-Caveat Lector-
FBI Produces New Waco Documents
By David A. Vise and Lorraine Adams
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, October 8, 1999; Page A16
The FBI has turned over to investigators thousands of pages of
newly discovered internal documents that paint the most detailed
picture yet of the aggressive federal tactics used during the
51-day siege of the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Tex., in
1993 and offer a revealing look at the inner workings of the
operation.
Included among the intelligence reports, operational plans,
logs, photos and videos that the bureau did not produce during
previous broad-based congressional and federal probes is new
information that agents sought approval to shoot at Branch
Davidians who were not carrying weapons during the final siege.
But headquarters rejected the request. The documents also outline
seven instances in which the FBI threw or launched hand-held
"flash-bang" grenades at Davidians who were exiting the compound
earlier in the standoff.
The new documents were discovered in boxes at the FBI's complex
in Quantico after fresh subpoenas and other requests from the
Justice Department, various congressional committees and former
senator John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), who is spearheading a new
federal probe.
Federal officials, who asked not to be identified, said the FBI
had not previously provided the records, some of which are
stamped "Secret" or "Confidential," because earlier congressional
requests were drafted too narrowly or the bureau overlooked the
records.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) said yesterday that the newly
discovered FBI documents raise troubling questions.
"The material does fill in more pieces of the puzzle and paints
a disturbing picture of the FBI's judgment and tactics during the
final days of the siege," Grassley said. "Did all of the
Waco-related documents that would have reflected poorly on the
FBI end up at Quantico? How do we know all the documents have
been turned over now?"
The FBI documents range from the first day of the failed Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms raid, in which heavily armed
Branch Davidians killed four agents, through the aftermath of the
fire of April 19, 1993, that left about 75 sect members dead.
They appear to contain no conclusive evidence that the FBI
contributed to the start of the fire, or fired at the Branch
Davidians.
But the new records do provide clues relevant to Danforth's
inquiry regarding the possible use of deadly force. And they give
a day-by-day description of FBI operations during the almost
two-month siege, ranging from the often humorous daily weather
report that included a "mud index" to intelligence reports on
Waco-related Internet activities by militia groups.
They also reveal for the first time that FBI officials sought
medals for the agents involved in the deadly siege; headquarters
rejected that request too.
Among the documents are seven drafts of the FBI's operational
orders for the final siege, including two that said agents could
use deadly force against Branch Davidians carrying no weapons as
they emerged from the compound if they failed to respond to
commands as they approached law enforcement officials.
The final version of the operational orders reverts to standard
FBI policy, which prohibits the use of deadly force except as
necessary in self-defense or in the defense of another person.
Byron Sage, the FBI's chief negotiator at Waco, said the
modification in the agency's deadly force policy was proposed
after FBI agents received information from a Davidian who had
left that others inside were considering exiting the compound
with explosives strapped to their bodies. In that instance, he
said, the Davidians would have posed a danger even though no
weapons were visible.
The proposed orders were reviewed by Jeff Jamar and Richard
Rogers, the two senior FBI agents at Waco. Rogers also played a
role in the pivotal change in deadly-force policy that critics of
the FBI argue led to the 1992 fatal shooting of Vicki Weaver at
Ruby Ridge, Idaho.
In the first version of the Waco plan, dated March 4, 1993, the
field agents propose that the standard FBI deadly-force policy be
in effect: "Agents are not to use deadly force against any person
except as necessary in self-defense or the defense of another."
But in a later version, dated March 10, the FBI added language
that said agents could use deadly force against Davidians
emerging from the compound who did not respond to directions and
approached FBI agents, even if they had no visible weapon. Then,
in an April 9 version, the standard FBI policy is again listed,
although it is followed by a section that was redacted in the
document.
Danny O. Coulson, the FBI agent who manned the command post in
Washington during the evenings, emphasized yesterday that the
rules ultimately approved by Attorney General Janet Reno did not
include firing on unarmed Davidians. "I think the important thing
here is what were the rules they were operating under April
19th," he said.
The new documents also detail at least seven occasions in April
1993 when flash-bang grenades were used against Davidians
attempting to exit the compound, forcing them to go back inside.
Flash-bangs are designed to disorient targets without causing
permanent injury by producing a blinding flash of light, a loud
blast and smoke.
The FBI's use of flash-bangs was disclosed in a 1993 Justice
Department report and later House hearings.
Critics of the FBI's handling of the siege argue the use of
flash-bangs encouraged the Davidians to remain inside the
compound, where most of them ultimately died during the final
assault.
Sage and others said the Davidians had the opportunity to come
out if they were prepared to surrender but that they could not
allow them to exit at will. "The use of the flash-bangs was to
drive them back inside," Sage said. "It had to be a
well-orchestrated and planned exit," so nobody perceived their
exit as an attack.
© 1999 The Washington Post Company
=================================================================
Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
*Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day.
=================================================================
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
