Oklahoma Bomber Reexamined

PowerLine looks at the newest announcement about the death of Joel Hinrichs, who blew himself up last fall just yards from a packed OU football stadium. It was called a suicide despite the unsettlingly terroristy method of self-destruction.

But the Daily Oklahoman says otherwise today:

A Norman police bomb expert said Tuesday he does not believe University of Oklahoma student Joel Henry Hinrichs III committed suicide by blowing himself up outside a packed football stadium. "I believe he accidentally blew himself up," Sgt. George Mauldin said. Mauldin said Hinrichs, 21, an engineering student, had two to three pounds of triacetone triperoxide, commonly known as TATP, in a backpack in his lap when it exploded Oct. 1.

When asked if he believed Hinrichs meant to enter the stadium with the explosives, Mauldin replied, "I don't believe he intended for an explosion to occur at that spot (on the park bench)."

"Some of us will forever wonder what he (Hinrichs) was doing at that time, at that place," Police Chief Phil Cotten said.

Mark Tapscott and Michelle Malkin are also covering the developments. Mark has links to his vast archive on this story.