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Home Front: WoT
Day 2: Police arrest between three and five people in connection with the Nashville car bombing, according to an Al Arabiya correspondent
2020-12-26
Yesterday’s report can be seen here. Scroll down through the comments to see how information developed over the course of the day.
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Courtesy of Besoeker:
Nashville RV Kaboom
Link could reveal same or similar model type and year of manufacture. (Camper shell window configuration is different from media/police foto)



An interesting Twitter thread from a gentleman who describes himself as Lawyer. Former federal prosecutor. Legal analyst. Partner @BurrForman. asking what was the real goal of a terror attack in front of the AT&T building that carefully harmed as few people as possible:
Posted by:Fred

#66  No need for 2 stage explsives. Blow up the propane tanks and the propane slow burns until it has enough oxygen. The high pressure propane escapes first through the path of least resistance, the roof vents. Only when there is enough oxygen does an explosion occur. That is why you see a 2 stage detonation.
Posted by Cloling Borgia4562


That makes sense and aligns with the videos.
Posted by: Tennessee   2020-12-26 23:44  

#65  I'm pretty sure Deadeye has insulted just about every Rantburger.
Posted by: Thimp Clusort2035   2020-12-26 23:33  

#64  Propane is simple to handle and the most available petroleum gas. Everything else is an order of magnitude harder to make into a bomb.
Posted by: Cloling Borgia4562   2020-12-26 23:20  

#63  #61 Blow up the propane tanks...
Is there any evidence of propane tanks?

All RV's of this type have Propane tanks.
Posted by: Chuckles Platypus3607   2020-12-26 23:07  

#62  My bet is on the simplest: revenge suicide by a female who was a disgruntled fired/former employee, followed by the psychiatric attack against a perceived evil.

I'm leaning towards borderline personality trying to "send a message". :)
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 23:06  

#61  Blow up the propane tanks...

Is there any evidence of propane tanks?
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 23:02  

#60  The extended warning message (possibly female voice)

From the video I've seen, the voice sounds synthesized.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 23:01  

#59  the only theory that I am entertained by is actually akin to the last Christmastime RV related thermobaric explosion that occurred in the Chicago area in 1989...which was yesterday's blast was caused by Clark Griswold's Cousin Eddie dumping his RV toilet in the sewer in downtown Nashville...you have to admit there are some similarities.

My first comment on Insty about this was "Anyone seen the Griswolds?"
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 23:00  

#58  and if so yesterdays bomb was a complex two stage device.

No need for 2 stage explsives. Blow up the propane tanks and the propane slow burns until it has enough oxygen. The high pressure propane escapes first through the path of least resistance, the roof vents. Only when there is enough oxygen does an explosion occur. That is why you see a 2 stage detonation.
Posted by: Cloling Borgia4562   2020-12-26 22:48  

#57  deadeye

Female suicide attempts outnumber male suicide attempts, however, actual female suicides are far less common than male suicides.

Female suicides are also less likely to be violent than male suicides.

Suicide by blowing yourself up in a car/truck/van is so uncommon it isn't even tracked.
Posted by: Lord Garth   2020-12-26 22:22  

#56  The simplest explanation: suicide, a female who is a disgruntled fired/former employee.

SUICIDE: this remains to be seen, but if the video evidence shows nobody leaving the vehicle after it was parked, and the remains turn out to be human remains, then it is very likely a suicide.

FEMALE: mostly psychologically congruent with female suicide patterns: female more typical than male to be non-violent, males more violent, think pills vs gun. Males more likely to murder-suicide. However: violent female suicides tend to be planned to avoid others. This fits that pattern. The extended warning message (possibly female voice). the timing: early AM few people out and about plus even fewer due to Christmas. Favors a female suspect in the search.

DISGRUNTLED: revenge at AT&T since the positioning appears to be deliberate: ATT took the biggest part of the blast. Supports ATT being apparently targeted. Damage ATT for revenge. "see what you did to me? See what you made me do!" congruent with both suicide and revenge, but did not wish to take others or harm others (congruent with female).

Terror: scrupulously timing and isolation of the target to prevent casualties, and by doing so reducing the damage done, no targeting of governmental, military, police, or authority facilities. No manifesto, no taking credit. All of these mitigate against terrorism.

Blowing up an AT&T switching center in this particular manner is atypical of any terrorist group - and at its worst would be a military act, possibly a warning shot (literally). So intel must eliminate international or national actors: Iran, China, Russia, NKorea, in that order. Highly unlikely compared to a disgruntled depressed former employee who is getting revenge.

The other most reasonable alternative is simply a paranoid mentally ill person who believes ATT is evil and must be stopped, so in their own mind made a heroic attempt to do so. This can be from the right (ATT helps NSA deep state), the left (anti-corporate), or the just plain looney "they're controlling my mind and giving me cancer with 5g"

The typical extreme right conspiracy idiocy is that it is the deep state covering up Dominion or other stupidity for which there is ZERO evidence that anything at all with Dominion was present or associated with this ATT center.

The typical extreme left conspiracy is that this was a test run for repetition of the attack in key areas of the "cheater" states, as a pretext for President Trump to declare martial law.

Or the right side flip of this: it was a Deep State test run to prep for Deep State Controlled Biden administration to bomb key locations in red states/areas as a pretext to declare martial law in Red state areas.

The conspiracy theories are "thriller" spy-book material, and appeal to conspiracy nuts and Alex Jones, but are far less likely.

Notably, you have to be paranoid and/or schizophrenic with a below average IQ to uncritcally accept the the conspiracy angles as "truth" without considerably more physical evidence, especially in light of the much higher likelihood of the targeted attack due to revenge or psychiatric reasons.

My bet is on the simplest: revenge suicide by a female who was a disgruntled fired/former employee, followed by the psychiatric attack against a perceived evil.

There's the summary. Let's revisit once this thing gets solved.
Posted by: Deadeye Jaiting7534   2020-12-26 21:57  

#55  Spitballing is a genuine analysis technique in early inquiries for investigative assignments.
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2020-12-26 21:10  

#54  Al Arabiya posts--Update: Police arrest between three and five people in connection.

Thought there would be more detail on this. I asked myself, if this were true why wouldn't our MSM report this. I reflected on this thought for a minute and told myself, "Never mind."
Posted by: JohnQC   2020-12-26 21:09  

#53  I think a lot of people are extrapolating small details to fit their preferred theories.

Please continue extrapolating. Whatever the process or motivation, our collective synaptic buttons need mashing.

Posted by: Besoeker   2020-12-26 21:03  

#52  Blowed up real good!
Posted by: Anomalous Sources   2020-12-26 20:43  

#51  #28
I think a lot of people are extrapolating small details to fit their preferred theories. We have next to zero data, but you're making conclusions?

This is more an event on scale with the Olympic Park bomb than 9/11 or Lexington-Concord.
Posted by: Rob Crawford


FWIW - 9/11 or Lexington Concord...the only theory that I am entertained by is actually akin to the last Christmastime RV related thermobaric explosion that occurred in the Chicago area in 1989...which was yesterday's blast was caused by Clark Griswold's Cousin Eddie dumping his RV toilet in the sewer in downtown Nashville...you have to admit there are some similarities.
Posted by: Tennessee   2020-12-26 20:08  

#50  #28 What is the evidence the bomb was thermostatic? Your interpretation of a couple videos?

Sorry, but that's not evidence.

I think a lot of people are extrapolating small details to fit their preferred theories. We have next to zero data, but you're making conclusions?

It wasn't a powerful bomb. It didn't destroy or even take offline the AT&T facilities. I'll be a little surprised if any buildings are condemned.

This is more an event on scale with the Olympic Park bomb than 9/11 or Lexington-Concord.
Posted by: Rob Crawford


Tracking on the thermostatic vice thermobaric. Fairly confident on my assessment that the explosive device was thermobaric...and if so yesterdays bomb was a complex two stage device. What folks are calling a firework or rocket going into the sky would be the gas under pressure shooting straight up from the roof of the RV just prior to ignition. And yes videos are evidence.

The explosion did take AT&T offline along with 911 lines, LE comms, phone service and other systems. Not sure how long they were down.

I make no conclusions nor have theories. I only state what I see and what I know the effects of the blast are. I think most are very curious on what happens next since we aren't really sure on the motive of the attack...just the effects...but we do have indicators that the attackers have a plan and this appears to be just phase 1.
Posted by: Tennessee   2020-12-26 19:44  

#49   So her Verizon account has cellular access while all our AT&T related services are dead in the water.

Thank you for sharing that information, Bob Grorong1136. Mr. Wife informs me that we have one company for our cell phones and a different one for internet and television, so we’re already where we need to be for this kind of thing.
Posted by: trailing wife   2020-12-26 18:56  

#48  Death by Winnebago ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2020-12-26 18:52  

#47  The reason I lean towards Suicide Bombing is just a couple of seconds before the RV went up someone fired a rocket up into the sky from the RV then the RV went up per video.
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589   2020-12-26 18:52  

#46  Suicide bombing???
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589   2020-12-26 18:46  

#45  WHy Nashville?

Cover for voter cheating in Georgia?
Posted by: Bobby   2020-12-26 18:36  

#44  ah, to answer questions, my workaround is to use my wife's Verizon work-related hotspot.

So her Verizon account has cellular access while all our AT&T related services are dead in the water. still.
Posted by: Bob Grorong1136   2020-12-26 18:04  

#43  @#'s 33 & 39 and others regarding POI:

Here is a link to a photo of the suspect RV.

Here is a streetview image of the RV in the rear yard at 115 Bakertown Road, Antioch TN, the address attributed to Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, the person of interest.

RV striping doesn't match.

Could the missing striping have been taped over? Sure, but evidence would be needed.

Posted by: Anomalous Sources   2020-12-26 17:29  

#42  Enough of this "voting machine" bullshit. All elections in this country - no exceptions - from now on should be done in-person, photo ID and signature verification required, with private booths and paper ballots handed in, counted by hand and witnessed by representatives of both candidates. Fingerprinting of voters and inking of each voter's finger upon submission of the paper ballot.

And we need a do-over, following the above bulletproof and technology-free practices, of the Nov. 3 elections.
Posted by: Shomolet Tingle3000   2020-12-26 17:06  

#41  
Posted by: 3dc   2020-12-26 17:00  

#40  
Posted by: 3dc   2020-12-26 16:53  

#39  #36 - the RV, which had been parked in his yard, was moved a couple days ago. It’s not there now.
Posted by: Bobby   2020-12-26 16:25  

#38  The explosion being described by another as thermobaric seemed reasonable based on the blast color, and the apparent damage, which is far more extensive than the Olympic/Jewell bombing, the damage analysis from on-scene video supports the blast size, the cellular/911/internet damage reported seems to suggest it did have an impact on ATT ops, the nature of the casualty avoidance and warnings give a clear suggestion of careful and thoughtful planning, if you reexamine my use of conditional [phrasing regarding Lexington and Concord to see it was merely a thought question, and as for evidence, when you get to trial the evidentiary rules are more apt. You may draw a different conclusion but being dismissive and suggesting the blast was minor seems uninformed.
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2020-12-26 16:22  

#37  This is more an event on scale with the Olympic Park bomb than 9/11 or Lexington-Concord

Yes. Prob'y a native-born amateur / nut like Eric Rudolph. Not a grand conspiracy.
Posted by: Thumble the Grim2222   2020-12-26 15:22  

#36  I saw the info about the guy but I'm a bit irritated the news is too freaking lazy to drive to his house and look and see if his RV is still there. If so, it probably wasn't him
Posted by: Silentbrick   2020-12-26 15:20  

#35  Dial up?
Posted by: swksvolFF   2020-12-26 15:19  

#34  Fair question.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2020-12-26 15:17  

#33  Anthony Quinn Warner is "person of interrest". (Link to story)
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589   2020-12-26 15:16  

#32   We have been down since yesterday morning, network & cellular, meaning no internet, no cellular phone calls, etc.

What is your workaround to read and post on Rantburg, Bob Grorong1136? I’ll need to add that to my resilience planning.
Posted by: trailing wife   2020-12-26 15:09  

#31  *Swalwell looks over his shoulder*

Its like a plot point out of a Die Hard movie.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2020-12-26 14:49  

#30  ^ better than thermonuclear
thank heaven for small favors
Posted by: Zenobia Sproing9405   2020-12-26 14:46  

#29  Autocorrupt "fixed" thermobaric for me. Apologies for not catching it.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 14:44  

#28  What is the evidence the bomb was thermostatic? Your interpretation of a couple videos?

Sorry, but that's not evidence.

I think a lot of people are extrapolating small details to fit their preferred theories. We have next to zero data, but you're making conclusions?

It wasn't a powerful bomb. It didn't destroy or even take offline the AT&T facilities. I'll be a little surprised if any buildings are condemned.

This is more an event on scale with the Olympic Park bomb than 9/11 or Lexington-Concord.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 14:43  

#27  
Posted by: Jiling Gravitch9209 v   2020-12-26 14:23  

#26  He was sleeping in this morning?
Posted by: Raj   2020-12-26 13:28  

#25  What took Alex Jones so long?
Posted by: Clem   2020-12-26 12:31  

#24  #21 What expertise? It doesn't strike me as particularly sophisticated, especially if it was a suicide bomb. The loudspeaker is odd, but doesn't take much effort these days.
Posted by Rob Crawford


Within CONUS - how many other effective thermobaric devices have been successfully deployed? And the bomber will AAR and improve the device used yesterday. And will learn from the post attack assessment on whether their intended effect was fully achieved. I concur with No More BS...a very specific skill set was employed...whether military/agency trained or self taught...also remember many Antifa types deployed to Syria to fight with the the YPG against ISIS...skills and planning were learned there as well.
Posted by: Tennessee   2020-12-26 12:23  

#23  Dry run?
Next such attack to be followed by a series of coordinated, dispersed attacks that exploit inability of LEO and first responders to use the network?
Posted by: Elmavising de Medici6765   2020-12-26 12:19  

#22  expertise and meticulous planning that fits a very specific kind of milspec skills.

What we are seeing is that the tactical/operational planning was/is as sophisticated as the device. Intended effects were gained.
Posted by: Tennessee   2020-12-26 12:14  

#21  What expertise? It doesn't strike me as particularly sophisticated, especially if it was a suicide bomb. The loudspeaker is odd, but doesn't take much effort these days.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 12:10  

#20  #13 above
The sophistication described for the thermobaric explosion and the needed technical modifications to the vehicle, plus the location, casualty adverse time and choices of a pre-alert and verbal warning all speak of a kind of expertise and meticulous planning that fits a very specific kind of milspec skills. This is homegrown and the Dominion linkage seems telling if accurate. Is this a Lexington and Comcord moment?
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2020-12-26 11:59  

#19  If the bomber was not found dead at the scene then we need to concern ourselves with what comes next. What critical infrastructure (power, comms...) is most vulnerable and needs to be protected.

For situational awareness - negative effects on first responder capabilities (comms, 911 and related systems) has now spread state-wide. For the time being it is not getting better it is getting worse.
Posted by: Tennessee   2020-12-26 11:57  

#18  #17 - JQC - just noticed that on my Verizon phone. Restarted and it has bars now
Posted by: Frank G   2020-12-26 11:37  

#17  #6 well if nothing else, it shows that AT&T has a massive problem with a single point of failure in a large part of their network.

Today, Verizon is also having outages about like AT&T. Is it possible that Verizon was routed through the Nashville AT&T center? Just asking. 911 and EMS was knocked out in Nashville. Definitely a single-point failure with widespread effects. No one has yet come forward to claim responsibility.
Posted by: JohnQC   2020-12-26 11:20  

#16  Yes, it's the same Cerebus and CEO Stephen A. Feinberg. Very dated (2007) KOS posting, but the first thing that popped up:

Larger CIA and DoD Privatization Scandal Emerging from Walter Reed Story, US Attorneys Firing

Excerpt: Cerberus owns, or had a major interest in, a string of now-bankrupt companies that had contracts with U.S. defense and intelligence agencies that were found to have a common pattern of large-scale fraud, security problems, and financial scandals involving GOP lawmakers and lobbyists.

Will we soon learn that a significant loss of critical election data has occurred in Dominion voting backup systems ?

Could point to political motive for bombing.

Posted by: Besoeker   2020-12-26 11:19  

#15  Actually the above were former owners but there is supposed to be some existing building ownership connections to Dominion, still.
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589   2020-12-26 11:05  

#14  The bombed Nashville AT&T Building is owned by Cerebus Capital. Owners of Dominion Voting System.
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589   2020-12-26 11:00  

#13  Definitely looking like a thermobaric fuel air type explosive. Just watched two videos of the incident from different angles and approximately 2 seconds prior to the blast a gas is ejected from the top of the RV perhaps through a vent. The gas pushes quickly up at least two stories before ignition. From a distance the gas appeared brown in color.
Posted by: Tennessee   2020-12-26 10:51  

#12  What destroyed AT&T building? Is that from another incident? In this case the outages didn't start until hours later; my understanding is the bomb did cause a power cut, but the generators started and everything was fine until there was worry about a gas leak and the natural gas was shut off hours later.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-12-26 10:43  

#11  The destroyed AT&T building was supposed to be bomb proof, too.
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589   2020-12-26 10:37  

#10  I'll go with disgruntled employee. Final answer.
Posted by: jpal   2020-12-26 10:19  

#9  Re: #6. The entire point of the ARPANet project was a network resilient enough to survive a nuclear war. But once the bean counters and grasping contractors get involved...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2020-12-26 10:01  

#8  Stepson lives near Nashville. He is freaked out, no cellphone, no regular messages. He does have some internet and can get but not send Imessages.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2020-12-26 09:56  

#7  ^ we dodged a bullet. Merry Christmas
Posted by: Ebbiling Crimble6001   2020-12-26 09:49  

#6  well if nothing else, it shows that AT&T has a massive problem with a single point of failure in a large part of their network.

We have been down since yesterday morning, network & cellular, meaning no internet, no cellular phone calls, etc. and we are 50 miles SE of Nashville.

That's something I would expect if Nashville itself was turned into a smoking crater. Not a relatively contained explosion in front of a switching office. I would expect AT&T to have redundant backups.
Posted by: Bob Grorong1136   2020-12-26 09:43  

#5  Feels more like an OK City bombing, only this time avoiding casualties to avoid the massive bad publicity blowback..... of course, that's what I'm supposed to think..
Posted by: Spike Glusoling9558   2020-12-26 08:26  

#4  /\ Sort of contradicts the current Islamic terrorist schema.
Posted by: Besoeker   2020-12-26 07:45  

#3  Mr Little's theory pointing to a state sponsored attack on US infrastructure is clever but omits some logic. If you want to take down infrastructure without killing people while maximizing publicity, then a car bomb is about as crude and wasteful and ineffective a method as any.

For starters, no one's paying attention. American Big Media and Big Tech show zero interest because there's no racial angle. AT&T as ogre (or victim) doesn't fit anyone's narrative (except maybe Sprint/T-Mobile's but I don't think Legere is partial to RVs).

The bigger reason is that, if tit-for-tat & sending a signal is the goal, then more cyber attacks are far more effective than the kind of crude and weird gesture we just saw.

This most definitely has zero to do with sophisticated Russian or Chinese actors. It's almost certainly a home-grown weirdo. Unabomber stuff.
Posted by: Theatch Slaiper9127   2020-12-26 07:45  

#2  Planned infrastructure attack with no casualties if possible appears to be the objective.
Posted by: Blackbeard Barnsmell6454   2020-12-26 07:42  

#1  
Given the proximity of the AT&T building. An AT&T's Donations to certain Socialist Candidates.

See OPENSECRETS.COM website

I wonder IF there is a connection?
Posted by: NN2N1   2020-12-26 07:26  

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