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Bomb Help 2000

These web pages on Boomershoot.org get searched for bomb building information via google, msn.search, yahoo, etc. every day.  Here are the number of searches broken down by month for 2000.

UK Want-to-be Bomber

From: R A [mailto:RRRR@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk]
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2000 8:05 AM
To: JoeH@turbonet.com
Subject: bombs

could you tell me how to make a simple bomb with a bang

I gave it about 1.5 seconds worth of thought and 3 seconds of effort and replied:

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com]
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2000 8:51 PM
To: R A
Subject: RE: bombs

No.

After a day or so I was still thinking about that message. I looked at the email address and headers a little closer.  It just bothered me too much.  Should I do something?  When I looked at the address closely I decided it was likely to be coming from a school.  Hmmmm, I don't like this at all... but what to do?

I went to that domain with my web browser.  I had to scrounge around some, but ultimately I found an email address that I hoped would bypass the person that sent me the query.  I sent the following email:

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2000 2:25 PM
To: XYZXYZ@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk
Subject: Student with intent to make a bomb?

I received the following message yesterday. It wasn't until today when looking at the message again that I realized that it might be a student and that I might be able to contact someone that could deal with it better than I can from here (United States).

He probably contacted me because of my web page on a shooting event that I host: http://personal.palouse.net/joeh/pages/PPSApr00Blast.htm

Let me know if I can be of any further assistance. And please at least reply so that I know someone received this message.

-joe-
----
mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com 
http://personal.palouse.net/joeh

-----Original Message Header-----
Received: from [195.59.128.42] by cypher.turbonet.com (NTMail 5.00.0010/NT0409.00.9cd4ce09) with ESMTP id zwbvbaaa for <JoeH@turbonet.com>; Mon, 17 Jan 2000 08:25:20 -0800
Received: from study2.mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk ([192.168.3.2] helo=mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk)
by mailgate.mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk with esmtp (Exim 3.03 #1)
id 12AEdx-000CQ4-00
for JoeH@turbonet.com; Mon, 17 Jan 2000 16:04:37 +0000
Message-ID: <38833D94.3DA4CF09@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk>

Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 16:04:36 +0000
From: R A <XXXX@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk>
Organization: Netscape Online member
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.6 [en-gb]C-CCK-MCD NetscapeOnline.co.uk (Win95; I)
X-Accept-Language: en-GB,en
MIME-Version: 1.0

To: JoeH@turbonet.com
Subject: bombs
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Info: Fordys Networking Services - http://www.fordys.net

-----Original Message-----
From: R A [mailtoXXXX@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk]
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2000 8:05 AM
To: JoeH@turbonet.com
Subject: bombs

could you tell me how to make a simple bomb with a bang

I received a reply shortly thereafter:

-----Original Message-----
From: A F [mailto:ABCDEF@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk]
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2000 1:17 AM
To: Joe Huffman
Subject: Re: Student with intent to make a bomb?

Hi Joe,

Thankyou muchly for your email; I apologise for the delay in replying, it was 
stuck in the mail system due to the aliases for the 'info' address being 
broken! - but this is now resolved.

I will forward these details to the head of the school for investigation all 
email sent and received via the school is logged and stored for 2 weeks,
just so we can investigate when situations like this arise...

Thanks again for informing us.

Regards,

A.

[snip -- my previous email]

And after another day I received this:

From: BBBB@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk 
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 2:28 AM
To: JoeH@turbonet.com
Cc: BBBB@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk
Subject: Message from student re bombs

Thank you for informing us of the E-mail you received from one of
my pupils. I have dealt with the matter. I have a very frightened 13
year old in my office awaiting his parents.

With grateful thanks and Best Wishes

B

Headteacher Mexborough School

Headteacher

Now I was feeling a little bad.  How much trouble had I got this kid into?  Is he ruined for life?  He shouldn't have been asking about building a bomb.  The UK has enough bombs going off already without me allowing some kid to ultimately figure out how to set off another one.  But I certainly understand the joy of recreational explosives.  I really have to trust the judgment of the teacher(s) and parents.  I'm certain I did the right thing, but still I felt a great deal of sympathy for the parties involved.  I sent the following email:

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 10:44 AM
To: BBBB@mexborough.doncaster.sch.uk
Subject: RE: Message from student re bombs

Best wishes to you and all your pupils and my sympathy to the parents. I have a 13 year old child myself.

I hope that all turns out well for everyone in this matter.

-joe-
----
mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com
http://personal.palouse.net/joeh
mailto:2064997279@mobile.att.net (Cell phone text, 110 char max)

Rude Reply

From: JJJJ@aol.com [mailto:JJJJ@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 5:58 PM
To: joeh@turbonet.com
Subject: I need some Chemicals

I was just wondering where I could find some chemicals for exploding targets and
the recipe. I was looking for some ammonium Nitrate and Potassium Chlorate.

If you could just e-mail me back at JJJJ@aol.com that would be great. Thanks.

Perhaps I was a bit hypersensitive, but I wasn't at all happy to receive this message so soon after the 13-year-old kid incident.  I was rather rude in my response.  

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com]
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 6:24 PM
To: JJJJ@aol.com
Subject: RE: I need some Chemicals

I am very suspicious of people asking me for help to build exploding devices. The last time this happened (a couple weeks ago) according to the reports I got back:

----
I have dealt with the matter. I have a very frightened 13 year old in my office awaiting his parents.
----

Basically, the way I look at this is that if you aren't smart enough to figure it out on your own then you aren't smart enough to do it without hurting someone or their property.

Send me a copy of your license to manufacture explosives and I'll relax a bit.

-joe-
mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com
http://personal.palouse.net/joeh

[snip ... the original message]

Maybe I shouldn't have been so rude, but I didn't feel comfortable with someone I had no idea who they were or where they lived.  It could have been another 13 year-old kid (or even the same one for that matter).  Anyway, no response back from them.

Beaver Problem - Explosive Solution?

From: DbDb@aol.com [mailto:DDDD@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 1:05 PM
To: JoeH@turbonet.com
Subject: (no subject)

dear Mr. Huffman,

my name is D b and i live in olivebranch miss. i have a
severe beaver problem on my 611 acre pine farm. the cost of commercial
explosives is prohibitive with the number of beavers i have. i can not get
any help from our state. my question to you is could you outline your formula
to help me. i have a 30-06 that i reload a sabot with a 22 caliber boattail
bullet at 4456f.p.s. thanks D

Okay.  I grew up on a farm.  I know wildlife can be very destructive to certain crops.  But some things about this email made me suspicious.  I won't mention all of them to avoid tipping off other people, but here is my reply which will point out one of the things that raised a warning flag for me.

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:JoeH@turbonet.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 1:12 PM
To:DbDb@aol.com'
Subject: RE: (no subject)

I'm very skeptical of people that request information on making explosives. Especially when I can't find them in the phone book. Also the legality of blowing up wildlife seems a bit questionable to me.

Give me a call and we can discuss it some.

206-499-7279 (Cell)

-joe-

After several days, I still haven't received a reply -- either by email or by phone.  Was he legit?  I have my doubts, and I think I can find out if I really wanted to.  I'll post it here if I find out for certain.

Stupid?  Or just trying to get his name on a web page?

Okay, after months of having this page up, I had no people sending me suspicious email.  Great!  It worked.  Even the most stupid of people wanting help with explosives for illegal activities would find the link to "Bomb Making Help", be able to read (perhaps I assume too much?) about how I handled previous requests and be able to get a hint.  Right?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

From: SS8@aol.com 
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2000 1:02 PM
To: joeh@boomershoot.org
Subject: bomb making


please email instructions on making a bomb out of houshold stuff

My response:

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:JoeH@boomershoot.org]
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2000 1:35 PM
To: 'SS8@aol.com'
Subject: RE: bomb making

You need to take a look at my web page on this very topic: http://boomershoot.org/general/BombHelp.htm#Stupid

-joe-

Mind Boggling Stupid.

From: david r [mailto:dXXXX@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 10:19 AM
To: joeh@boomershoot.org
Subject: bombs

 can you send me some info. on an easy houshold bomb?
                               please,
                                 
 dXXXX@yahoo.com

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:joeh@boomershoot.org]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 1:49 PM
To: 'david r'
Subject: RE: bombs

Have you looked at my web page http://www.boomershoot.org/general/BombHelp.htm yet?

-joe-
----
http://www.boomershoot.org

From: david w [mailto:dXXXX@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 1:54 PM
To: joeh@boomershoot.org
Subject: RE: bombs

yes,i didn't get any info.does that site have info?if so where?if not,please send me some.

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:joeh@boomershoot.org]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 2:11 PM
To: david w
Subject: RE: bombs

Try reading the text at this link.

http://www.boomershoot.org/general/BombHelp.htm#Stupid

-joe-

From: david w [mailto:dXXXX@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 2:47 PM
To: joeh@boomershoot.org
Subject: RE: bombs

so, your just a fake?

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:joeh@boomershoot.org]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 2:51 PM
To: david w
Subject: RE: bombs

No. I just don't help people to build bombs. Especially random people that ask for help. I figure that if you aren't smart enough to figure out how to do it on your own you aren't someone I would trust to have that knowledge.

-joe-

From: david w[mailto:dXXXX@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 5:00 PM
To: joeh@boomershoot.org
Subject: RE: bombs

ive tried to build bombs,for pure entertainment,many times.i m what is called a piro maniac.i love fire,and bombs are my specialty.ive succeeded in many bombs.the only reason that i have turnned to the internet,and you,is for the fackt that i have become bored with my ingrediences.there for,i still plead for just 1 good format for a bomb.i hope that you trust that i will not use it for an illeagle action.my name is david robert wheat,just incase u might want to call the feds or watch the news for me,so please,send me info.

From: Joe Huffman [mailto:joeh@boomershoot.org]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2000 5:21 PM
To: david w
Cc: ATF Intelligence Division
Subject: RE: bombs

As I said before. I don't help people make bombs. Please don't ask again.

-joe-
----
http://www.boomershoot.org