I didn't know you could study terrorism in school. What a ridiculous movie.
The pre 9/11 twist ending is an interesting walk down memory lane to a moment in time when domestic terrorism was more of a concern than the modern international terrorism for which we're reminded, annoyed and forced to perform indignities while at airports. Before the security theater era took hold.
I was reminded of a history of the FBI I read at the library about 20 years ago. Apparently in 1955 there was an early, famous instance of domestic terrorism. Solving the crime was one of the FBI's early success stories. Here's a brief summary:
On November 1, 1955, United Airlines Flight 629, a Douglas DC-6B airliner, departed from Denver, Colorado, headed for Portland, Oregon. Just minutes after takeoff, the plane exploded mid-air near Longmont, Colorado, killing all 39 passengers and 5 crew members. Among the passengers was Daisie King, a wealthy businesswoman. Unbeknownst to her, her son, Jack Gilbert Graham, had packed 25 sticks of dynamite, two blasting caps, and a timing device into her suitcase before dropping her off at the airport.
Graham's motive was primarily financial, fueled by a deeply strained relationship with his mother. Before the flight, he purchased $37,500 worth of life insurance policies from vending machines at the Denver airport, naming himself as the beneficiary.
Because commercial airplane bombings were entirely unprecedented, the FBI faced a massive logistical puzzle. Their investigation was groundbreaking:
- Reconstructing the Plane: Investigators gathered thousands of fragments of the aircraft scattered over six square miles of Colorado farmland. They meticulously reconstructed the fuselage in a warehouse, determining that the explosion originated from inside the baggage compartment, ruling out mechanical failure or a fuel explosion.
- Chemical Analysis: The FBI laboratory found traces of sodium carbonate, nitrate, and sulfur on the wreckage—the chemical signature of dynamite.
- Tracing the Passengers: Agents background-checked every passenger. They discovered Daisie King's luggage was heavily damaged and traced the insurance policies her son had purchased.
- The Confession: When agents searched Graham's home, they found wire and tools consistent with bomb-making. Confronted with the mounting forensic evidence, Graham confessed to building the bomb to collect the insurance money.
The earliest terrorism event I can think of, without googling, is the Gunpowder Plot from 1605, which benefited us by producing the V for Vendetta book, movie, and merchandise.
After reflection, maybe a professor focused on researching terrorism isn't such a far-fetched plot point after all.