Here are the primary sources for the facts I mention below, from the General Accounting Office of the US Congress in .pdf (prettier) or text.
This document is related in part to the nature of the US Army presence at Mount Carmel during the Federal government's siege. The ATF claimed to suspect the presence of a methamphetamine laboratory within the Davidian compound. The Army was allegedly there to provide technical and logistical assitance, pursuant to their Congressionally mandated participation against illegal drug manufacture and distribution.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>In 1992, the local sheriff's office discovered that , between March and June of that year, Howell and other Davidians at the Waco compound had received frequent shipments of weapons, explosive components, and related materials.11 By June 1992 those shipments totaled more than $40,000. [Included in these shipments were] assault rifles and conversion kits, ammunition, inert grenades, sensors, night-vision devices, chemicals, combat vests, etc.[/quote]
I don't know the specifics of how these things were being shipped, but I believe they were being transported via common courier, namely UPS; I could be mistaken though. My first concern is that this common courier was regularly notifying the government what they were shipping to Mount Carmel. Was a search warrant which specifically instructed these shipments to be intercepted and catalogued in effect?
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>"Having decided that it needed military assistance, on December 4, 1992, ATF discussed with a liaison from DOD how the military might help. The liaison suggested that the military could provide aerial thermal (infrared) photography of the site."
<LI>"Since its requirement for a drug connection was met in this new letter, the Texas National Guard approved the request. In all, six reconnaissance overflights would be made, with thermal imaging used on at least two flights to search for armed guards and drug- manufacturing facilities."
<LI>"In addition, thermal images made by National Guard overflights had shown a hot spot inside the compound, possibly indicating a methamphetamine laboratory."
</UL>
Again, was a search warrant in effect which specifically permitted this search of the compound? Make no mistake: looking through the walls is not surveillance, it is a search, and the Fourth Amendment applies. In the early 90's, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, the Air National Guard got into trouble for using infrared gear in helicopters to overfly private property in search of hydroponic drug farms, by looking for the heat signature of the lamps used in that process.
There was a whole pile of illegal activity going on in Waco, before, during, and after the siege, and our government was breaking those laws. I can only hope Congress has the guts to call them on the carpet for every single crime committed there. Wouldn't it be nice?
[This message has been edited by Aleksandr (edited August 28, 1999).]
This document is related in part to the nature of the US Army presence at Mount Carmel during the Federal government's siege. The ATF claimed to suspect the presence of a methamphetamine laboratory within the Davidian compound. The Army was allegedly there to provide technical and logistical assitance, pursuant to their Congressionally mandated participation against illegal drug manufacture and distribution.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>In 1992, the local sheriff's office discovered that , between March and June of that year, Howell and other Davidians at the Waco compound had received frequent shipments of weapons, explosive components, and related materials.11 By June 1992 those shipments totaled more than $40,000. [Included in these shipments were] assault rifles and conversion kits, ammunition, inert grenades, sensors, night-vision devices, chemicals, combat vests, etc.[/quote]
I don't know the specifics of how these things were being shipped, but I believe they were being transported via common courier, namely UPS; I could be mistaken though. My first concern is that this common courier was regularly notifying the government what they were shipping to Mount Carmel. Was a search warrant which specifically instructed these shipments to be intercepted and catalogued in effect?
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>"Having decided that it needed military assistance, on December 4, 1992, ATF discussed with a liaison from DOD how the military might help. The liaison suggested that the military could provide aerial thermal (infrared) photography of the site."
<LI>"Since its requirement for a drug connection was met in this new letter, the Texas National Guard approved the request. In all, six reconnaissance overflights would be made, with thermal imaging used on at least two flights to search for armed guards and drug- manufacturing facilities."
<LI>"In addition, thermal images made by National Guard overflights had shown a hot spot inside the compound, possibly indicating a methamphetamine laboratory."
</UL>
Again, was a search warrant in effect which specifically permitted this search of the compound? Make no mistake: looking through the walls is not surveillance, it is a search, and the Fourth Amendment applies. In the early 90's, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, the Air National Guard got into trouble for using infrared gear in helicopters to overfly private property in search of hydroponic drug farms, by looking for the heat signature of the lamps used in that process.
There was a whole pile of illegal activity going on in Waco, before, during, and after the siege, and our government was breaking those laws. I can only hope Congress has the guts to call them on the carpet for every single crime committed there. Wouldn't it be nice?
[This message has been edited by Aleksandr (edited August 28, 1999).]
