ICI plea to judge over terror bombing claim

21 August 1995 00:00  [Source: ICB]

ICI EXPLOSIVES USA has asked a judge in Oklahoma City, US, to dismiss a damages claim made against it by victims of the terrorist bombing there in April.

O-J Simpson lawyer Johnnie Cochran is heading a case brought by 83 victims and their relatives, for $1bn compensation.

They claim ICI Explosives USA was negligent in allowing ammonium nitrate fertiliser to be sold, knowing that it could be used for explosive purposes.

It has not been established that the Oklahoma City bomb was made from ammonium nitrate fertilisers, or, if it was, that these were an ICI product.

The company has asked for the case to be dismissed on the grounds that independent tests had shown there were no known additives which could eliminate the explosive potential of ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

Some European countries require that before sale ammonium nitrate fertilisers are mixed with additives such as chalk, which is claimed to reduce its explosive properties, contrary to ICI's claims.

ICI also said that whether its products were used in the bombing was irrelevant.

'What is relevant is that a safe and useful product was altered and criminally misused by a terrorist,' the company claims.

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