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'Unabomber' Ted Kaczynski, 81, found dead in prison cell


 Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, was found dead in his prison cell in North Carolina on Saturday at the age of 81.

 Kaczynski was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for a series of bombings that occurred between 1978 and 1995, which targeted scientists and killed three people.

 He was arrested in 1996 at a primitive cabin in western Montana where he had been living. Kaczynski pleaded guilty to setting 16 explosions that killed three people and injured 23 others. 

The bombs he sent by mail, including one that detonated on an American Airlines flight, changed the way Americans sent packages and boarded airplanes. Kaczynski's anti-technology manifesto, "Industrial Society and Its Future," led to his eventual arrest after it was published by The Washington Post and The New York Times in 1995. In his personal journals, Kaczynski described his motive as "simply personal revenge."

Ted Kaczynski's bombings terrorized the United States for nearly two decades, with the Unabomber targeting universities, airlines, and other institutions associated with advanced technology. His homemade bombs were often disguised as everyday objects, such as packages or letters, and were designed to maim or kill unsuspecting victims who opened them.

Kaczynski's attacks caused widespread fear and panic, and the FBI launched a massive manhunt to catch him. He became one of the most wanted criminals in the country, and the search for him ended up costing millions of dollars.

In 1995, Kaczynski sent a letter to The New York Times, promising to stop his bombing campaign if the newspaper published his manifesto, "Industrial Society and Its Future." The Times and The Washington Post eventually published the manifesto, which railed against the effects of advanced technology on society and called for a return to a simpler way of life.

Kaczynski's brother, David, recognized the writing style in the manifesto and contacted the authorities, leading to his brother's arrest in 1996. Kaczynski was eventually sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Despite his horrific crimes, Kaczynski's case has also raised questions about mental illness and the impact of isolation on psychological well-being. Kaczynski lived in solitude for many years in his cabin in Montana, and his journals reveal a troubled and deeply disturbed individual.

While Kaczynski's death in prison marks the end of a dark chapter in American history, his bombings and their aftermath continue to have a lasting impact on the country's culture and psyche.


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