January 5, 2005
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Federal agents are hunting for a man using a Middle Eastern name who is said to have tried buying large amounts of ammonium nitrate, the same fertilizer chemical used by Timothy McVeigh to blow up the Oklahoma City federal building.
''We're still running down leads. But we thought it would be prudent putting out an advisory to the fertilizer industry,'' said Tom Mangin, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Phoenix, told the Associated Press.
The agency says it has no indication terrorism is involved, investigators are still probing the facts of the case, after a Canadian company reported the attempted purchase as suspicious.
The fertilizer and explosives industries are now being contacted to be on the lookout for and report any suspicious inquiries for purchase of the chemical, which is used in the manufacture of fertilizer bombs.
An e-mail alert was issued today by the International Society of Explosives Engineers, based in Cleveland.
''ATF has recently been made aware of a suspicious attempt by an individual to purchase mass quantities of ammonium nitrate, specifically between 500 to 1,000 metric tons,'' the alert said. ''This individual, who uses a Middle Eastern name, purports to be a representative of a construction corporation. However, indications are that this is most likely false. The individual has previously made contact with other industry members via e-mail seeking the large amounts of 'fertilizer grade' ammonium nitrate.''
The amount sought is more than was used by McVeigh in the 1995 attack in Oklahoma City, but less than what's typically bought in bulk for construction or farm projects.
The explosion in Oklahoma was set off by a detonation cord tied to a combination of fuel oil and ammonium nitrate.
As WorldNetDaily reported, there were reports of a Middle Eastern man known as "John Doe No. 2" who some believe was part of the OKC plot, though federal authorities have never made any arrest of such a person.
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