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At least 30 people, including journalists, survivors and relatives of victims of the bombing, which killed 168 people, watched through a glass partition as a technician injected 33-year-old McVeigh with three drugs in sequence to induce unconsciousness, stop breathing and cause cardiac arrest in the death chamber in Terre Haute in Indiana state.
About 300 survivors and relatives of the victims watched the procedure on a close circuit television in Oklahoma city and 1700 journalists crowded Terre Haute in one of the most publicised executions.
Outside prison, pro and anti-death activists held demonstrations.
According to the ABC television network, McVeigh's body will be cremated and his ashes given to his attorney, who say they will be disposed of in a 'dignified manner' at a location to be meant secret forever.
McVeigh had once thought of asking that his ashes be scattered over the memorial for victims built in Oklahoma City but changed his mind.
Coincidentally, the execution comes on the day when President George W Bush leaves for Europe, where there is a strong anti-death penalty movement and is bound to encounter demonstration on that count.
McVeigh spent his last days in a cell, writing letters and saying goodbye to family members.
Prison warden Harley Lappin later told newspersons that McVeigh co-operated throughout with the procedure and remained calm.
"McVeigh made eye contact with the media and other witnesses. He walked and placed himself at the table and co-operated with jailors, showing no resistance," a media witness said.
"Sodium penthanol was injected through a leg vein to McVeigh, while he was strapped to the execution table to make him unconscious. His eyes, which had been wide open till then, started blinking a bit and then pancuronium bromide was administered to stop his breathing. His eyes started moving back and he took a heavy breath. Then potassium chloride was administered to stop his heart and a minutes later he was pronounced dead," the witness said.
McVeigh did not make a statement before he died but handed over to a witness a hand-written copy of a 19th century poem by Victorian poet William Ernest Henley which reflected on his defiance to the last.
Lappin said his body would be handed over to his relatives.
PTI
EARLIER REPORTMcVeigh execution triggers outrage
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