Historical Figure
Timothy McVeigh
d. 2001
American domestic terrorist (1968–2001)
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Biography
Timothy James McVeigh was an American domestic terrorist who masterminded and perpetrated the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The bombing itself killed 167 or 168 people, injured 684 people, and destroyed one-third of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. A rescue worker was killed after the bombing when debris struck her head, bringing the total to 168–169 killed. It remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
Timeline
The story of Timothy McVeigh, told in moments.
Served in the Gulf War as a Bradley gunner. Earned a Bronze Star. Applied for Army Special Forces but dropped out early in selection. Left the military shortly after, feeling disillusioned and increasingly drawn to anti-government ideology.
Detonated a truck bomb at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. 168 people died, including 19 children in the building's daycare. 680 more were injured. Deadliest domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history.
Executed by lethal injection at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. Never expressed remorse. Called the children who died "collateral damage." He was 33.
In Their Own Words (20)
ATF, all you tyrannical people will swing in the wind one day for your treasonous actions against the Constitution of the United States. Remember the Nuremberg War Trials.
As quoted in "Timothy McVeigh & Terry Nichols: Oklahoma Bombing" (2010), TruTv., 2010
I have great respect for human life. My decision to take human life at the Murrah Building – I did not do it for personal gain. I ease my mind in that... I did it for the larger good.
Interview for American Terrorist (2001) by Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck, 2001
I understand what they felt in Oklahoma City. I have no sympathy for them.
Dead Man Talking, The Observer (April 22, 2001), 2001
I like the phrase "shot heard 'round the world," and I don't think there's any doubt the Oklahoma City blast was heard around the world.
Interview for American Terrorist (2001) by Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck, 2001
If there is a hell, then I'll be in good company with a lot of fighter pilots who also had to bomb innocents to win the war.
Dead Man Talking, The Observer (April 22, 2001), 2001
Artifacts (4)
an unpaid advisor on crowdsourcing and opening up policymaking
ent on how to make taxpayer-funded academic research available on the internet at no cost. His role reportedly involved working as "an unpaid advisor on crowdsourcing and opening up policymaking", and...
"Writing Against the Law": The Timothy McVeigh Letters and the Expanse of Prison Literature
"From 1999 to 2001, Buffalo News reporters Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck corresponded with imprisoned domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh for the purpose of writing his biography. In these letters,...
having seen edits like this, it does seem that Jimmy is attempting to rewrite hi...
at in his edits to the page, Wales had removed references to Sanger as the co-founder of Wikipedia. Sanger commented that "having seen edits like this, it does seem that Jimmy is attempting to rewrite...
I view my role as being very much like the modern monarch of the UK: no real pow...
but on the other hand, he weighed his belief that the donation made its success possible. In 2020, Wales said that "I view my role as being very much like the modern monarch of the UK: no real power,...
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