Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Activist Times Inc. Issue 130
ATTN, FBI:
I moved to Wisconsin again. You can stop tapping my mother's
telephone please. You are guilty of wirefraud; but I forgive you.
As per usual.
Give her back her dialtones, eh? You had her down to just
her cordless phone, you voltage sucking sons of goats.
LEAVE HER ALONE. SHE'S ONE OF THE BEST REPUBLICANS YOU'VE
GOT. And if it'll save taxpayer dollars, I'd be happy to submit
an itinerary every week with a sworn statement agreeing to hold
to it; you spirit sucking sons of bureaucrats.
AA TTTTTTTT IIIIIIII
A A TTTTTTTT IIIIIIII
AA AA TT II
AAAA 1 TT 3 II 0
AA AA TT II
AA AA TT II
AA AA TT IIIIIIII
AA AA TT IIIIIIII
C I N
T M T
I E O
V S
I I
S T
T !
.......
.Issue.
.130!!.
.......
Please forward, sorry this is kind of long.
AMERICA'S SECRET POLICE: FBI COINTELPRO IN THE 1990s
_________________________________________________________________
By Noelle Hanrahan (212) Part 2 of 3. (other two were/are seen in
ATI129 and ATI131)
This report was written in association with the Redwood
Summer Justice Project, which pursues Judi Bari's and Darryl
Cherney's civil rights case against the FBI and Oakland
Police.
* * *
FBI LEGACY
From the moment of its birth in 1908 as the Justice
Department's "Bureau of Investigation," a key part of the FBI's
mission has been to suppress political dissent. In the early
years they used deportations and the career-destroying Palmer
raids to target union leaders and communists. Burglary,
blacklisting, infiltration, and disruption became standard
operating procedure. Later, when the Supreme Court ruled that the
Smith Act specifically could not be used to target communists,
the FBI took it undercover, developing its "counter-intelligence"
program dubbed COINTELPRO. In the words of then-director J. Edgar
Hoover, COINTELPRO was designed to "expose, disrupt, misdirect,
discredit, or otherwise neutralize" groups whose views the FBI
deemed threatening to the status quo.
RICHARD W. HELD: CONSTITUTIONAL ASSASSIN
Richard W. Held was Special Agent-in-Charge of the San
Francisco FBI Office 1985-1993 during its extensive COINTELPRO
operations against Earth First! Of all the COINTELPRO operatives,
Richard Wallace Held's past is particularly brutal and haunting.
Held began his career in 1968 in the Los Angeles office of the
FBI. He quickly became the lead agent in the "racial matters"
squad which focused on what the FBI called "black extremists".
Just one year later he was involved in targeting Los Angeles
Black Panther Party leader Geronimo ji jaga (Pratt) for
"neutralization." Framed for a murder he did not commit, Geronimo
spent 25 years in state prison. He was released in 1997 after a
judge overturned his conviction based on prosecutorial
misconduct. The key witness in the case, Julius Butler, was an
informant for the FBI, LAPD, and the L.A. District Attorney's
office; that information was kept secret during Geronimo's trial.
An uncanny ability to lie under oath, commonly referred to
as "testa-lying," is a trademark of rogue law enforcement
professionals. Under oath in a deposition for Geronimo's federal
appeal, Held remarked on his relationship with Julius Butler: "I
think that it may have been relevant, your honor, depending on
what the contact was at the time and what else I knew, because I
don't recall really knowing much about the case at all anyway."
In fact, Held was coordinating COINTELPRO operations in L.A., and
Geronimo was at the top of the "Key Black Extremists" list.
Even more damning, Held was the control agent for informant
Julius Butler. In 2 1/2 years, Held recorded contact and meetings
with Butler 33 times. Contrast Held's repeated denials of
knowledge and responsibility with the cold, hard facts, including
this from a 1/28/70 memo by Held to the FBI Director: "I request
Bureau approval ... to attack, expose, and ridicule the BPP...
operation number one is designed to challenge the legitimacy of
the authority exercised by Elmer Gerard Pratt."
After a few years in Washington, DC as a headquarters
intelligence supervisor, Held was back in the field on the Pine
Ridge Reservation three days after the firefight between federal
agents and the American Indian Movement (AIM) during which two
FBI agents and an Indian man were killed. An FBI memo dated
7/26/75 to the Washington Bureau's Intelligence Division notes,
"Supervisor Richard Wallace Held arrived at Pine Ridge, South
Dakota Indian Reservation Command Post on 6/29/75, to assist in
the RESMURS investigation. He was assigned three important phases
of this investigation; namely, the correlation of Bureau-wide
informants into the investigation; the establishment of the
confidential fund; and the coordination of all intelligence
information as it relates to the American Indian Movement (AIM)
and the RESMURS investigations... throughout the country ..."
Held's work contributed to the framing of noted political
prisoner Leonard Peltier, and to covering up the truth about the
agents' deaths and the still unsolved killings of 70 AIM
supporters on the Pine Ridge Reservation during the extensive
FBI's operations.
From 1979 until 1985, Held was Special Agent-in-Charge of
the San Juan, Puerto Rico office. There he presided over a
politically-oriented paramilitary campaign against the Puerto
Rican Independence movement, creating files on 74,000
individuals. In his last operation in Puerto Rico, Held led 300
FBI agents and U.S. marshals in raids all over the island,
trashing office and homes and arresting scores of activists. One
advocate of Puerto Rican independence said the raids made "even
the desire for independence a crime." Held left Puerto Rico in
1985 to head the FBI's San Francisco, California field office.
HELD TURNS HIS SIGHTS ON EARTH FIRST!
In the year before the car bombing of Bari and Cherney, a
shocking and classic political disruption campaign was conducted
against Earth First! in Northern California. In the months just
prior to Redwood Summer, the disruption was intense. Bari,
Cherney and other Earth First! organizers received over 30 death
threats from March to May, 1990. Fake Earth First! press releases
were circulated in the community and to the press, falsely
connecting the Earth First!ers with violence and sabotage. Local
law enforcement refused to investigate the death threats,
signaling their tolerance for violence against environmentalists.
"If you turn up dead, Judi," Mendocino County Sheriff's Sgt.
Steve Satterwhite told Bari, "then we'll investigate."
The FBI's very act of blaming Bari and Cherney for the
bombing that nearly killed them, and their repeated feeding of
damaging and bald-faced lies to the press about evidence in the
case, are both classic components of a "counter-intelligence"
campaign. The FBI's own files refer to the use of informants, yet
even now the full scope of their actions remains hidden.
COINCIDENCE OR COINTELPRO?
In depositions in Bari's and Cherney's civil rights lawsuit,
FBI agents repeatedly denied that there was an investigation
against Earth First! in California prior to the bombing. Yet,
documents at first withheld and blacked out, then later released,
show that the FBI field reports written at the time of the
bombing stated Bari and Cherney were "subjects of an
investigation in the terrorist field."
The Arizona FBI Sting Operation In 1988, a major FBI sting
operation was launched against Earth First! in Arizona. In a
cynical attempt to discredit and criminalize Earth First!, the
FBI spent $3 million and employed over 50 FBI agents, extensive
wiretaps, body wires and overt entrapment in order to arrest
Arizona Earth First!ers for conspiracy to down power lines.
At the heart of Operation THERMCON (short for "Thermite
Conspiracy") were undercover FBI agent/provocateur Michael Fain
and informant Ron Frazier, who infiltrated a group of
environmental activists in Prescott. Though unsuccessful, the FBI
worked long and hard to entrap these individuals into using
explosives to down power lines. Apparently the FBI sought to
involve Earth First! with explosives in order to create a
sensational case against them. This would serve to discredit
Earth First! and provide justification to conduct illegal
investigations and operations against the political and First
Amendment activity of the environmental movement nationwide.
Busted on May 30, 1989, in the Arizona desert, four people were
caught with a cutting torch attempting to disable a power
transmission tower leading to a pumping station of the central
Arizona project (CAP). CAP is a billion dollar pork barrel
project to carry Colorado River water uphill across hundreds of
miles of desert to water the lawns of Phoenix and Tucson.
Judi Bari laughingly called this, "the only joint FBI-Earth
First! action ever to take place." Undercover FBI agents picked
the target, drove the truck, and taught the activists to use an
acetylene torch. The FBI paid informant Ron Frazier $54,000 cash
in exchange for implicating the Earth First!ers, and granted him
immunity from prosecution for various crimes.
______
"The first lesson in activism is that the person that offers
to get the dynamite is always the FBI agent," joked Judi
Bari.
______
(CON'T next issue...)
June 3, 1998. In the year of our tabasco.
Brought to you by McHilney's Pub. Home of the hottest
beer this side of the Mississippi.
It is 1:10 am. CST. And this edition we give you a late breaking
report on the NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, a poem or two,
perhaps a PAWN or three and that's it. No #'s run, no
Calendula. No nothing else.
Join the listserv at: ati@intst.com
Send any submissions to ati@etext.org (there weren't any the
last two weeks. (hint, hint...) and if you've got angst
goto
http://www.thepentagon.com/primeanarchist
-marco
e&p ati since 1988
Y2K compliant since 1965
1ST ANNUAL NAMMY REPORT FROM PRIME ANARCHIST PRODUCTIONS.
These early raw notes go out to my readers in Southeastern
Connecticut. Polished story will follow soon.
Cesar Chavez isn't at this show, at least not "physical."
Nor is Bishop Gerardi. They're dead and gone. No idea why
that thought came to me sitting sideways in the Kings/Queens/Jacks
sections of Fox Theatre. Perchance it'll become self evident
in 200 years or so...
Laughing Woman beats a drum while Eagle Wings plays guitar.
"...a wonderful wonderful moment in history."
"to give the Creator a good thanks again, freedom to pray
in the Pequot language."
I didn't know "aho" was a Pequot word. Means "garlic" in
Spanish. "Shit yeah; right on." in Lakota.
"Won't you wear your jingle dress for me." I think the
new "Native Motown" sound is in danger of sounding a little too
much like Don Imus' "Plastic Jesus," But it's early yet.
Oye como va...
Special segment: "Did you know they were native."
Jimmy Hendrix got the big cheer. "...and of course my buddy -
Burt Reynolds." -Wayne Newton's words; not mine, don't even think...
"Recorded 139 albums:" Wayne Newton. Holy doing time in
a studio!!!
Entertainer of the year award. Boy they moved you right into
that. They don't mess around. Litefoot got rap. Miss Indian World
reads and speaks really well.
Tom Bee and Robbie Bee show up in just about every award.
Man oh man. This thing's in the larval stage. "Support it, support
it." -my words.
"To my daughter Leah." -Joanne Shenendoah.
"Your word is your bow; your pen is your arrow." -Litefoot.
I'm gonna cry. Face and neck hair stand on end...
He brought out Haida and Angelique. Competed and lost; now they're
singing with him. You wouldn't see anything even resembling that
in any other awards ceremonies, would you???
John Trudell and Wes Studi presenting to Apache Spirit.
"To our 6 children; breastfeeding behind the amplifiers.
Thank you for your patience." -Lee Kane of Apache Spirit
"John Trudell - a complex sum of all he's seen," -Floyd
Red Crow Westerman presenting him with the Living Legend award.
Standing "O," built slow. Almost as slowly as the first part of his
career.
"Toad the Wet Sprockets." -Wayne "Ed-Sullivan-Wannabe" Newton.
Get hip, dude.
Joy Harjo and Poetic Justice. Love her talky voice. Way to
wail on the saxophone too. I'm impressed. Now I know where Talking
Heads have been borrowing heavily...
Pardon my french - that polystyrene Indian in a loincloth
with a bow & arrow facing the sky laquered all crystal white is
not only distracting; but fucking distracting. Foxwoods. We shall
take the bad with the good I guess. And those electric "open fires."
I mean, I understand firecodes and all but...
"I guess I got right Toad the Wet Sprocket. I said 'Indio
Girls.' It's Indigo Girls." OK, this Wayne. No Ed Sullivan he. I
formally apologize to Mr. Newton for calling him schlocky all these
years.
"They asked us to stall." -Tom and Robbie Bee.
I got Lee Kane's autograph while they stalled. She's the
lead singer of Apache Spirit. She was at the payphone telling someone
she won, while I was at a phone telling my mom I didn't. Of course
who knew? I did. I've never once claimed to be Native American.
Just some half-breed Jewish Swede who gives a shit.
So Robbie Bee told me at the party afterwards he became
Born Again last year sometime. Next year's awards are likely to have
one slot for a Christian recording. Considering the Grammy's have
4 gospel slots and not a single Native, Indigenous or Aboriginal
that's going some. Robbie and rap star Natay started a Christian
Native record label called RED SEA which stands for Red Educated
Disciples Sharing Emanuel's Anointing. Someone called Robbie
Dr. Pray, and Natay got the nickname Snoop Doggie Dine.
Carlos Nakai Quartet was quite awesome.
"We're keeping up with the past to show where we're going."
-Nakai.
"But as they say in Groton, 'preciate it.'"
Which comedian said that?
"On behalf of my people, the wannabes." Which one said
THAT: Williams or Ree???
Joanne Shenendoah singing. Brings shivers up my spine.
Always does. Remember that tape up in Norwich Conn? On a cheap
RCA boombox too. First song brought first shivers. And I don't even
speak Oneida very much. "Collie Socks."
Robbie Robertson. A collaboration with Leonard Peltier.
"I implore you to support the LP Defense Committee." Weird. I just
asked a girl if she was Lisa F. (Leonard's fiance/wife. (they won't
let them marry, but I digress...)) I mean the next table over!!!
And that moment.
Tom Bee, come up again. Catherine Bach is calling for you.
You won. "If you have a dream and a desire and you're a doer; you
can too."
You can too, should be the theme of the night.
Seriously, this togetherness stuff is inspiring. Bringing
each other up on stage to jam with you even if you just beat them.
What a world to dream about.
"It lets people know we're still here." Nakai again.
Presenters Bruce Cockburn and Richie Havens. I'm in
folksingers heaven. Richie feels Joy Harjo's words. I can tell.
I saw him digging it. Harjo got nominated a lot. Has she won
anything? Get an album in for next year, Joy. You're "money"
and you don't even know it.
"If a Taos boy who was suicidal as a teenager can do it,
you can too. My sweat goes out to you." -Mirabal.
Redbone. They're an old band. Perhaps only remembered for
"Come and Get Your Love," but they're singing something else. OK.
They end with it. Now we know where Grand Funk, Chicago and Neil
Diamond took their chops from, eh?
"The anglo staff really boogie to this one." -Michael Gelfand
Accepting Buddy Red Bow's award is his father from Pine
Ridge. I remember hearing Achey Breaky (Billy Ray Cyrus' annoying
version) for the first time on KILI out there sleeping in that
haunted Catholic Church. I harbor fond memories of Pine Ridge.
"Even though I'm all in black, don't mistake me for Johnny
Cash." All in Lakota. Buddy's son translated for those of you who
don't understand enough Lakota. Maize Red Bow in the audience. Steven
Red Bow, etc. Cousins, brothers, sisters. All here. Just about every
family member. Pardon my french again, but here's your traditional
F-ing family values, Nancy Reagan.
"Ana Mae, everything, and nothing changes." - Another Joy
Harjo clip over the soundsystem.
"Richie Heavens." Wayne?!?
"If someone's not on the Vegas Circuit, Newton hasn't heard
of them." Another Michael Gelfand quote.
Richie HAVENS accepts Jimi Hendrix' award and sings his own
version of All Along the Watchtower. Wow. That foot poppin' stomp
percussive stuff like from Oh Freedom. Whooooooooo!
My man's still got it.
"Even records, like the Edison." -Redbone members presenting
and describing everything "trying to be round." Well they've been
around long enough to know. American Warriors won record of the year.
Cheryl Makone from Ryko Disk accepted it. Aparently Mickey Hart works
a lot with Ryko.
Shenendoah thanked Ellen Bello for the vision for this whole
awards ceremony. Bello dedicated the whole show to her friend Rich
from Rosebud.
She also gave a nod "...to you, our sold out audience on
behalf of NAMA."
HEREIN ENDS THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR PRESS REPORT
ABOUT THE PEQUOTS PUTTING UP PEOPLE OF MANY TRIBES FOR
THE EVENING. NOW ON TO THE 49 PART AFTER THE GIG.
April Whittemore is the real name of Miss Indian World this
year. She's Lumbee Cheraw. And her mother wanted to make sure I
mentioned that she's a goodly portion Irish too. She got the award
April 25 and it stands for 1 year. Last week they made her do a
promo for Douglas Spotted Eagle. This Thursday she'll be speaking
to a Baptist youth group about tobacco medicine.
Let's see, I already put in the part about Robbie Bee
becoming a fine mentor to youth of all kinds.
Wayquay recited a poem "sisters keeper." from the album
Tribal Ground.
"It's about the circle." -Hadrian Coumans
"I'm an activist, no doubt about it." -Joanne Shenendoah
responding to Activist Times, Inc.
Lots of hanging out, and lots of high calorie food brought
to you by the Mashantuckets. Open bar was good for a cranberry juice
or two and there was a ton of coffee in those gigantic gazillion
dollar Colonial Era pots. You know the kind. Til you get close
enough to know it's fake, you'd think Paul Revere burned his finger
off making it.
Better go to:
http://www.nativeamericanmusic.com
before next year.
Sign seen on AMTRAK
PLEASE DO NOT
PUT REFUSE IN
THIS TOILET
Poet's translation while pee'ing.
REQUEST YOU REFRAIN
FROM RENDERING REFUSE
RIGHT IN RECEPTICLE
(PAWN) Prime Anarchist World News Tonite. NY. Viagra's sales
hurting other companies' business.
"We're no longer the only makers of erections," says
Beth L'Chaim, Chief of PR at Specialty Steel Operations. She said
sale of long hard beams, kevlar reinforced rubbers, and G-strings
have all plummetted for the added competition.
Even ITI, Iraqui Torture, Int. is bothered, says Saddam
Hussein CEO of ITI every M, W, & F, "Had I known Viagra could blind
kill and constipate so many people so quickly I would've considered
Pfizer instead of sticking by SQUIBB all these years."
OK, we end with a couple poems; because myth is all you get.
I have no title for this one yet. Ideas anyone?
In a just world
Blight does not need to
Lead to plight.
Drought needn't
Kick you out.
Injury shouldn't make
You unable.
But this is not a
Just world we've brought
Fashioned out of
Usury.
Success based solely on
Anothers' misery.
You try to remain
Oblivious.
Yet it smacks you
Obvious.
And finally,
This one's simply called
JENIFER
by marco
Jenifer.
I took so long to find you.
Kabooz's B&G; NYC.
Veggie Chili; roasted garlic and tomato
Soup.
I took so long to find you, Jenifer.
Wandered this station.
Glad and happy.
Satisfied, for I had the Penne with the
Grilled eggplant, extra garlic.
Remember?
And Dave Mathews on the jukebox.
Ah, perchance to dance.
You head 4 back room
Having broken a strap on your
Jacket.
So you come out looking
Finer still.
The 7:05 to Babylon is one minute late.
I took so long to find Jenifer.
