Oklahoma City bombing – public attention to terrorism escalates – prelude to the Patriot Act

The Oklahoma City bombing was a “domestic terrorist truck bombing” of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, killing 168 people and injuring 680 others. [1, 2]

Officials believed that “the bombing brought the issue of domestic terrorism to the forefront”, yet that may not be the true public opinion about the potential threat.

Prior to this event Senator Joseph Biden and Senator Tom Daschle were struggling to get their controversial Omnibus Counter-terrorism bills though US congress, as civil liberties would be violated.  These bills did not get voted on, but later Joe Biden said this bill was the basis for the 2001 Patriot Act.