If: a powerful word that offers a look back in time and piques a lot of questions.
If the suspect had been captured at an earlier date, would fewer people have died at the hands of one ruthless man and a plethora of explosives?
If security were tighter, would the criminal have gotten away with his first act of violence?
If someone had attempted to alter the bomber's perspective ahead of his heartless killing spree, would American's be plagued with less fear?
Before there was an "if" there was a crime. iHeartRadio podcast Flashpoint takes us back to the 90s to explore the evolution of "America's greatest threat" and "the political and religious radicalization of homegrown terrorists," beginning on July 27th, 1996. Per the podcast summary:
"On July 27th, 1996, a domestic terrorist bombed the Summer Olympic Games held in Atlanta, GA. While the FBI and the media fixated on the wrong man, the bomber planned his next, more overtly political attacks on 2 abortion clinics and a gay nightclub. The bomber would later be identified as a dedicated soldier in the white-supremacist Christian Identity Movement."
The latest episode, "TWINBOMB" zooms in on the bombing of an abortion clinic in Sandy Springs (linked to the 1996 Olympic bomber), following a string of domestic terrorist acts across the U.S.
"The motivation behind the bombs was still unclear to law enforcement, but some were beginning to sense that they were somehow related. Three bombs, two locations, one with a warning call to 911. The pieces were beginning to come together, but the bomber was still on the loose. Standing back, standing by, ready to strike again."
To discover the identity of the suspect and learn more about each bombing through the lens of the victims, check out iHeartRadio podcast Flashpoint.