Letter: Oklahoma City: thoughtlessness about America and Iran
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.From Dr Sidney Alford
Sir: I am afraid that the title of Christopher Bellamy's article on improvised explosives based upon ammonium nitrate ("Bomb built for damage, not slaughter," 22 April) may give the mistaken impression that they make less lethal bombs than those containing other explosives.
The higher the initial pressure, the more rapidly it decreases with distance from the explosion. The exceedingly high pressure generated by a bomb containing plastic explosive has so decreased within a foot or two that a target a few feet away really does not know the difference. The effect produced by a vehicle stuffed full of explosives on a nearby building depends little upon the nature of the explosives: it is the quantity that counts. Therefore the attractiveness of ammonium nitrate to the terrorist remains its very ready availability in the form of unlimited amounts of fertiliser. Plastic explosive, if he has any, is better conserved for those very short-range, small-scale effects for which it is markedly superior.
To take an example nearer to home, the possibly spectacular result of Eurotunnel's recent quietly announced decision to permit the carriage of containers full of ammonium nitrate through its tunnel would not depend upon its being a particularly powerful or sensitive explosive or its enhancement by the addition of other ingredients: these would just serve to make it more easily initiated. What makes the mind boggle is the effect of the high and sustained pressure produced by, say, 50 times as much explosive as that which caused the damage in Oklahoma or the City, within the confines of a large tube.
Yours sincerely,
SIDNEY ALFORD
Corsham, Wiltshire
22 April
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments