May 4, 1995 – CBS World News Roundup – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
May 4, 1995 – 15 days after the Oklahoma City Bombing, Police, FBI and ATF agents were still sifting through rubble, still looking for bodies and still looking for suspects.
On this day a sketch emerged of John Doe #2; the alleged accomplice in the bombing and the subject of a nationwide manhunt. And as with all manhunts, this one dragged in more than its fair share of wrong-place/wrong-time/wrong-picks. And the list was growing. Attorney General Janet Reno justified the nationwide dragnet as the unavoidable by-product of police work. Reactions by the would-be suspects ranged from “ya gotta do what ya gotta do” to “these morons with guns . . ” – all in the line of police work.
Meanwhile, back in Oklahoma City, the search for bodies and remains of victims was winding down. The Fire chief was quoted as saying the area and the parts of the building left standing have become so unstable that the danger of a collapse along with falling debris creating further injuries and deaths, made continuing the effort not advisable. But even with that, another victim was pulled from the wreckage, increasing the death toll to 147.
Customs Agents who raided a Santa Clara import business struck paydirt when they uncovered some 10 railcars worth of assault-style ammunition. The contraband was brought in by using false documents, which alerted agents that something suspicious was afoot.
It was also learned that Ramzi Yousef, the man accused in the (first) World Trade Center bombing was able to bring a bomb into the Manila Park where Pope John Paul II was speaking the previous January and had plans to kill countless Americans. Investigation of an apartment in Manila that Yousef had rented, Police found bomb components, maps of the Pope’s movements and a computer. Authorities said the computer files spelled out a scheme to place bombs on 11 U.S. Jumbo jets, over three days. They went on to say that operatives were to board those planes in Asia, place bombs in lavatories, then get off at an intermediate stop. The final destinations included Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York. A grand scheme masterminded by Yousef guaranteed to incite panic and cause maximum casualties.
And that’s just a little of what went on, this May 4, 1995 as reported by The CBS World News Roundup.
