The Unabomber | 47
History of the 90s
Kathy Kenzora
4.7 • 610 Ratings
🗓️ 12 May 2021
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In the 1990s the FBI’s most wanted criminal was an elusive mystery bomber who had been mailing dangerous and deadly packages to executives and university professors since 1978.
The UNABOMBER had left a trail of destruction around the United States, but the FBI had very little hard evidence that could help solve the case.
Then in 1993 after a six year hiatus the UNABOMBER was back on the scene and the devices he sent were more powerful and sophisticated. Officials worried it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened.
On this episode of History of the 90s host Kathy Kenzora looks back at one of the largest and most expensive manhunts in FBI history.
You’ll hear from two of the FBI agents who were instrumental in the investigation that finally led to the capture of the Unabomber.
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This episode of History of the 90s is supported by Command Line Heroes.
Command Line Heroes: Season 7: The Internet Class of ‘95 (redhat.com)
Contact:
Twitter: @1990shistory
Facebook: @1990shistory
Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: 90s@curiouscast.ca
Blog: www.historyofthe90sblog.ca
Guests:
Max Noel, served as an F.B.I. special Agent for thirty-one (31) years. He retired in 1999.
Terry Turchie, retired from the FBI in April 2001, having served as the first Deputy Assistant Director of the newly created Counterterrorism Division of the FBI from March, 2000 to April, 2001.
Along with their colleague Jim Freeman they co-wrote; Unabomber: How the FBI Broke Its Own Rules to Capture the Terrorist Ted Kaczynski.
They have written a sequel to the book which includes some of Kaczinski’s own writings. Capturing the Unabomber: The FBI’s Insider Story is scheduled to be released in May 2021.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey there, it's Kathy. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to History of the 90s |
| 0:04.7 | early and ad-free on Amazon music included with Prime. |
| 0:11.5 | In May 1978, a package wrapped in a brown paper bag was found on the campus of Chicago's |
| 0:18.3 | Northwestern University. The return address listed Northwestern Engineering Professor Buckley Christ, |
| 0:25.8 | so school officials returned the package to his office. |
| 0:29.4 | Professor Christ was confused, though, and a little bit suspicious, because he had never |
| 0:34.1 | seen this package before. |
| 0:36.8 | Chris gingerly cut away the paper wrapping |
| 0:39.8 | and found a handcrafted wooden box. |
| 0:42.7 | Inscribed on the box was the word open. |
| 0:46.2 | Chris immediately called security. |
| 0:48.7 | Off-duty police officer Terry Mark responded. |
| 0:51.9 | He turned the box over in his hands |
| 0:54.0 | and then decided to open it. As he did, |
| 0:57.3 | it exploded with a thundering boom. Inside the box was a nine-inch piece of pipe packed with |
| 1:04.1 | explosive powder rigged to ignite with matchheads, a primitive bomb. And despite the big bang, it was a dud. |
| 1:13.0 | The security guard escaped with just a minor hand injury. |
| 1:17.6 | University officials and police shrugged off the incident. |
| 1:20.5 | They said it seemed like a one-off anomaly, no big deal. |
| 1:24.6 | After collecting all the bits and pieces of the bomb, they dumped it in the garbage. |
| 1:29.5 | A year later, in 1979, a second bomb at Northwestern injured a student. |
| 1:35.1 | Officials now understood they were dealing with something bigger. |
... |
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