The Department of Defense under the auspices of the recently passed
antiterrorism bill have added new DOMESTIC antiterrorism teams. The
new units shoulder patch was recently delivered to a friend of mine.
You may view the new shoulder patch at:
http://www.mccullagh.org/image/otherphotos/terror.html
Thanks to Declan Mccullagh for placing the digital photo of the patch
on his web site. The patch came to a Freematt's Alerts subscriber,
who is a retired police supervisor. The patch came in an unmarked,
brown envelope. According to an unnamed military source the patch is
of the latest issue (about 8 weeks old). On a related front, Ohio
currently is in the process of getting 5 - 50 man anti-terrorist
teams to be attached to the Ohio National Guard and stationed in the
following areas: Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati, Central Ohio
(Columbus) and the Akron/Canton/Youngstown area. These units are
funded via a separate channel and are not funded by the state
government, but rather from a federal antiterrorism fund. It is not
clear who they take their orders from. Other National Guardsmen are
not being informed of these unit activations, the reason given is the
usual "need to Know" excuse.
These units have training from and are rotating out of Rangers, Delta
(Combat Applications Group), SOCOM, and other 'snake-eater' groups.
This has been in the works for the last couple of years. Originally
each state was supposed to get one 50 man unit. Ohio requested, and
apparently obtained, a total of 5 (250 men total). Other states have
at least one 50 man unit with some states getting additional teams as
needed or requested. These state groups are not to be confused with
the unit that is featured with the above shoulder patch. That
apparently is a national or federal antiterrorism team.
It should be obvious that everyone should be concerned over the
constitutional questions as to the legality of such military teams
acting domestically. Of equal concern to me is that due to the cult
of secrecy of our military forces, it is very unclear just what role
and power these new units have or will have. I'm especially
concerned that in an age of decreased domestic terrorism (The US is
currently at a 20 year low) the rapid and ill defined expansion of
police state groups such as this will cause more domestic incidents
such as the bungled raid at Waco. When the only tool you have is a
hammer every problem looks like a nail.
Longtime Freematt's Alerts subscriber Jim Warren had these comments:
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 15:27:24 -0800
To: Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>, freematt@coil.com (Matthew Gaylor)
From: Jim Warren <jwarren@well.com>
Subject: Re: JPEG of DOD Anti-Terrorist patch -- WHO'S IN CHARGE?!
>>Subject: JPEG of DOD Anti-Terrorist patch
>>
>>This [shoulder patch] came from a police supervisor on my list. Interesting.
Although the shoulder-patch came from a police supervisor, what is MOST
interesting about it is that its logo indicates that it is a Dept of
DEFENSE patch ... *not* a patch of *civilian* law enforcement -- Dept of
Justice, FBI, ATF, etc.
Thus, the *real* questions are crucial *Constitutional* questions:
1. Does this patch imply that *domestic* counter-terrorism efforts in the
*civilian* sector are now under the direction and control of a *military*
task force in the Dept of Defense, rather than under control of *civilian*
domestic law enforcement agencies?
2. Are there parallel Anti-Terrorism Task Forces in the *civilian* Dept of
Justice (FBI) and perhaps Treasury Dept (ATF)? If so, are they operating
separately from the Defense Dept task force -- with likely wasteful
redundancy, turf-wars and information-hoarding? Of if they are [hopefully]
cooperating, then who the hell is really in charge?! Is the military
controlling or making decisions for *civilian* law enforcement?
3. Are the apparently-operational (complete with shoulder-patches)
*military* anti-terrorism officers and staff active in *civilian* domestic
investigative and/or enforcement activities? If so, are they on their own,
or are they under control if *civilian* law enforcement? And -- if not, is
this the first step in a military take-over over civilian law enforcement,
and/or investigation of American civilians (or is it just one more step in
the often-apparent, covert creeping militarism of formerly-civilian law
enforcement?!)?
Would any of our elected so-called representatives -- presidential or
congressional -- *dare* to ask these questions? Publicly?! And *demand*
answers?!!
--jim, Jim Warren; jwarren@well.com
Contributing Editor & technology public-policy columnist, MicroTimes Magazine
Also GovAccess list-owner/editor
Regards, Matt-
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