The ACLU was able to obtain documents of intelligence reports filed in 2011. They reveal that on September 30, the DHS-funded Boston Regional Intelligence Center, or BRIC, was collecting information about an upcoming Occupy Boston rally in Dewey Square, just two days after Russia sent them the second warning about Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis recently told Congress he “would have liked to know” that there was a potential extremist with violent intentions living in his city, and accused BRIC of failing to properly inform local law enforcement about a possible terrorist threat.
The DHS, which spent billions of dollars on fusion centers like BRIC, has been accused of gathering “crap intelligence” and using federal anti-terrorism programs and resources to spy on nonviolent protesters exercising their First Amendment rights, rather than stopping terrorists. When they should have been investigating Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s extremist ties, the intelligence arm of the Boston Police Department was busy collecting information on peaceful antiwar activists from Code PINK and Veterans for Peace. That information was assembled in dossiers categorized under “Criminal Act,” “Extremists,” “Civil Disturbance,” and the more disturbing “HomeSec- Domestic.”
In fact, monitoring the Occupy movement became DHS’ key focus in October of 2011, when the movement’s power and influence was at its peak. Among the topics included in the DHS’ daily intelligence briefing was “peaceful activist demonstrations.” That section was included in the same briefings as “significant criminal activity” and potential domestic terrorist acts.
Yes, well I think we can ALL see how a group dedicated to protesting the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process in this country would warrant that kind of intense scrutiny from our government, while a warning about a potential terrorist barely registers on their radar.
One has to wonder if Obama has done enough to rid of DHS of the Bush administration influences, or if they are now working from his playbook.
Perhaps we have NO real hope of severing the control big business has over government in this country until the day that we see the swearing in of one President Elizabeth Warren.
Well, to be fair, if you read a lot of the rhetoric of hardcore Occupy people, there's a lot of talk of revolution and anarchy. There's less talk about banks and more talk about "the system" and the evils of capitalism and while there hasn't been any violence out of them yet that doesn't mean that there won't be. I work with someone who is active in our local group and he comes off as nice and charming but there's a dark under current there and I could see other people in occupy with the same sort of personality which could, eventually, lead to violence. To me, it makes sense that they focused more on occupy than on Chechens.
ReplyDeleteYes, because Occupy protestors were hell bent on killing and maiming as many people as they could.
DeleteGet a fucking grip on reality, would you?!
Anarchy means violence, stupid. You can't have one without the other.
DeleteMy 65 year-old wife joined the Occupy movement.....and I can GUARANTEE had there been a HINT of even a germ of truth to what you say.....she'd have been to the nearest FBI office....POST HASTE....!
DeleteAlso it should be noted that this same group of occupy activists are against gun control because it's "racist" but my occupier coworker posted something on FB about the "gubmint" trying to take our guns away with the same crazy language that you see from teabaggers.
ReplyDeleteTwo things that need to be eliminated: DHS and The Patriot Act.
ReplyDeleteDHS because it has the greatest potential for destructive activities and civil violations. The Patriot Act because it is chock full of unConstitutional acts allowed under its mandate.
The terrorists have WON! They have allowed our government to scare us into all sorts of actions that cost us billions and billions and billions of dollars every year. They don't HAVE to kill us. They have most of us living in fear.
Just remember: Any right temporarily surrendered is RARELY given back.
I wholeheartedly agree, Leland.
DeleteI had so hoped that Pres. Obama would have abolished both as per his campaign promises in 2008 (OK, to be fair, he never said anything about DHS).
Those are a few of my disappointments with him.
But then again, I can't imagine what McCain/Palin or Romney/Whatshisface would have done with them. The very thought makes me shudder.
Another point about the disingenuous of occupy:
ReplyDeleteHere in Chicago we have a situation where billionaires want help renovating wrigley. This is the Ricketts family who started a super pac pretty much designed to target the president. You would think Occupy Chicago would be all over this with outrage...you would THINK...but...nope. Not at all! You see, all they do now is protest Mayor Emanuel. So when he is in favor of something they go apeshit about it. When he isn't, they're silent. They were there for the Chicago Teachers strike but were mum when it came to the fast food workers strike. Why? Because the teachers strike got a lot of attention and was a slap in the face to the Rahm. These guys don't give a shit anymore about income equality or big banks.
Most movements begin with a purity of intention and through time morph into something not resembling the initial organization. It all boils down to human nature. I'm not surprised that Occupy has met the same fate. The loose structure of their organization, proclaiming equality for all and attempting to keep all members at the same level of importance simply doesn't work. Leaders will emerge and they will corrupt the heart of the organization and insert their own doctrine that the others must follow. This is human nature.
DeleteIt's why pure communism, while a wonderful theory, has never been achieved. There always must be a group at the top that institutes and facilitates the program and keeps the main body "in line" and working as one. That division and separation runs counter to the equality clause that Occupy has attempted to operate under. Nice idea in theory but is already falling victim to basic nature of its members.
"One has to wonder if Obama has done enough to rid of DHS of the Bush administration influences, or if they are now workign form his playbook."
ReplyDeleteIt's not "or" -- it's "both."
And re those posters above thread critical of Occupy -- I guarantee you they wouldn't be so critical if BUSH was still occupying the White House and it was HIS administration whose pro-Wall Street/ banks /corporation departments/ appointments/policies were being exposed as massively hypocritical. So I commend you, Gryphen, for even raising that question.
If you want to blame anyone for neglecting the warning signs, let's go back to those pre-September 11 warnings. An FBI agent in Minnesota reported that a foreign guy wanted to take flying lessons-- not the taking off or landing part, just the flying part. There was a presidential daily briefing that warned about an al qaeda attack. The FBI had been following two suspicious characters in San Diego. And, the World Trade Center had been the site of a previous terrorist attack when they planted a bomb in a car in the underground parking garage. Who else is to blame? Immigration officials don't follow up on visitors' whose visas expire. We are lucky that the couple of attempts that have been made after September 11 have been so clumsy, a guy trying to light his shoes or his underwear on fire in an airplane. Then there was the guy who locked his keys in the trunk of his car when he was trying to blow up a bomb in Times Square, NY.
ReplyDeleteAllow me to make a slight addition to my earlier post here. I am not saying anything, one way or the other, about Occupy in my statement. I just have a knowledge of history and a fear of things called "homeland security".
ReplyDeleteAnd the Patriot Act speaks for itself if you read it's clauses of powers.
Like any movement, drives and ideas change over time when concrete efforts are not taken to prevent such drifting. It's why we have a written US Constitution after all. Good ideas often are altered or removed by charismatic people with their own agendas.
Orwell's "Animal Farm" anyone?
You just deftly described the drift of the Occupy movement which went from an intelligent critique of the banking system to a disorganized version of the Tea Party.
DeleteCharismatic leaders are pushing them to make stupid statements and pick stupid fights. On Chicago, they've joined forces with Lupe Fiasco, a 9/11 denier!
"When they should have been investigating Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s extremist ties,"
ReplyDeleteThis Truthout article reminds me of Louie Gohmert's recent questioning of AG Holder. They're making a judgement call and peppering it with propaganda.
Based on what they're reporting here, there's no logical way to conclude the FBI or DHS didn't adequately investigate Tsarnaev.
No, Obama didn't clean out all the rats in DHS or other Departments. In some cases he even nominated some for office - re: Monsanto lobbyist as head of Dept. of Ag.
ReplyDeleteAnd here's a thought. I don't think Hillary is going to run for POTUS. I think she's going to make the opposition think she will, all as a cover for one Elizabeth Warren. While the GOP is busy trying to destroy Mrs. Clinton with everything that they can think of, Mrs. Warren is busy laying groundwork for a solid run.
If only that dream would come true. But I would also be happy if Hillary did run and won! Maybe Elizabeth could be VP in training to take over after Hillary's two terms end. Then we could really accomplish some real change for the country.
DeleteThanks, I was going to write that! It would change our country into a shining example of how two women slogged through the mess to bring us out of the gutter we occupy, a legacy of Rove, Bush, Rumsfeld and company.
DeleteWhen Government abuses proliferate and the affluent agenda triumphs over laws we will find the beginnings of an insurrection or a revolution which was the case in 1776. Looks like we will have to do it all over again if we cannot alter the trajectory of what is happening now in the US. Divisiveness and extremism are a breeding ground for conflict and hostility.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree: President Elizabeth Warren
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to understand. The banks and the wealthy make money from wars that terrorists incite so let the chips (and collateral damage) fall where they may. Occupy poses a (slight) threat to their game should truth be exposed so they must be nipped in the bud
ReplyDeletePresidents come and go but heads of powerful govt agencies and their cronies often stay on forever.
Dedicating manpower and money to monitoring pacifists while allowing confirmed terrorists to have free rein. Yeah, that is so Republican, so Bush.
ReplyDeletePacifists?
DeleteSeriously?
One of the posters above just made reference to 1776 and the "beginnings of a revolution"...
Doesn't sound like a pacifist to me!
I watched the live coverage of the g-20 thing, one of the protestors basically lunged at a cop and took a swing at him.
Must be a special kind of pacifist I never heard of before.
Oh, please. The Occupy Wall Street "movement" isn't that important. I'm sure the F.B.I. was focused on much more important things than a bunch of libertarians who "Occupy" things , and who has had NO effect on anything at all, whatsoever. Nobody cares about the "Occupy movement." What have they accomplished? They don't even vote! They were a fad couple of years ago, that flamed out.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like paranoid, republican-type nonsense. Why don't you just say, "President Obama was too busy playing golf, to stop the Boston marathon bombings!"