[117420] in Cypherpunks
More FBI-Waco Evidence Is Found
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Anonymous)
Thu Sep 2 20:39:56 1999
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 02:17:31 +0200 (CEST)
Message-Id: <199909030017.CAA12050@mail.replay.com>
From: Anonymous <nobody@replay.com>
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Reply-To: Anonymous <nobody@replay.com>
More FBI-Waco Evidence Is Found
By Michelle Mittelstadt
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, September 2, 1999; 7:03 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) -- More previously undisclosed video footage of the FBI's 1993 tear-gas assault on the Branch Davidian cult surfaced Thursday, and Attorney General Janet Reno asked an outsider to head an independent inquiry into the siege.
The FBI, meanwhile, made public an aerial infrared videotape that runs from just before 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. on April 19, 1993 -- covering the period during which the FBI assault on the Davidian compound began and capturing radio traffic related to the use of combustible tear gas canisters.
That footage, which FBI officials said was discovered at the FBI Hostage Rescue Team's offices in Quantico, Va., this week, was seized by federal marshals Wednesday at the direction of senior Justice officials. The Hostage Rescue Team was in charge of operations during the 51-day siege and the final tear-gas assault.
A transcript of the radio traffic, released by the FBI, includes a conversation in which an FBI field commander granted permission for an agent to lob military incendiary tear-gas canisters at a concrete bunker 40 yards from the Davidians' wooden compound near Waco, Texas.
``He can try it?'' asked HRT supervisory special agent Stephen P. McGavin, after describing an agent's desire to use military canisters to inject tear gas into the bunker.
``Yeah, that's affirmative,'' answered Richard M. Rogers, the HRT's assistant special agent in charge.
The FBI said the conversation took place at 7:49 a.m. -- nearly two hours after the tear-gas assault began but hours before flames began racing through the Davidians' wooden home at 12:07 p.m.
The FBI and Reno, who have been heavily criticized over the Waco assault, have said there was no evidence to suggest the blaze was set by the combustible canisters. Cult leader David Koresh and some 80 followers died during the inferno, some from gunshot wounds, others from the fire.
The bureau's admission last week that the combustible tear gas was used, reversing six years of statements to the contrary, provoked a furor on and off Capitol Hill. Congressional hearings will be convened this fall, and Reno also ordered an investigation to ``get to the bottom'' of why her orders to use only non-burning tear gas were ignored.
After days of leaning in favor of an independent inquiry, the Justice Department announced Thursday that Reno had ordered an outside investigation. The White House, FBI Director Louis Freeh and congressional Democrats and Republicans had suggested Reno order an independent inquiry.
President Clinton ``is deeply concerned that the attorney general appears to have been misled and may have been lied to'' about what went on at Waco, White House spokesman Jake Siewert said Thursday.
Marlin would not elaborate on the investigation, but a Justice source said an offer had been tendered to an outsider who does not work for the FBI or Justice Department.
Among those said to be on an informal list circulated at the Justice Department in recent days were two former Republican senators, Warren Rudman of New Hampshire and Jack Danforth of Missouri, and former Iran-Contra prosecutor Dan Webb.
Beyond the footage turned over to federal marshals Wednesday and made public Thursday, another aerial infrared tape has surfaced, House Government Reform Committee spokesman Mark Corallo said. The latest footage, covering the 8 a.m. to 10:42 a.m. period, was turned over to federal marshals.
The newly uncovered infrared tapes were turned up as part of Freeh's order that all files be searched for relevant information in advance of the investigation, bureau officials said. Infrared tapes produce glowing thermal images caused by the heat given off by objects.
FBI spokesman Tron Brekke said the bureau hoped to release the second videotape Thursday.
Bureau officials had previously insisted in sworn affidavits that they didn't have any infrared video footage before 10:42 a.m. -- hours after the tear-gas assault began at 5:55 a.m.
Brekke said the apparent discrepancy is ``a legitimate point for inquiry.''
FBI officials decided to release the early-morning video because ``it clearly demonstrates that we are interested in the facts concerning Waco to come out,'' Brekke said. ``It's in our interest. Our credibility's been hurt and I think it's in the interest of the public and the media to know.''
Congressional critics said the fact that Justice dispatched marshals to seize evidence from the FBI -- which Justice officials characterized as a public rebuke -- further underlined the need for an independent probe.
``We've got a cowboy culture at the top of the organization that can easily impress you that their opinion is that they aren't responsible to anybody,'' said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who heads a Senate Judiciary subcommittee with FBI oversight.
© Copyright 1999 The Associated Press
