TERROR IN OKLAHOMA CITY : Identifying the Victims

Medical examiners say bodies recovered from the bombing are being treated as homicide victims, and X-rays and photographs will be saved as evidence. Children have been among the most difficult to identify, authorities say, because they don’t have fingerprint or dental records. The examiner’s office has called in outside experts, including a U.S. Army mortuary team, forensic dentists and forensic pathologists, FBI fingerprint specialists and computer experts who help compile records. Once the victims are identified, special teams of counselors, including clergy members, contact families and provide their services.

Tip Line Nears 7,000 Calls

The FBI tip line established to gather leads in the case has logged 6,700 calls as of Monday afternoon. It has been in operation 24 hours a day since Thursday. A small army of federal and other law enforcement authorities were hoping the line would lead to “John Doe No. 2.” He is suspected of being one of two men who rented the van used to bomb the federal building.

Ammonium Nitrate: $150 a Ton

Ammonium nitrate, the fertilizer believed to be the truck bomb’s key ingredient, is used on a wide variety of crops, from citrus to small grains. According to fertilizer suppliers, a ton sells for $150 to $180 in the Oklahoma region. Buying it in smaller quantities would be more costly, with a 50-pound bag selling for $9. The substance is white in color and can be bought in amounts as small as 5 pounds in local nurseries.