Category Archives: FBI

See ICE, Call FIRE

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Force for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (FIRE)

Image may contain: text  They do training. training on protecting our communities from ICE! Bring a Laptop! FIRE is located in several states and quite active in Texas, Illinois and California. This organization collaborates with RAICES. ‘Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.

The training by FIRE just for Texas includes:

More than a dozen local and statewide nonprofits — including Dallas Catholic Charities, RAICES, the North Texas Dream Team and the ACLU of Texas — formed the Force for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment, known as FIRE.

The coalition hosts “Know Your Rights” sessions, where immigrants are taught to distinguish between arrest warrants signed by judges and those signed by ICE officers, which don’t grant ICE officers the legal right to enter someone’s home.

Immigrants also learn how to build an emergency family plan in case a parent is arrested and who to call in events of arrests, among other lessons.

President Trump has authorized aggressive deportations of illegal immigrants which hovers around 1 million cases. These deportations are not raids but rather individual cases where the judge has already ordered deportation. There will be some significant law enforcement confrontations as families are harboring these people. Further, there are thousands of households that include non-citizens as well as citizens that are receiving huge financial benefits from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This has been going on since 1980 and those who are 62 years old or younger can either be evicted or have their benefits terminated if new rules take effect. HUD estimates it would save the taxpayer up to $210 million per year as just in Texas, there are 6000 households that fit this description. This new policy has not rolled out yet but is slated to occur by the end of the year. See more details here from the Federal Register.

ICE removes Guatemalan fugitive sought for aggravated ...

As for the million or more slated to be deported by ICE, it must be noted:

1. ICE suggests voluntary departure. This allows the deportee to leave the U.S. at their own expense and within a schedule. If ICE has to perform the deportation, any re-entry is a felony.

2. If hearings in a court or on appeals and there is a ‘no-show’, this is an automatic order of removal. Bail is non-refundable.

3. Once a judge orders deportation, ICE will arrange for travel documents and transportation, so the deportee has time to get affairs in order under the letter of ‘bag and baggage’.(Form I-166)  This letter tells the deportee where and when to report for removal and how much baggage is allowed.

4. If the deportee cannot travel within the time limit due to extenuating circumstances including illness, they are required to file an application for a ‘stay’ until such time the circumstances clear.

5. If the ‘bag and baggage’ letter is ignored, then the full case is referred to the fugitive unit. Any of these arrests can take place at any time, under any condition or any location.

ICE has a database of criminal illegal fugitives and the crimes range from murder, rape to weapons trafficking, narcotics and underage pornography. Those cases slated for immediate and aggressive deportation which is reported in the million case range are the worst of the worst. Media wont tell you that and actually the immigrant groups noted above wont either.

Just last month:

MIAMI – Matthew T. Albence, deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Anthony Salisbury, special agent in charge of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, announced the results of an international weapons trafficking operation with law enforcement partners in Argentina and Brazil.

The international operation resulted in a total of 25 arrests and 53 search warrants executed in three countries. Over the course of the operation, law enforcement seized 5,300 firearms and components, 167 explosives/ordinances and 15 silencers from the transnational criminal organization (TCO).

HSI Miami initiated the investigation into the TCO smuggling large quantities of weapons parts and accessories from the U.S. to Argentina and Brazil. The TCO exploited the U.S. Postal Service by illegally exporting weapon parts and ammunition regulated by the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations without the proper State Department licenses. Since the inception of this investigation, several HSI offices, as well as Argentinian and Brazilian authorities have conducted multiple search warrants and arrests netting significant quantities of firearms, firearms parts and more than $100,000 in cash.

Anyone care about the victims of crimes committed by illegals? Well ICE has a page for that. Go here to see just a few of the most wanted.

 

Jeffrey Epstein Case, Judge Rules Immediate Document Release

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Jeffrey Epstein: DA Suggested Leniency In Sex Abuse Case ... photo

In part from the text of the Judge’s decision:

Accordingly, we VACATE the District Court’s orders entered on November 2, 2016, May 3, 2017,
and August 27, 2018, ORDER the unsealing of the summary judgment record as described further herein, and REMAND the cause to the District Court for particularized review of the remaining sealed
materials.
Judge Pooler concurs in this opinion except insofar as it orders
the immediate unsealing of the summary judgment record without a
remand.

The origins of this case lie in a decade‐old criminal proceeding
against financier Jeffrey Epstein (“Epstein”). On June 30, 2008, Epstein
pleaded guilty to Florida state charges of soliciting, and procuring a
person under the age of eighteen for, prostitution. The charges
stemmed from sexual activity with privately hired “masseuses,” some
of whom were under eighteen, Florida’s age of consent. Pursuant to
an agreement with state and federal prosecutors, Epstein pleaded to
the state charges. He received limited jail‐time, registered as a sex
offender, and agreed to pay compensation to his victims. In return,
prosecutors declined to bring federal charges.
Shortly after Epstein entered his plea, two of his victims,
proceeding as “Jane Doe 1” and “Jane Doe 2,” filed suit against the
Government in the Southern District of Florida under the Crime
Victims’ Rights Act (“CVRA”). The victims sought to nullify the plea agreement, alleging that the Government failed to fulfill its legal
obligations to inform and consult with them in the process leading up to Epstein’s plea deal.1
On December 30, 2014, two additional unnamed victims—one
of whom has now self‐identified as Plaintiff‐Appellee Virginia Giuffre
(“Giuffre”)—petitioned to join in the CVRA case. These petitioners
included in their filings not only descriptions of sexual abuse by
Epstein, but also new allegations of sexual abuse by several other
prominent individuals, “including numerous prominent American
politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well‐
known Prime Minister, and other world leaders,” as well as
Dershowitz (a long‐time member of the Harvard Law School faculty
who had worked on Epstein’s legal defense) and Defendant‐Appellee
Ghislaine Maxwell (“Maxwell”).2

Read the full decision here.

246ECDE700000578-2897939-image-a-57_1420497542266.jpg Jeffrey Epstein never went to federal prison but his butler/houseman, Alfredo Rodriguez, did, for obstruction of justice. He was busted for hiding Epstein’s journal and trying to sell it. He has since died.

Sample entry of timeline from 2010:

April: Flight logs obtained as part of civil lawsuits against Epstein show an assortment of politicians, academics, celebrities, heads of state and world leaders flying on Epstein’s jets in the early 2000s. Among them: former President Bill Clinton, former national security adviser Sandy Berger, former Colombian President Andrés Pastrana and lawyer Alan Dershowitz.

Read the full investigative summary here from the Miami Herald.

Possible Details on Iran for Trump Briefings

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Image result for un arms embargo iran photo/details

For context, here is the background on the UN Arms Embargo on Iran.

1. The rapidly expiring “sunset provisions” – which will lift existing restrictions on Iran’s military, missiles and nuclear programs – were a key factor in President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the flawed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May last year. The first of the sunset provisions, the arms embargo under U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231, will expire by October 18, 2020.

In its report, JCPOA Sunset Alert, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) details the hazards once UNSCR 2231’s arms transfers provisions expire. Guns, howitzers, mortars, battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships and missiles or missile systems will proliferate throughout the region.

2. The European Union is skirting the Iran sanction architecture by launching INSTEX. Based in Paris, it is managed by Per Fischer a German banker and the UK is heading the supervisory board.

The channel, set up by Germany, France and the UK, is called INSTEX — short for “Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges.”

“We’re making clear that we didn’t just talk about keeping the nuclear deal with Iran alive, but now we’re creating a possibility to conduct business transactions,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters Thursday after a meeting with European counterparts in Bucharest, Romania.

“This is a precondition for us to meet the obligations we entered into in order to demand from Iran that it doesn’t begin military uranium enrichment,” Maas said.

3. Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister has confirmed violations of stockpile limitations as well as uranium enrichment of 300kg. for low-enriched uranium. These two items are violations of the JCPOA and Europe considers this just a distraction.

4. The U.S. has sent an estimated 12 F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Qatar, based at al Udeid Air Base to bolster defenses Iran threats. There is a B-52 bomber task force in the region. The U.S. has dispatched several army batteries that operate the Patriot Missile launchers. Much of this is due to and in preparation for the asymmetric warfare tactics in use by Iran.

5. Iran is aware they cannot match the United States militarily, so there are two other possibilities and they include attacking Israel and major cyber interruptions.

Speaking at a political conference of ultra-conservatives in Iran’s north, Mashaei said, “If the Zionist regime attacks Iran, the Zionists will have no longer than a week to live.” The semi-official Fars news agency quoted him as saying that the Islamic Republic would destroy Israel “in less than 10 days”. On the cyber front, Iran has the abilities to disrupt networks associated with power systems in the region as well as those connected to oil production and shipping. U.S. Cybercom has the authorization, by way of the NDAA to conduct what is known as TMA, traditional military activities where cyber operations are included. Last month, the NYT’s reported the U.S. did carry out cyberattacks on Iran.

6. Iran has established terror cells in Western allied countries including the United States as noted by this case reported by the FBI just last month. Additionally, Qassem Suleimani has set up terror sites in Africa prepared to strike oil fields, military installations and embassies. These operations are managed by a specialized department of the Quds Force known as Unit 400.

ANTIFA and the CVE Program(s)

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So far we can label this a failure…gotta wonder if residents in Portland were told to shelter in place or they just do it on their own.

The DHS website last updated in 2016 with respect to Countering Violent Extremism reads in part as follows:

Terrorism Prevention Partnerships

Violent extremist threats come from a range of groups and individuals, including domestic terrorists and homegrown violent extremists in the United States, as well as international terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIL. Lone offenders or small groups may be radicalized to commit violence at home or attempt to travel overseas to become foreign fighters. The use of the Internet and social media to recruit and radicalize individuals to violence means that conventional approaches are unlikely to identify and disrupt all terrorist plots.

Here in the United States, acts perpetrated by violent extremists can have far-reaching consequences. Terrorism Prevention Partnerships (TPP) have therefore become a key focus of DHS’s work to secure the homeland. TPP aims to address the root causes of violent extremism by providing resources to communities to build and sustain local prevention efforts and promote the use of counter-narratives to confront violent extremist messaging online.  Building relationships based on trust with communities is essential to this effort.

See something say something? Okay….Did the Portland Police report anything? The Mayor? The Governor? The citizens of Portland?

According to OregonLive, authorities knew well in advance:

Multiple demonstrations are taking place in downtown Portland on Saturday.

Online postings indicate two right-wing demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday: one involving the Proud Boys, a fraternal organization known for street fighting, and another organized by conservative activist Haley Adams and the “HimToo Movement.” Counterprotesters, including supporters of Rose City Antifa, are planning to gather in opposition.

Portland police say three sites — at Pioneer Square, Chapman Square and Waterfront Park — will be involved, and that the events will begin around noon. Lt. Tina Jones declined to comment on the groups that police were anticipating at each protest, or how many people they expected to be there.

UPDATED 6:49 p.m.: 3 arrested in downtown Portland protests involving antifa, right-wing groups

UPDATED 5:29 p.m.:

The protests are over. We’ll have a story up shortly.

So, seems this CVE/DHS program did not work out so well, right? Read on and ask yourself, is this the best we can do?

Terrorism Prevention Lines of Effort

OTPP implements a full-range of partnerships to support and enhance efforts by law enforcement, faith leaders, local government officials, and communities to prevent radicalization and recruitment by terrorist organizations.  OTPP also provides these stakeholders with training and technical assistance to develop CVE prevention programs in support of resilient communities. OTPP leads the Department’s CVE mission with the following objectives:

  • Community Engagement. OTPP works with the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to facilitate community engagements to build awareness and promote dialogue with community partners, which includes engagements with DHS senior leadership;
  • Field Support Expansion and Training. OTPP supports DHS field staff across the country to develop and strengthen local partnerships and to provide training opportunities;
  • Grant Support. OTPP worked with FEMA to provide $10 million in grants to community-based programs under the FY2016 Countering Violent Extremism Grant Program.  Those projects have a period of performance that runs through July 2019.
  • Philanthropic Engagement. OTPP works with the philanthropic community to maximize support for local communities, and encourage long-term partnerships;
  • Tech Sector Engagement. OTPP engages the tech sector to identify and amplify credible voices online and promote counter-narratives against violent extremist messaging.

There is some kind of procedure to be listed as a domestic terror group, but those details are fleeting in open source information. We have some big work to do and some questions to be answered. However, according to the FBI website here is a sample list for gangs/extremist groups:

11.30.10

Black September

11.30.10

Aryan Nation

12.06.10

Mexican Mafia

12.06.10

Mafia Monograph

12.06.10

Bloods and Crips Gang

11.30.10

Clarence Smith (aka 13x)

05.05.11

White Hate Groups

03.27.11

WACO / Branch Davidian Compound

03.23.11

Imperial Gangsters

Imperial Gangsters The Imperial Gangsters was a violent street gang based in Miami. In 1994, the FBI’s Miami Division proposed an undercover operation against the gang. In 1995, the division requested a reauthorization of the operation.

03.02.11

Black Guerilla Family

03.02.11

Black Mafia Family

05.17.11

Original Knights of the KKK

03.02.11

Gangster Disciples

11.30.10

Weather Underground (Weathermen)

11.30.10

American Nazi Party

11.30.10

Aryan Brotherhood

The Aryan Brotherhood, a violent white supremacist gang, formed within the California state prison system in the late 1960s. On August 9, 1982, the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office opened a racketeering enterprise investigation into the gang. The case was closed in 1989.

12.06.10

Nuestra Familia

12.06.10

Aryan Circle

11.30.10

George Jackson Brigade

12.06.10

The Covenant The Sword The Arm of the Lord

12.06.10

White Supremacist Groups

12.06.10

George Lester Jackson

(1941-1971)

12.06.10

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)

12.06.10

The Hells Angels

11.29.10

Five Percenters

The Five Percenters was an offshoot of the Nation of Islam founded in Harlem in 1965 under Clarence Edward Smith, also known as Clarence 13X and other names. This release covers from 1965 to 1967 and consists of one main file primarily concerned with the group’s potential to foment public disturbances and containing a number of references to the group found in other FBI files.

11.30.10

Black Panther Party

The Black Panther Party (BPP) is a black extremist organization founded in Oakland, California in 1966. It advocated the use of violence and guerilla tactics to overthrow the U.S. government. In 1969, the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office opened an investigative file on the BPP to track its militant activities, income, and expenses. This release consists of Charlotte’s file on BPP activities from 1969 to 1976.

05.24.11

National Gang Threat Assessment

05.24.11

Almighty Latin Kings

03.02.11

El Rukns

The El Rukns, a violent street gang that trafficked in narcotics and stolen property, was established in the 1960s. FBI offices in Chicago, Springfield, Illinois, and Minneapolis investigated the gang in cooperation with local police and federal drug enforcement authorities. The materials in this release range from 1982 to 1991.

03.29.11

White Aryan Resistance

The White Aryan Resistance—also known as the White American Resistance (WAR)—is a white supremacist group. This release consists of two sections from an FBI investigation into the group. The dates range from 1987 to 1988.

 

Corpus Christie and Philadelphia Busts Prove the U.S. Cocaine Problem

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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On their latest trip to South America, a CBP Air and Marine Operations aircrew spoiled cocaine smugglers’ best efforts when they contributed to the arrest of 11 smugglers and the seizure of almost $300 million worth of narcotics between June 17-21.

Small vessel carrying narcotics
This low-profile vessel is designed to be hard to detect
when moving in open waters.

“No one can hide from us on our watch,” said Director of Air and Marine Operations Bob “Thor” Blanchard. If smugglers are trying to bring drugs into the U.S., our dedicated and experienced crews will find them and they’ll go to jail.”

The crew of an AMO Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft began its work by detecting a small fishing vessel or “panga” loaded with 1,656 pounds of cocaine. The next day, the crew was on patrol using its sophisticated radar system detected a purpose-built smuggling vessel. The “Low Profile Vessel” or, LPV, was loaded with 4,134 pounds of cocaine. On the last day of its trip and while heading back to the United States, the crew detected a hard to find semi-submersible vessel. That load was one of the Corpus Christi office’s largest ever seizures. The 16,938-pound load on this vessel brought their weekly total to 22,728 pounds, or roughly the weight of three heavy-duty pickup trucks.

An AMO P3
A P-3 Orion Long Range Tracker patrols
the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Air Security Operations Center—Corpus Christi is a division of Air and Marine Operations and operates the Lockheed P-3 Orion conducting counterdrug patrol missions over the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Together with the National Air Security Operations Center in Jacksonville, Florida, Customs and Border Protection P-3 crews seized or disrupted 261,939 pounds of cocaine in 2018.

The mission of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations is to serve and protect the American people. It applies advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities and employs its unique skill sets to preserve America’s security interests. With 1,800 federal agents and mission support personnel, 240 aircraft and 300 marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, Air and Marine Operations uses its sophisticated fleets to detect, sort, intercept, track and apprehend criminals in diverse environments at and beyond U.S. borders.

*** It was earlier this month that yet another cargo ship arrived at the Philadelphia shipping yard containing 15,000 kilos of cocaine. This ship named the MSC Gayane had traveled from Chile, Panama and the Bahamas before reaching the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal Port on the Delaware River were the actual bust occurred. The MSC Gayane is a newer cargo ship that flies a Liberian flag yet is Swiss owned. The value of the cocaine aboard was over $1 Billion.

Officials gather on the decks of a container ship on the Delaware River in Philadelphia photo

Six crew of the cargo ship are in Federal custody.

The six men have been identified as Ivan Durasevic, Nenad Illic, Aleksandar Kavaia, Bosko Markovic, Laauli Pulu, and Fonofaavae Tiasaga, according to NBC10. Tiasaga and Durasevic were the first charged last Thursday with conspiracy to possess cocaine. Four of the five suspects waived their preliminary hearings while the fifth suspect asked from a continuance through his attorney, which was granted by the judge.

The nationalities of the six crew members had not been confirmed as of Monday. According to an attorney, one of the defendants is from Montenegro. There were two interpreters present in the court room that spoke Serbian and Samoan with the defendants, according to the Associated Press.

The crew members allegedly admitted to helping load cocaine onto the cargo ship while it was at sea off the west coast of South America, according to an affidavit. Authorities said 14 boats approached the ship on two separate occasions. Records show the previous ports of call were the Bahamas on June 13, Panama on June 9, Peru on May 24, and Columbia on May 19.