"Lockerbie: Megrahi Was Framed" [more inside]
posted by Joe Beese on Sep 5, 2009 - 37 comments

Surprising findings in Pew study of US Muslims. The interweb is all atwitter over some of the findings of a Pew Research Center study of the attitudes of Muslim-Americans (the most comprehensive one done yet). While most of the findings should be welcomed (US Muslims are well off, appreciate being here, have non-Muslim friends, shun extremism, etc.), there is one troubling statistic: 6% of US Muslims - and 15% of US Muslims under 30 - believe that "bombing and other attacks intentionally aimed at civilians" are "often or sometimes justified". Sounds bad, but what happens when you ask the same question of non-Muslim Americans? Turns out that 24% of all Americans agreed - four times the 6% of US Muslims who share that view. So are US Muslims more peaceful than their non-Muslim neighbors?
posted by laz-e-boy on May 23, 2007 - 63 comments

Projection Bombing, via Code & Form. Outdoor digital projection in urban environments is a method for getting your content up big before the eyes and in the minds of your fellow city inhabitants.
posted by signal on Apr 12, 2007 - 11 comments

Why is the US bombing Somalia? Salim Lone is the former spokesperson for the UN mission in Iraq, and a journalist in Kenya. In an interview he discusses possible reasons for the attacks. The recent history of the country is bloody and the country is beset with poverty, and our own history of involvement there is quite ugly.
posted by serazin on Jan 9, 2007 - 75 comments

...For a week after I arrived at the ORS, the attacks on Hamburg continued. The second, on July 27, raised a firestorm that devastated the central part of the city and killed about 40,000 people. We succeeded in raising firestorms only twice, once in Hamburg and once more in Dresden in 1945, where between 25,000 and 60,000 people perished (the numbers are still debated)... Every time Bomber Command attacked a city, we were trying to raise a firestorm, but we never learnt why we so seldom succeeded.

Part I: A Failure of Intelligence  &  Part II: A Failure of Intelligence
Prominent physicist Freeman Dyson recalls the time he spent developing analytical methods to help the British Royal Air Force bomb German targets during World War II.    FYI: It's about more than just the firestorms...
posted by y2karl on Dec 8, 2006 - 24 comments

"There is a bomb in Centennial Park. You have 30 minutes." Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta. Initial (and unwarranted) suspicions notwithstanding, the July 27th bombing would prove to be just the first of four such acts of domestic terrorism committed by 5-year fugitive Eric Robert Rudolph.
posted by grabbingsand on Jul 27, 2006 - 23 comments

Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem by the Zionist Irgun organization, which killed 92 people. Bibi Netanyahu attended a celebration of the event.
posted by Ty Webb on Jul 23, 2006 - 69 comments

500,000 Lebanese citizens are now homeless. That's out of a population of 3.8 million, according to Juan Cole. People in Southern Lebanon have received leaflets warning them to leave, but are trapped in their villages under Israeli bombings. The IDF has opened a 60-km front on the border, using tanks to probe Hezbollah. Meanwhile, a ceasefire remains... elusive. I normally take the position that both sides are excessively violent, but this is a pretty sad picture of what's going on in Lebanon.
posted by spiderwire on Jul 21, 2006 - 206 comments

Newsfilter: Indian temple city hit by blasts.
posted by semmi on Mar 7, 2006 - 17 comments

In the early hours of August 26, 1980, two men wheeled a large metal box into one of Lake Tahoe's largest casinos. Thus began a 48-hour saga involving a US$3,000,000 ransom and bungling on both sides resulting in the detonation [MOV] of the device, causing $13 million in property damage and all but demolishing the casino. To this day, the bomb in question remains one of the most sophisticated ever created -- in this case by a former patron hard on his luck. A drama in nine parts: 1•2•3•4•5•6•7•8•9. [via]
posted by Ogre Lawless on Mar 6, 2006 - 21 comments

On September 15, 1959, student Bill Thomas witnessed the bloody aftermath of a bomb going off at Poe Elementary School. "This was an extremely upsetting event for me and my fellow six-grade students, but no consideration was ever given to the treatment of our trauma. In fact, nothing much was even said about it when we returned to school the next day." Decades later, he deals with what happened by taking photographs of himself in which he's seen committing suicide in a variety of convoluted ways.
posted by iconomy on Aug 5, 2005 - 25 comments

Answering the "Glass Mecca" Strategy. Regarding the comments by Rep. Tom Tancredo offering the nuclear terrorist attack response of "nuking Mecca.” …More inside
posted by Dunvegan on Jul 19, 2005 - 178 comments

"At this moment, I am proud to be a citizen of a country that has done more than most to help the US get rid of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein. And I think that it would do other Europeans some good to think again about what their countries have achieved, if anything, to try to stem the tide of dictatorships and terrorism around the world. They should wonder whether they are really asking themselves the hard questions. Or whether they are shrugging their shoulders and blaming America because that is what they have been brought up to do." A thoughtful & conflicted post from the anti-war Englishman in New York reflecting on the London bombings.
posted by dhoyt on Jul 16, 2005 - 119 comments

First person account of London Tube Bombing: "Fate is a strange thing. On this particular day a series of events transpired such that I ended up on a Tube train that was destroyed by terrorists. Fortunately it was only the carriage in front of me, but tragically it resulted in a serious amount of injuries. This is my story." (via Waxy)
posted by Heminator on Jul 8, 2005 - 17 comments

"I mean, my first thought when I heard [about the London bombings]...'Hmmm, time to buy.'" Where most people see what happened in London as a tragedy, FOX News' Brit Hume sees an investment opportunity. Media Matters has a transcript and the video in QuickTime and Windows Media formats.
posted by AccordionGuy on Jul 8, 2005 - 69 comments

Major Incident on London Underground reported. Anyone have any further information?
posted by Cobbler on Jul 7, 2005 - 712 comments

The Unofficial War: U.S., Britain Led Massive Secret Bombing Campaign Before Iraq War Was Declared

A U.S. general who commanded the U.S. allied air forces in Iraq has confirmed that the U.S. and Britain conducted a massive secret bombing campaign before the U.S. actually declared war on Iraq...Starting in late May to June of 2002 a flurry of activity began both in the United States and in the Middle East. In what appears to be an admission of covert activity, chief allied air force commander Lieutenant-General Michael Moseley divulged in a little-noticed quote in the New York Times that US/British aircraft flew 21,736 sorties between June 2002 and March 2003.

[Previously posted in a comment by ericb at 12:56 PM PST on June 27; more inside]
posted by kirkaracha on Jun 28, 2005 - 33 comments

9:02 AM CST 4/19 1995. Ten years ago today. Do you remember where you were when the federal building in Oklahoma City was bombed? It was then the biggest act of mass murder in U.S. history. Shocking to a people unaccustomed to domestic terrorism. What followed was an outpouring of volunteer support and grief for the victims, a manhunt for suspects presumed to be Arabic, and calls for a 'war against terrorism'. Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were eventually arrested for, and convicted of the crime, but since McVeigh was put to death in 2001, a steady stream of new evidence has called into question both the government's handling of the investigation and the official version of events. Survivors and victims' family members gather today to remember and to reaffirm demands for truth.
posted by airguitar on Apr 19, 2005 - 80 comments

Not guilty. It's been nearly 20 years since Air India Flight 182 crashed into the ocean off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people aboard, after a bomb went off in the luggage compartment. Today, the two main suspects in the case were acquitted. Families of the victims are upset, disgusted. Of the 329 victims, 82 of them were under the age of 12. Let's take a moment to remember them; victims of one of the worst terrorist acts prior to September 11th, 2001.
posted by juliebug on Mar 16, 2005 - 53 comments

Man says he was paid $150 for each chip laid The airstrikes on residential areas in Iraq are designed to lower support for militants by civilians, and create factional in-fighting. This raises two questions for me. Who are these 'scouts', to be trusted to identify legitimate targets? No monetary, revenge, tribal motivation? What are the legal implications of 'collateral damage'. Are innocent victims eligible for compensation? Any lawyers out there? If moral questions are not allowed under the patriot act, what about legal ones?
posted by dreeed on Sep 14, 2004 - 8 comments

Scores die in Madrid bomb carnage. A string of deadly blasts has hit three Madrid train stations during the rush hour with latest reports speaking of at least 131 people killed.
posted by Brilliantcrank on Mar 11, 2004 - 96 comments

30,000 bombs were dropped on Iraq during the war. This is the story of just one. (RealVideo, 1h14m) While filming at a cross-roads in northern Iraq on April 6, a US Navy jet launched a bomb into a crowd of US and Kurdish soldiers who a BBC team were accompanying. In the seconds that followed, BBC cameraman Fred Scott began to film the disaster as it unfolded, footage which was heavily censored when shown on US news.
posted by Mwongozi on Nov 10, 2003 - 13 comments

With the trial of the bali bombers underway, a bomb has been exploded in the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta's CBD. Deaths have been reported here on Australian TV at 13, with over 120 injured, although these figures are expected to rise. The BBC is reporting on the experiences of those at the scene.
posted by dg on Aug 5, 2003 - 46 comments

Robert Fisk in the Independent Today's front page of the UK broadsheet comprises solely of a text-only report of yesterday's bombing of a Baghdad marketplace, beginning: "It was an outrage, an obscenity. The severed hand on the metal door, the swamp of blood and mud across the road, the human brains inside a garage, the incinerated, skeletal remains of an Iraqi mother and her three small children in their still-smouldering car..." This is how war reporting should be.
posted by garyh on Mar 27, 2003 - 110 comments

58 years ago Harry Truman launched an unprecedented nuclear weapons attack on 2 Japanese cities. (warning: disturbing images). I think this speaks for itself.
posted by letterneversent on Mar 16, 2003 - 60 comments

Leaflet bombing. The coalition is sending messages to Iraq. Do not, I repeat, do not repair fiber optic cables. Big brother is watching you (but apparently not sharing with UN inspectors). P.S. We love you.
posted by srboisvert on Mar 5, 2003 - 17 comments

The bombing of Switzerland. This morning, CBC Radio 1's "The Current" covered the last year's friendly fire incident in Afghanistan. In the course of the programme one of the interviewees mentioned a part of the history of WW2 that I'd never heard of before - the repeated bombing of Swiss towns and cities by the USAF, which escalated to the point where the Swiss shot down a US bomber and forced down more. Will the USAF ever be able to eliminate the problem of friendly fire, and is it a uniquely American one?
posted by pascal on Jan 22, 2003 - 19 comments

"Hitting Home: Coercive Theory, Air Power and Authoritarian Targets" will answer your questions on how aerial bombardment fits into the range of options between coercive diplomacy and total war, questions such as: -- What should be targeted for bombing? -- Exactly how much do you need to destroy to achieve your government's political objectives?
posted by sheauga on Dec 17, 2002 - 5 comments

Nuke Not Nuke Not News? *I do not endorse the source* However, one should consider the implications if this time it's not a fantasy. Are nuclear weapons now a poor-man's weapon? Is it time to call James Bond?
posted by kablam on Oct 15, 2002 - 42 comments

Yoni Jesner was a 19-year-old Jewish seminary student from Glasgow, Scotland, studying in Israel. He was fatally wounded in Thursday's bus bombing in Tel Aviv, but his family donated one of his kidneys to save the life of an eight-year-old girl. Her name is Yasmin Abu Ramila, and she is Palestinian.
posted by mr_crash_davis on Sep 22, 2002 - 32 comments

When was the last time we bombed Iraq? 1991? 1992? How about 4 days ago. And again six days before that to name just a few. The US Bombing Watch page keeps detailed tabs on all bombing attacks by allied forces since March 9, 2000, but the bombing has continued since the end of the Gulf War [via rc3.org].
posted by mathowie on Sep 19, 2002 - 81 comments

Does anyone even care anymore? 14 Dead in apartment building bombing by missile launched from American-made Israeli-owned F-16. Is there any way out of this half-assed occupation, or will both sides continue to blame each other indefinitely while making no progress towards a political solution?
posted by zekinskia on Jul 23, 2002 - 157 comments

Angering Arabs for Dummies, By Ariel Sharon. "Israel will respond to acts of terror by capturing PA territory," says Sharon. How, exactly, will this stop the bombings? Sorry for the I/P post, but this seems fairly important.
posted by fnord_prefect on Jun 18, 2002 - 34 comments

U.S. Consulate attacked in Karachi, Pakistan. No one has claimed responsibility for the car bombing that has left 8 dead and another 40+ injured.
posted by catatonic on Jun 14, 2002 - 21 comments

Who bombed Judi Bari? We'll likely never know because of FBI bungling. Pursue and blame the victim to stifle activist speech. So is this a running theme at the FBI?
posted by fleener on Jun 12, 2002 - 6 comments

Ex-Klansman Bobby Frank Cherry sentenced to life in prison for the Sept. 15, 1963, bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Few things bring a smile to my face like a hateful old racist terrorist getting sent off to spend the rest of his days as a prison wife.
posted by Ty Webb on May 23, 2002 - 32 comments

Daughter's Hidden Truth:An Angry Martyr's Soul Muhammad Akhras, a Palestinian construction foreman, thought he knew his 18-year-old daughter, Ayat, as well as anyone. But on Friday he was devastated to learn the truth...
posted by bunnyfire on Apr 3, 2002 - 35 comments

Interesting claim - the military's investigators say that the Red Cross buildings which were bombed on October 25th were not marked and that the military had not been given their coordinates as claimed. Has anyone found more information about this?
posted by adamsc on Dec 22, 2001 - 1 comment

Judge May Reject Olson Guilty Plea "A day after Sara Jane Olson pleaded guilty to attempted bombing charges and then denied her guilt outside the courtroom, a Los Angeles judge announced he will hold a hearing next week to decide whether to toss out the plea." Even if she's actually innocent, I can't help but think the former Symbionese Liberation Army fugitive should've kept her mouth shut until after the sentencing at least. The LA Times isn't very sympathetic, either.
posted by phartizan on Nov 2, 2001 - 6 comments

WhoÕs BeingÊNa•ve?
So to be realistic means to believe that bombing one of the poorest nations on Earth will not only reduce terrorism, but also fail to ignite a new round of anti-American fanaticism. To be na•ve, on the other hand, is to pay attention to modern history, which tells us in no uncertain terms that bombing people is rather likely to fuel their anger, resentment, and desire for revenge.

And it gets better...
posted by mapalm on Oct 27, 2001 - 73 comments

Top 10 contradictions regarding the US bombing of Afghanistan.
posted by Rastafari on Oct 22, 2001 - 35 comments

Winter is coming to Afghanistan. Several million may die of starvation if aid does not reach them soon. Relief agencies have called for a pause in the bombing to allow relief workers access. Two questions come to mind: what purpose does the bombing serve? and if we continue bombing, thus allowing the Afghanis to starve, are we possibly committing genocide?
posted by kittyloop on Oct 21, 2001 - 55 comments

Why the Bombings Mean That We Must Support My Politics

Those people who have different political views from me ought to be ashamed of themselves for thinking of cheap partisan point-scoring at a time like this.

sorry if this is an oldie (i searched and everything) it just seemed ... relevant, somehow
posted by walrus on Oct 17, 2001 - 13 comments

Megawati is in, but Abdurrahman Wahid is not out...yet. News from the world's fourth most populous nation.

With two bombs planted in churches in Jakarta this week injuring 60 people and Wahid likening his struggle with parliament to a "jihad"...I have to confess that my, er, decison to take the family to Bali next month is looking a tad iffy at the moment.
posted by lagado on Jul 23, 2001 - 11 comments

Bush warned of G-8 terrorist threat Bin Laden's recruitment video shows them taking shots at a video image of Clinton, and possibly a link with the bombing of the Cole. Also, speculation on moving the summit.
posted by owillis on Jun 21, 2001 - 7 comments

Bush decides to End Vieques Bombings Wow! I feel like I must be missing something here. Dubya did something I agree with?
posted by preguicoso on Jun 14, 2001 - 13 comments

U.S. Embassy bomber given life sentence. This is kind of the flipside of the McVeigh execution; Saudi man helps bomb the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi which kills 213 people. Jury cannot agree to execute him, as some believe he would become a martyr for the cause, and others believe this wouldn't "alleviate the suffering of the victims or family members". Why is this any different from the McVeigh situation?
posted by Big Fat Tycoon on Jun 13, 2001 - 31 comments

From Alternews. For those of you with no interest in paying $25 for the unofficial Oklahoma City Bombing report, more reliable media than previously presented here lay out a surprisingly clear case that Timothy McVeigh did not act alone. The matter will never be resolved. The Guardian. The Independent 1, 2. The Village Voice. One caveat: I have the impression that each of these stories is working from the same alternative data, perhaps the unofficial report.
posted by Mo Nickels on May 16, 2001 - 6 comments

FBI finds a second batch of McVeigh documents. I hestitate to start a new thread about this but I just wanted to point out this story.
posted by rdr on May 15, 2001 - 15 comments

Ex-Klansman Thomas Blanton Jr. has been convicted of first degree murder, for the bombing and killing of four young girls in a Birmingham, Alabama church, back in 1963. If anyone here has seen Four Little Girls, you'll probably agree: it's about time.
posted by mathowie on May 1, 2001 - 18 comments