (0yYS2)
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He was near some buses, right? Who were those buses for? Spectators? A team? Were they going to be moved somewhere else to pick up their passengers, or were people going to be crowding into that area to get on the buses?
Posted by: Robert Crawford at October 08, 2005 03:36 PM (Gn9tM)
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Just a comment from an OU student.
The buses in question are loyd noble shuttles. The stadium has a small attatched car garage that cant hold all of the traffic, and since there are no parking lots near by, everyone parks at Loyd Noble instead. LN is more than a mile from the stadium, so they use buses to shuttle everyone to and from the game. These buses are usually packed (standing room only)with fans, especially right after the game.
Posted by: Jen Myers at October 08, 2005 06:41 PM (/3R2m)
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If you know that you're not likely to be searched, surveillance is limited, and that there are going to be large numbers of people headed your way at a given time, sitting and waiting for your victims to come to you makes great sense. By sitting at the bench, you aren't necessarily bringing attention to yourself because security would ostensibly be focused on stadium security, not someone sitting on a bench.
And, by sitting and waiting, you lessen the chance that your TATP explosive decides to blow up prematurely. Since TATP is supposed to be quite tempramental, why subject it to any more jostling than absolutely necessary.
Posted by: lawhawk at October 08, 2005 07:42 PM (jAEWP)
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kind of like a trap door spider...wait for the prey to come to you and when its close enough...well, you get the picture...now lemme go and paddle down the street...with all this rain coming down here in NJ, i may as well enjoy myself
Posted by: THANOS35 at October 08, 2005 08:56 PM (FMsU7)
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These buses are usually packed (standing room only)with fans, especially right after the game.
And, so, we have identified his target. He wouldn't have had to deal with stadium security, and his targets would have come to him.
Posted by: Robert Crawford at October 08, 2005 09:54 PM (Gn9tM)
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Of course, you're all right. My only point is that we approach this cautiosuly. We're only getting little bits and pieces here and there. If the investigation turns up nothing then we should be prepared to admit that Hinrichs was just a lone nut, that is all.
I still tend to believe this was part of a larger plot at this point, but that could change.
Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at October 08, 2005 10:24 PM (JQjhA)
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Absolutely -- it's entirely likely he was a lone nut seeking a particularly spectacular suicide.
Posted by: Robert Crawford at October 08, 2005 10:44 PM (Gn9tM)
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Probably just another socialist nutjob, I'm glad he removed himself from society.
Posted by: Cabe at October 09, 2005 04:24 AM (I33+H)
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When considering the “lone suicide” theory I think it is important to point out how rare “lone suicide by bomb” is.
The American Association of Suicidology http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=21
Has US data from 2002.
Of the 31,655 suicides that year only 150 were by “Fire / Flame” .half of one percent .5%. Please note, that there was no category for bomb or explosives I’m guessing that since the name of the category is “Fire / Flame”, that most of the suicides in this category were actually by fire or flame but I would understand if there were a few bombs tossed in. I think a high guestimate would be perhaps 20 people blew themselves up. Roughly one tenth of one percent .1%
If you add in some other factors like the size of the blast, proximity to a crowd, and what the bomb was made of, wellÂ… you do the math.
Posted by: MonkMojo at October 09, 2005 04:29 AM (sWjGN)
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I agree that caution is in order before drawing conclusions but we cannot allow PC and hypersensitivity to “offending” certain people groups to get in the way of asking of perfectly legitimate questions. The fact that he had a Muslim roommate is worthy of consideration as are questions about his possible conversion to Islam. The way he committed the act is too similar to the terrorist suicide bombings to sweep under the rug. If nothing turns up great but facts are facts regardless of who doesn’t like to hear about them and this needs to be fully investigated.
Posted by: Ron at October 09, 2005 02:15 PM (gXJLm)
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