CASE STUDIESChapter 5

John Graham

1955 – United Airlines Flight 629 - Denver to Seattle

Plane exploded – severe damage (full fuel tanks)

No survivors (44 dead), ID difficult Civil Aeronautics Board - No problem with

aircraft

FBI – criminal investigation Point of origin – rear luggage

compartment Luggage had gunpowder odor and traces

of sodium carbonate, nitrates, & sulfates (all in dynamite)

Sheet metal had gray residue form explosion

Conclusion – bomb w/ timing device

Investigated backgrounds of passengers Daisy King – large insurance policy w/ one

beneficiary (her son, John Graham) His home was searched – found wire that

matched wire at crash site Graham confessed to building bomb and

placing it in his mother’s suitcase Charged w/ 44 counts of murder Convicted & sentenced to death

USS Cole

2000 – US Navy destroyer USS Cole Refueling in Port of Aden, Yemen Small boat with 45kg of explosives (RDX

& TNT) detonated as approached Cole 12.2 m X 18.3 m hole near Cole’s

waterline People in small boat and 17 American

sailors died

US Dept of Justice, US Navy, & Yemeni govt investigated together for 2 years

Determined 2 suicide bombers did this Al- Queda claimed responsibility 2 al-Queda members were convicted &

sentenced to death for planning and organizing attack

4 others convicted for their parts in attack – 5-10 years in prison

Career

Explosives technician