MURDER IN THE HEARTLAND
TOM HARDIN'S STORY
by Pat Shannan
(published in Media Bypass in November, 1998)Since his early adulthood, Tom Hardin, 52, has been an amateur radio hobbyist. Disabled and living on social security, he is able to devote many hours a day to his hobby whenever he wants to. In August of 1994, a full eight months prior to the Oklahoma tragedy, he noticed an inordinate amount of air talk about the Oklahoma City area and began to intercept what he called "an unhealthy interest" by certain people in the "underground movement." There were complaints of concentration camps being built and a growing fear that the new federal prison Transfer Center at the airport would be used in a "roundup of patriots, home-schoolers, and Christian fundamentalists in general.
In September, Hardin had recorded several of these transmissions and took them to the FBI, where he met with Special Agent Scott Billings. Tom told the agent of the growing suspicions of a large segment of Americans and further said, "You people either need to clean up your act or else you need to be prepared to beef-up your security around these federal facilities, because it looks like you're headed for trouble in Oklahoma City." Agent Billings took notes but appeared to not be very inquisitive about the situation.
In a few weeks, Agent Billings phoned to see if Hardin had learned anything else that might be troubling. Indeed, Tom had. The group was now identifying themselves with military call signs, complaining about the state of affairs, and advocating revolution.
"Then one guy breaks in," said Hardin, "and said, `There's been enough talk, it's now time for action; it's time to do that building in Oklahoma City.' I took them [FBI] a raw tape of it and was guaranteed I'd get that back, but I never have." Billings told him to keep listening and if he could get some specifics, let them know. "What more was I supposed to do?" said Hardin. "They are supposed to be the investigators, not me."
Three days after the Murrah bombings in April of `95, Billings and two other agents, along with OKC policemen, came to Hardin's apartment. Billings knocked on the door while the others stood with their hands on their weapons. Hardin invited them all in, but only Billings entered and asked if Hardin had heard any more radical talk on the radio.
"Hell, son, there's a building down over there with a coupla' hundred people under it," Hardin retorted. "Does it really make any difference what kinda' talk I'm hearing now?" After a further brief conversation, Hardin extracted a promise from Billings to return two more tapes which he was lending to the FBI. He has never seen the agents nor the tapes again.
In September of 1997, Tom Hardin told his story to the county grand jury and understood that they would be subpoenaing the tapes from the FBI. He does not know if it has been done. If not, after a year, what are they waiting for?