Before 1/1/2006, official US government sources will claim that a major act or set of connected acts of terrorism, war, crime or rebellion has resulted in at least 200 human deaths in the United States within some 48 hour period. The government sources must clearly claim that the deaths involve use of deadly force with intent which originated outside official government channels. A set of acts will be assumed to be connected if they are mentioned in the same allegations without official claims that they are unconnected.
This claim excludes cases in which the official statements made at the highest level express significant doubt whether the deaths were caused by acts of war or terrorism or were caused by natural causes or accidents. This claim also excludes civilian casualties associated with "police actions", mass suicides, resistance of arrest or accidents. The deaths at Waco or Ruby Ridge would both be excluded from this claim. Deaths that occur in US embassies overseas or in international waters or airspace over international waters are excluded from this claim.
Allegations of an act of terror, crime, rebellion or war must be supported by mainstream media including the New York Times, London Times, London Economist, LA Times or Washington Post. These allegations must not be officially denied or retracted by the Present or his staff within a week of this claim being made.The phrase "in the United States" includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia and territorial waters with 12 miles of the 50 states and District of Columbia as of 1/1/1997 and excludes all other territories and possessions.
This claim excludes "Unabomber" style killings in which a similar number of people are killed over a longer period of time. It is not necessary that there be an official or public consensus concerning who caused these deaths(merely that an act of terrorism is alleged by official sources and not denied by sources higher up in the government within a week of the time allegations have been made. The determination of the rank of government officials with regard to this claim will be the line of presidential succession.).
Intent: The intent of this claim is to attempt to predict if an action of the type seen in Oklahoma City is likely to occur again.
In the claim wording, the paragraph about "Allegations" refers to "the Present or his staff"; this should read "the President or his staff".
I will judge this claim mainly according to the conditions specified in the wording. In addition, I will also refer to the Oklahoma City bombing mentioned, as a key example of what would match the writer's intended meaning for events that would satisfy the claim, should such an event occur again.