The Russell Street Bombing Read Free Page A

the scene had been so
quickly out-sourced to the Department of Defence experts, especially since all
crime scene examiners were trained in post-blast examination, but when he and
his team made their way into Russell Street, the breadth of the devastation
became obvious. He was glad of any assistance they could get.
    The group made their way gingerly towards the bomb car. Ashley and his
colleagues could see that the force of the blast had moved the car several
metres to the east leaving behind a shallow crater of sorts, measuring 15cm by
1.5m, which had formed with the impact of the explosion.
    Because the back of the car was more mangled than the front, investigators
concluded that the bomb had originated in the boot of the car. The amount of
live detonators and unexploded gelignite strewn around the bomb car told another
story - the bomb had not exploded to its full capacity. A second explosive had
been placed either on the front seats or in the centre console. Investigators
theorised that it had been dislodged in the first explosion. If the bomb had
exploded to its full capacity, the structure of the Russell Street building
itself might have been compromised.
    Senior Constable Dennis Tipping, who had earlier extinguished the flames of
the bomb, examined the immediate area for clues. He noticed a block of wood near
the steps of the south entrance. Nailed to the wood were the remains of an alarm
clock. It was only metres from the bomb car and remarkably still intact. The
experts concurred that the block of wood looked like it had been sawn from a
fence post. The clock had been nailed into place by a strip of metal fixed with
2-inch nails. There were wires attached to the block of wood and also a green
and white Chux Superwipe dishcloth. It looked like the bombers had used the
dishcloth to keep the wires from connecting on the drive to Russell Street.
    Chillingly, in the immediate vicinity was a plethora of wires tied together
in bundles. Also scattered around, were automotive sockets and other metal tools
that had been packed around the bomb to act as shrapnel in the explosion. To the
gathering of experts, this meant that the people who built the bomb had intended
to do maximum damage to anyone nearby. It was a deliberate attempt to main or
kill, and if the attack was against the police force, it was a vicious one. But
at this early stage, it was by no means certain that the attack was against the
police. Early media reports speculated that the bombing could have been directed
against the Melbourne Magistrates' Court across the road. Perhaps it was a
disgruntled person who held a grudge against a court ruling. It could even have
been a terrorist attack.
    Whatever the reason for the bomb, it was the lot of a crime scene examiner to
take a clinical rather than an emotional approach. Even though police may have
been targeted, and police officers had been seriously wounded in the attack,
this scene had to be treated methodically. Wayne Ashley also knew they had no
time to waste - a shower of rain or strong winds could interfere with potential
evidence. Somewhere in this chaos may be clues that could eventually identify
the perpetrators and help bring them to justice.
    The first priority for the Department of Defence team was to examine the bomb
car. The car could link back to the offenders, and its history was vital.
Despite the damage to the car, the make and model were still ascertainable. The
car was a 1980 two-tone VB Holden Commodore with gold mag wheels, a V8 engine
and a twin exhaust system. Luckily one of its numberplates was found nearby and
police were immediately able to trace the car's owner - he had reported the
Commodore stolen from the Brandon Park shopping centre in Mulgrave two days
before the bombing.
    Incredibly, they found a red and cream chequered blanket inside the twisted
wreck that had survived the blast relatively intact. The rug was removed and
placed in an evidence bag.
    When Bob Barnes and Peter Kiernan