The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist attack that occurred on April 19, 1995, killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring over 500. The attack involved a massive homemade bomb made of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and fuel oil, concealed in a rental truck and detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Timothy McVeigh, a former U.S. Army soldier, and his friend Terry Nichols were identified as the perpetrators of the attack, both associated with the extreme right-wing and militant Patriot movement. McVeigh was convicted on multiple charges and executed in 2001, while Nichols received a life sentence.
The bombing remained the deadliest terrorist assault on U.S. soil until the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. The incident brought to light the growing threat of armed extremist groups in the U.S., such as militias, who believed in self-defense against an oppressive government. The attack coincided with significant anniversaries, such as Patriots’ Day and the Waco siege in 1993, further fueling the motivations behind it.
In response to the horrific attack, a memorial was erected on the site of the building, featuring a reflecting pool and a field of 168 empty chairs to honor the victims. A museum was also opened to educate visitors about the tragic event. The government and media launched intense investigations into militia groups and other extremist organizations in the aftermath of the bombing.
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