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 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 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Matthew Gaylor) From: Jim Warren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contributing Editor & technology public-policy columnist, MicroTimes Magazine Also GovAccess list-owner/editor Regards, Matt- ************************************************************************** Subscribe to Freematt's Alerts: Pro-Individual Rights Issues Send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the words subscribe FA on the subject line. List is private and moderated (7-30 messages per month) Matthew Gaylor,1933 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., PMB 176, Columbus, OH 43229 Archived at http://www.egroups.com/list/fa/ **************************************************************************
