Professor Hex: Collarbomber Update

The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) has released a new report concerning what they are calling the Collarbomber case. Some of the details confirm what the Professor has already discerned.

Brian Wells was never intended to rob that bank successfully.

The behavior seen in this crime was choreographed by "Collarbomber" watching on the sidelines according to a written script in which he attempted to direct others to do what he wanted them to do. This is very unusual and complex criminal behavior. Because of the complex nature of this crime, the BAU believes there were multiple motives for the offender, and money was not the primary one.

As I've mentioned before, I don't believe that the bank robbery was the primary motive in this case. Indeed, I don't think that money was any motive at all. I think this entire action was an "experiment in terror", if you will, an experiment in the manipulation of an average citizen. The bank robbery was never the primary objective and served only as a red herring. One of many. The bomber knew that from the moment the collar was attached Brian Wells had only 55 minutes to live, and yet Mr. Wells was sent on a series of errands against a clock that spelled not only his doom, but the failure of the entire mission. The designer of this crime would not have left that to chance.

If "Collarbomber" was primarily concerned with getting the money, he would have wanted Brian Wells out of the area of the PNC bank as soon as possible.

While the Collarbomber indicates in his letter that Brian could use various keys to disarm the bomb at predetermined intervals and "buy" himself more time, I don't believe that any of these keys actually worked (as indicated in the FBI report concerning loose and misleading wires in the bomb itself). Additionally, while the note to Brian from the Collarbomber indicates an ability to detonate the bomb from a distance, this also seems to have been a ruse designed to manipulate Mr. Wells.

The behavior seen in this crime was choreographed by "Collarbomber" watching on the sidelines

I still think that this crime was being watched closely by the manipulators, though I do not believe, as the Collarbomber would like, that they had more than a token presence on the ground. And while is probably too late to search for the remote digital cameras placed along Mr. Wells's route, I firmly believe that they were there at one time. The person who did this had to watch it, needed to watch it. This is their reality TV. While I risk open ridicule by mentioning this, I think that a partial motive for this crime involved the creation of an elaborate snuff film. I know, snuff films don't exist. Tell me another one.

The FBI would do well for itself in attempting to track down the video tape of this crime and then work backwards to discover the perpetrators.

And frankly, while the FBI report only tacitly acknowledges it, this was obviously the work of a group of people. This was not the work of one man, nor two, nor three. This was the work of a conspiracy. As much as you might hate the word, there it is, just as Webster's defines it. I think the FBI report errs in assuming that the builder of the bomb must necessarily be the "mastermind'. If you acknowledge a conspiracy, why not assume a mastermind and a mechanic? I would certainly investigate any sudden deaths among grumpy anti-establishment tinkerers in the last year. I think our mastermind would cover his tracks.

While asserting that money was not the primary motive for this crime, the FBI report later backtracks and notes that:

"Despite the fact that this was an elaborate plan, it ultimately fell apart. Brian Wells was killed, and the bank's money was recovered. It is not likely "Collarbomber " intended for his scheme to end in the way it did or as quickly as it did. He did not invest his time and effort into this plan only for it to fail, and the reality of this failure would have angered and frustrated him. He may still be brooding about the outcome a year later."

Tosh.

His plan didn't fail. His plan was a success.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:36 PM

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