6 Bombs Found on Chemical Tanks Near Norfolk Naval Base

Six pipe bombs were found today attached to two huge chemical tanks several miles from the world’s largest naval base, authorities said. At least two of the bombs were disarmed this afternoon.

A one-square-mile area was evacuated, police dispatcher T. A. Walker said. The tank at Allied Terminals Inc., a commercial port, is in an industrial section along the waterfront, she said.

Two bombs were found on a tank containing highly volatile methanol early this morning, and then four more bombs were found hour later on an adjacent tank that contains a far less dangerous chemical. Both tanks can hold 3 million gallons and were about one-third full.

The tanks are about five miles from the Norfolk Naval Base, which has sent more than 35,000 sailors to Operation Desert Storm.

Security at the base had been tightened in the wake of Iraqi threats to commit terrorism because of the Mideast fighting.

Tom Love, spokesman for the FBI in Norfolk, said the agency has not determined if the bombs were the work of terrorists. “It’s much too early to say something like that,” he said. “What we’re saying is that we did respond to a complaint of an explosive device.”

Cathy Bulman, a city spokeswoman, had said the first two bombs found “look pretty sophisticated.”

Bob Jasinowski, a state police special agent, said the first bombs found were successfully disarmed and removed.

Lt. Cmdr. Mike Todd, a Navy spokesman, declined to say if the discovery of the bombs had resulted in heightened security at the base.

Police spokesman Bob Haynes said authorities were not aware of any telephoned bomb threats before the first bombs were found.

After the news about the bombs became public, a telephone threat was received about a device at the nearby Miller Oil Co. But no bomb was found there.