Freeway Phantom - Atlanta’s Olympic bombing... Introducing ‘Flashpoint’

Episode Date: July 25, 2024

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. Through the lens of these 4 bombings, and the victims left to pick up the pieces, Flashpoint explores America's greatest threat, the political and religious radicalization of homegrown terrorists.   Available now from Tenderfoot TV and iHeart Podcasts. Click here to listen to the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey, it's Matt Frederick from iHeart Podcasts, host of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. I have something new to share with you from Tenderfoot TV and the team behind Atlanta Monster. It's a new podcast called Flashpoint. Some of you may remember where you were on July 27th, 1996, when a domestic terrorist bombed the Summer Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. While the FBI and the media fixated on the wrong man, the real bomber was planning his next targets. A serial bomber, a manhunt, and the victims left to pick up the

pieces. This is Flashpoint. Check out this trailer. Back in 96, Atlanta was booming with excitement around hosting the Olympic Games. For the first time, our city was stepping into center stage. What no one could have predicted is that it would be remembered for something else. There is a bomb in Centennial Park. You have 30 minutes. Two people died that night, more than 100 injured. And the bombings, they were far from over.

The two bombs an hour apart that rocked an abortion clinic in Atlanta. I sat down just for a second and noticed a bright flash and then a tremendous blast. Two more bombs. This time at an Atlanta nightclub catering to lesbians. I saw as soon as I turned the corner, basically someone bleeding out. There was really little doubt that we were dealing with a serial bomber. The FBI would lead a five-year manhunt in search of a fugitive willing to kill for a cause. But this story isn't his story. It's a human story. One that I've become entangled with.

And it turns out, I'm not the only one. It kind of gave me a feeling of pending doom so many sleepless nights. I don't think I felt anything at the time or I didn't let myself think about it. It didn't feel real. The death threats that we subsequently received for years threatened the lives of our kids. These chaotic events tied our lives together in ways no one expected, jeopardizing the ground beneath our feet. And forcing us to explore the gray areas

between right and wrong, life and death. Our once ordinary lives changed forever. From Tenderfoot TV and iHeart Podcasts, I'm Cole Acasio, and this is Flashpoint. Why are you still alive? Lord was looking after us, is all I can say. Available now on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.