Eighteen-year-old Australian teenager Madeleine Pulver from New South Wales faced the ordeal of a lifetime Wednesday, reports the Australian Daily Telegraph. After more than 10 hours of what can only be described as abject horror, an Australian bomb squad released Pulver from a collar bomb device that had been strapped to her by an unidentified assailant.
Wealthy suburb closed as authorities dealt with bomb
New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch told local media that after 10-plus desperate hours, police were able to safely free Madeleine Pulver from the “very elaborate and sophisticated” explosive device. The bomb squad was able to disable the device and leave it intact for further examination.
After the all-clear sign was given, Pulver reunited safely with her parents. Her father, William, is the CEO of an international software company. It is unclear at this time why Pulver was targeted and what the bomber’s motive may have been. Some sources note that a message from the assailant was attached to the collar bomb, which may have identified demands. Australian authorities report that Pulver, who attends the exclusive Wenona girls school in North Sydney, has disclosed a great deal of useful information that will aid the ongoing investigation. The assailant reportedly wore a balaclava-style ski mask.
Extortion suspected
Murdoch told the Daily Telegraph that Madeleine Pulver could not escape from the collar bomb device. While the assistant commissioner would not identify many specifics pending the completion of the investigation, the newspaper quoted an unnamed police officer who claimed the collar bomb incident appeared to be an extortion attempt.
Bomb plots in popular culture
While the Madeleine Pulver collar bomb incident is the first recorded incident of its kind in Australian history, similar bomb plots have occurred. In 2003, Pennsylvania pizza delivery man Brian Wells became embroiled in a bank robbery bomb plot that ultimately claimed his life when the bomb strapped to him detonated. The upcoming film “30 Minutes or Less,” starring “The Social Network’s” Jesse Eisenberg is reportedly quite similar in plot to the Brian Wells incident.
Madeleine Pulver’s collar bomb ordeal
Sources
ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/australian-teenager-freed-bomb-ten-hours/story?id=14220990
Australian Daily Telegraph: http://bit.ly/rdYEUd
Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/03/collar-bomb-victim-freed-sydney
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