The act of sending lethal parcels, commonly known as letter bombing, is a widely prevalent and ancient practice than one might initially consider. ‘Murder by Mail’ is the first book that meticulously explores this gruesome phenomenon, featuring intriguing instances from the 17th until the 21st century, compiled by Roth and Cengiz.
Jonathan Swift had a narrow escape from a fatal postal package in 1712, which encompassed firearms devised to ignite as the package was unfolded. As technology progressed, the components required for creating a letter bomb became affordable, easily accessible, and desirable to extremists of every variety. Although the anonymous nature of these postal explosives helped in maintaining the attacker’s safety, the reliability of these bombs has been consistently questionable. In general, most are either disarmed or fail to trigger, although they have indeed caused death and injury.
The book chronicles several phases of letter bombing orchestrated by anarchists, fascists, and nationalists, including Irish Republicans. Some governments have also utilised this method, appreciating the plausible deniability associated with it. Israel, Russia, and South Africa during the apartheid era are among the most recurrent offenders. Interestingly, letter bombs have been utilised for non-political motives too, often by individuals seeking retaliation against former romantic partners or employers, criminals demanding ransom, or simply by sociopaths seeking mischievous thrill.
The infamous letter bomber, Ted Kaczynski, or the ‘Unabomber’ as he’s widely known, merits a separate chapter for his atrocities. Kaczynski is on record for killing three people and wounding fifteen others through a series of mail bombings between 1978 and 1995. His manifesto, elucidating his solo war against the tech industry and ecological decay, stirred future generations of radicals across the political landscape.
Murder by Mail: A Global History of The Letter Bomb presents a chilling and bone-chilling exploration of this long-established lethal scheme, captivating the readers with its content.
Roth and Cengiz have extensively gathered many examples spanning over centuries, but their book “Murder by Mail” comes to an abrupt end, leaving a gap that could’ve addressed the larger inquiries sparked by the text. The methods governments have used to combat mail bomb strategies, the extent to which these lethal tactics have allowed extremists to realise their political intentions, and why the use of this method is more prevalent in certain parts of the world than others are all valid concerns unexplained. While we may not get solutions to all these queries, “Murder by Mail” offers a riveting, albeit bone-chilling, exploration into this centuries-old lethal strategy that has received scarce examination. Kieran McConaghy, a lecturer at the University of St Andrews’ School of International Relations, offers this assessment.