The Internet Anti-Fascist: Tuesday, 9 February 99
Vol. 3, Number 12 (#221) ______________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION TO THE FREEH ARTICLE
It isn't every day that we publish news articles uncritical of the FBI and current director Louis Freeh. Those of us who were involved in the civil rights movement know the role that Hoover's FBI played in trying to destroy a mass movement against bigotry. One operation, bureaucratically labeled COINTELPRO was only the visible tip of the otherwise concealed chilling actions by the FBI. Of course this was some time ago, but Freeh, especially with his opposition to encryption, anonymity on the net, and desire for new wiretap legislation, is no friend of civil liberties.
But all of this gives special importance to Freeh's warnings of impending rightwing violence.
There are two additional points that must be made.
The first is that the threat of mass crimes against humanity Freeh warns about will not end on 1 January 2000. When the world does not end, the Milleniumists will belatedly discover that the next thousand years does not begin until 2001. But that date will not automatically quench the desire to die and kill for Jesus. The social psychologist Leon Festinger in his groundbreaking book "When Prophecy Fails" showed that failed predictions can result in forces clinging even more tenuously to the discredited theories.
The second point concerns the new "anti-terrorist" laws Clinton is pushing for. Let's remember that "terrorism" was a term developed by conservative ideologues to use against at least inferentially leftwing forces. The original "anti-terrorism" laws were not used to crack down on the KKK or other fascist groups in the U.S.; they were used to justify foreign military interventions.
Nor -- despite an enormous number of successful prosecutions of rightwing criminals by Reno's justice department -- are existing laws fully utilized against rightwing criminal actions. The previous convictions prove that successful work against rightwing criminality can be discovered and prosecuted with existing police powers.
No new special ones are needed.
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FBI Director Freeh Warns Of Millennium Violence
Patricia Wilson (Reuters)
4 Feb 99
WASHINGTON -- FBI Director Louis Freeh warned Thursday that right-wing extremists, religious cults or apocalyptic groups could turn to violence to fulfill their prophecies of Armageddon as the year 2000 approaches.
At a congressional hearing on counter-terrorism, Freeh cited "rogue terrorists" such as Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden -- blamed by Washington for the bombing of two American embassies in East Africa last year -- as probably the most urgent risk to U.S. interests. But he said the domestic threat could not be ignored, especially as the millennium approached.
"The possibility of an indigenous group like Aum Supreme Truth cannot be excluded," he said, referring to the cult responsible for a nerve gas attack in the Tokyo subway system in March, 1995.
"With the coming of the next millennium, some religious/apocalyptic groups or individuals may turn to violence as they seek to achieve dramatic effects to fulfill their prophecies," he said.
Freeh expressed dismay at a "pattern of racist elements" seeping into the U.S. militia movement most of which, he said, had no racial overtones and did not espouse bigotry.
But he discussed at length "a disturbing trend" toward the pseudo- religion of Christian Identity -- and other hate philosophies -- that provided both a religious base for racism and anti-Semitism as well as an ideological rationale for violence against minorities.
"Many white supremacist groups adhere to the Christian Identity belief system, which holds that the world is on the verge of a final apocalyptic struggle ... and teaches that the white race is the chosen race of God," he said.
Many of those who believe in this credo are engaged in survivalist and paramilitary training, storing foodstuffs and supplies and caching weapons and ammunition.
Freeh said that as 1999 came to a close, Identity's more extreme members could prepare for Armageddon by carrying out armed robberies to finance the upcoming battle, destroying government property and targeting Jews and non-whites.
The FBI had "little credible intelligence" at this time indicating that terrorists, either domestic or international, were preparing to attack the United States, the director said.
But he added that "a growing number -- while still small -- of 'lone offender' and extremist splinter elements of right-wing groups have been identified as possessing or attempting to develop or use" chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.
Attorney General Janet Reno, who also appeared before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee, said a terrorist attack using a biological weapon might not be immediately apparent with far-reaching impact on victims and emergency personnel.
"In fact, we have found recently the mere threat of the use of unconventional weapons can cause concern and panic. Threats to release harmful biological or chemical substances cannot be ignored," she said. Freeh said the FBI dealt with an "anthrax warning letter" somewhere in the country almost every day.
U.S. officials had to be able "to match wits with the bad guys," Reno said.
She appealed to the Senate panel to approve funds for a National Domestic Preparedness Office to be led by the FBI to provide coordination and a single point of contact for state and local communities.
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WHAT'S WORTH CHECKING
stories via <ftp://ftp.nyct.net/pub/users/tallpaul/publish/story3/>
Ralph McGehee (CIABASE), "[Dissembling, Deception and Lies: FOI memorandum from CIA Director on press manipulation]," 18 Jan 99 <story700.txt>
War Resisters League (press release), "Day Without the Pentagon organizer faces judge on war tax," 19 Jan 99 <story701.txt>
Reuters (no author), "US high court rejects appeal on Bible-quoting judge," 11 Jan 99 <story702.txt>
Julijana Mojsilovic (Reuters), "Yugoslav team starts examining Kosovo bodies," 19 Jan 99 <story703.txt>
Diana Johnstone (Press Review), "The 'Racak Massacre' Questioned by French Media," 20 Jan 99 <story704.txt>
Christophe Chatelot (Le Monde), "Were the Racak Dead Really Coldly Massacred?," 21 Jan 99 <story705.txt>
Gary Wilson (Workers World News Service), "Warhawk Behind U.S. Kosovo Policy: Amb. Walker covered up real massacres in El Salvador," 21 Jan 99 <story706.txt>
Maria L. La Ganga (Los Angeles Times), "Fighting for 'Other' Victims of Holocaust: Hundreds of thousands of disabled people were among those killed by the Nazis. But is there enough grief to go around? ," 19 Jan 99 <story707.txt>
AmRA (press release), "Second Congress of Antimilitarist Radical Association ...," 20 Jan 99 <story708.txt>
Tom Godfrey (Toronto Sun), "Gang-raped lesbian wins refugee status," 21 Jan 99 <story709.txt>
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FASCISM:
We have no ethical right to forgive, no historical right to forget.
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