Aspen – Bombs Wrapped Like Christmas Gifts Delivered To Banks – Suspect Found Dead

Aspen Bomb Suspect

A man delivered bombs wrapped as Christmas presents to two banks Wednesday along with notes threatening “mass death” if they did not turn over tens of thousands of dollars, Aspen police said Thursday.

Authorities were quickly alerted, and the man apparently halted his plan — leaving two bombs in an alley that were likely intended for other banks, police said.

The man, identified as James Blanning, 72, who had had previous contacts with law enforcement, was later found dead after apparently shooting himself, police said.

His body was found in his car in a rural area east of Aspen.

The incidents Wednesday sparked the evacuation of a 16-block area of Aspen on New Year’s Eve, one of the busiest days of the year for businesses in Aspen.

Bomb squads ultimately detonated the devices, and no one was injured.

Evacuation orders were lifted early Thursday.

Source – CNN.com.

The following is the text of four identical notes left with gasoline bombs by a man who was found dead and who police said was trying to extort Aspen, Colo., banks on New Year’s Eve:

YOU HAD BETTER BE A VERY COOL INDIVIDUAL AND NOT START A PANIC OR MANY IN ASPEN WILL PAY A HORRIBLE PRICE IN BLOOD.

WE HAVE ALL OF THE COP THREATS TO US UNDER VERY SOPHISTICATED ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE. DO NOT F— WITH US OR THERE WILL BE MASS DEATH LIKE WE HAVE ALL BEEN PART OF OVER IN THAT F—ING QUICKSAND TRAP THAT ROVE’S AND CHANEY’S MONKEY BUS PUT US INTO WHERE SO MANY OF OUR SOUL MATES AND BROTHERS DIED VERY HORRIBLE DEATHS.

DO NOT MOVE OR COVER THE VERY BIG FIRE CRACKER IN THE PLASTIC CONTAINER. UNIQUE CHEMICALS AND ELECTRONICS.

TAKE THIS SHEET AND THE WHITE BOX TO THE ACTING HEAD TELLER. THE OTHER THREE ASPEN BANKS ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING THIS ONE IS AND THIS IS AS MUCH A SUICIDE MISSION AS A BANK ROBBERY, SO, IF IT GETS F—-D UP, OUR SOULS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESTROYED AND WE WILL ALL DIE LIKE THE RAG-HEAD MARTYRS THAT WE WERE KILLING OVER THERE. THEY TRAINED US GOOD FOR THIS SORT OF THING.

PUT $60,000 IN USED $100s IN THE WHITE BOX. ANY DYES, TRACKERS, OR OTHER BULLS—T WILL CAUSE DISASTER TO ALL.

IN 20 MINUTES HAVE SOMEONE TAKE THE WHITE BOX OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF THE BANK AND WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE COMES UP AND POINTS DIRECTLY TO THE BOX WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, THEN GIVE IT TO HIM. HE HAS BEEN AND IS WELL COVERED.

AFTER 2 HOURS THE FIRE CRACKER (IED), IF NOT DISTURBED, WILL AUTOMATICALLY DEACTIVATE AND CAN BE MOVED TO A SAFE PLACE (THE DUMP?) TO BE DISPOSED OF. FOR VERY UNIQUE CHEMICAL REASONS, WE RECOMMEND THAT ALL BE SET ON FIRE. WE LEARNED SOME NASTY CHEMISTRY FROM THE MARTYRS, ETC.

PS – FOR ADDED INSURANCE, THERE IS ALSO A FIFTH FIRE CRACKER HIDDEN IN A HIGH END WATERING HOLE THAT WE WILL REMOVE AFTER WE ARE FULLY CLEAR AND KNOW FOR SURE ALL HAS GONE WELL. F— THE WHOLE WORLD, ALREADY.

Source: Aspen Police Department

2nd Arrest Made In Woodburn Bank Bombing That Killed Two Police Officers

UPDATE: The father of a Salem man accused of killing two Oregon law enforcement officers in a bank explosion was arrested and charged Tuesday, authorities said.

Bruce Turnidge, 57, faces charges of murder, attempted murder, assault and the manufacture and possession of an explosive device.

“There was sufficient evidence for him to be charged with all the same offenses as his son,” said Courtland Geyer, the deputy district attorney in Marion County. Read more