The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building is infamous for being the focal point of Netflix’s documentary Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror. On the morning of April 19, 1995, a bomb detonated outside this federal facility at precisely 9:02 AM, resulting in the tragic deaths of over 150 people and injuring countless others. This horrific act of terrorism, orchestrated by two far-right extremists, sent shockwaves throughout the United States. However, the underlying motivations for targeting this specific government building were not immediately apparent.
Insights into the motives behind the Oklahoma City Bombing emerged later through the legal proceedings against the bombers, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. Evidence presented at their trials included crucial testimonies from associates like Michael Fortier. Moreover, McVeigh shared his reasons during a series of 75 hours of interviews conducted by journalists Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck for his authorized biography, American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh & The Oklahoma City Bombing, which is also explored in the Netflix documentary.
Analysis of Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols’ Motives for the Oklahoma City Bombing
The Pursuit of Ideology and Revenge
United by their strong anti-government beliefs and interest in neo-Nazi ideology, Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, and Michael Fortier met during their service in the Gulf War. Notably, McVeigh was in possession of a copy of The Turner Diaries, a notorious novel by neo-Nazi William Luther Pierce, which depicted a violent uprising against the U.S. government.
The radical sentiments reflected in The Turner Diaries, combined with the outrage surrounding the FBI’s siege at the Mount Carmel Center in Waco, Texas, two years earlier, fueled the decision of McVeigh and Nichols to target the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. This saga is further explored in the Netflix documentary Waco: American Apocalypse, produced by the same team behind Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror.
The siege at Waco resulted in the tragic deaths of 76 members of the Davidian cult, prompting outrage among those who believed this group was merely exercising their constitutional rights. As explained in the documentary, both McVeigh and Nichols viewed the bombing of the federal building as revenge for the events at Waco, with McVeigh having witnessed the FBI siege firsthand.
Moreover, the concept of executing a truck bomb attack on a federal building was directly inspired by The Turner Diaries, where a similar bombing of the FBI headquarters serves as the catalyst for insurrection.
The Rationale Behind Targeting the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
A Target that Matched Their Perverse Criteria
McVeigh specifically selected the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building because it housed a regional branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the agency that had collaborated with the FBI in confiscating weapons during the Waco incident. In addition to the ATF, the building also housed the Secret Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—agencies detested by far-right extremists.
Moreover, the presence of an Armed Forces recruitment office further fueled their resentment. McVeigh and Nichols had developed a strong animosity towards the military after feeling that their rights were violated during their service. A voiceover in the documentary quotes McVeigh expressing his feeling of having “no choice” in his military role, making a target containing a recruitment center all the more appealing.
Among various potential targets, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was considered ideal due to its separation from surrounding structures by a large parking lot, which McVeigh believed could minimize non-government casualties. Furthermore, its glass façade would enhance the destructive impact of the explosion.
The Significance of the Date: April 19
A Choice Steeped in Historical Infamy
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols meticulously selected April 19 for their attack, a date laced with historical significance. This date marked the anniversary of the tragic fire that claimed the lives of 76 members of the Davidian cult during the Waco siege. As noted by one journalist in the documentary, the timing was a clear indication of their intent for retribution in response to Waco.
However, McVeigh’s choice of date extended beyond Waco. April 19 also commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord, events that signified the beginning of armed conflict in the American Revolutionary War. He chose the precise time of just after 9:00 AM as it coincided with a similar bombing incident depicted in The Turner Diaries, enhancing the symbolic weight of the act.
Sources: American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh & The Oklahoma City Bombing