Terrorists, Police Corruption, and Assassination Terrorist activity isn't confined to the Middle East or Ireland. There always has been, and probably will always be radical groups in a free society. In America, our freedom of speech tolerates radical groups -- especially when they are based on religion. Radical groups too often use violence or threats of violence to get their way. When they are ignored, it usually leads to death threats, bombings and other means of deadly violence. When that happens, they are terrorists by legal definition. Sometimes it starts out as just another way to make a living, by collecting donations from members and financial supporters. But leaders of such groups are on an ego trip. They enjoy the power over their followers. They impose strict rules on followers and harsh punishment when they break the rules. Eventually, it gets out of control. To remain a leader, the self-appointed person must eventually practice what he's been preaching -- physical violence. If he doesn't, a more aggressive member will take over and lead the group to it's final conclusion -- deadly violence! Recent escalation of Anti-abortionists' activities include fire bombing, nauseous chemical spraying of clinics, and finally, the murder of a medical doctor. Anti-abortionists who use violence or threats of violence to force their viewpoints on the public (and clerics who publicly support and encourage them) are terrorists by definition. They should be prosecuted as terrorists, and pay the price for terrorizing innocent people who don't agree with their religious or political beliefs. When a "priest" uses his official position or the pulpit to encourage or support terrorist acts, the church itself, or any building where church services are performed, should be forfeited as the "vehicle" instrumental and related to proven terrorist acts! * * * * * * Another example: "60 Minutes" devoted a segment of their program on Dec. 9, 1990 to an activist group in Milwaukee called the Black Panthers. Their leader, Mike McGee, an alderman of the city, was shown wearing a khaki uniform similar to Fidel Castro's. The theatrical effect showed the militant posture of his group -- presumably as a revolutionary leader. He was openly preaching that violence is the only way to get "proper" attention to make economic reforms for the black community. Unless their (vague) demands for a better life are met by 1995, he promised violence in the streets. When I read the following definition of Acts of terrorism, I believe that Mike McGee and many others like him are simply terrorists. Many radicals use violence as a means of drawing attention to their groups. Their main goal in life (it seems) is to be constantly embroiled in a conspiracy to threaten, or actually commit, terrorist acts! CrimeFighters should look for such groups. Join them as undercover agents to get the required evidence for prosecution as terrorists. There are large rewards from $100,000 to $500,000 to pay for your time and personal risk. Terrorists are dangerous. Religious terrorists are the deadliest because members often feel they are martyrs to the cause and "expendable", and blessed, when they Kill in the name of their God! * * * * * * 18: USCS 3071 through 3074 Reward for Information Concerning Terrorist Acts 3071. Information for which rewards authorized With respect to acts of terrorism primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, the Attorney General may reward any individual who furnishes information - - (1) leading to the arrest or conviction, in any country, of any individual or individuals for the commission of an act of terrorism against a United States person or United States property; or (2) leading to the arrest or conviction, in any country, of any individual or individuals for conspiring or attempting to commit an act of terrorism against a United States person or property: or (3) leading to the prevention, frustration, or unfavorable resolution of an act of terrorism against a United States person or property. 3072. Determination of Entitlement; maximum amount; Presidential approval; conclusiveness. The Attorney General shall determine whether an individual furnishing information described in section 3071 is entitles to a reward and the amount to be paid. A reward under this section may be in an amount not to exceed $500,000. A reward of $100,000 or more may not be made without the approval of the President or the Attorney General personally. A determination made by the Attorney General or the President under this chapter (204) shall be final and conclusive, and no court shall have power or jurisdiction to review it. 3073. Protection of identity Any reward granted under this chapter shall be certified for payment by the Attorney General. If it is determined that the identity of the recipient of a reward or of the members of the recipient's immediate family must be protected, the Attorney General may take such measures in connection with the payment of the reward as deemed necessary to effect such protection. 3074. Exception of government officials No officer or employee of any government entity who, while in the performance of his or her official duties, furnishes the information described in section 3071 shall be eligible for any monetary reward under this chapter. 3075. Authorization for appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated, without fiscal year limitations, $5,000,000 for the purpose of this chapter. 3076. Eligibility for witness security program Any individual (and the immediate family of such individual) who furnishes information which would justify a reward by the Attorney General under this chapter or by the Secretary of State under section 36 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 may, in the discretion of the Attorney General, participate in the Attorney General's witness security program authorized under chapter 224 of this title. 3077. Definitions As used in this chapter, the term - (1) "act of terrorism" means an activity that - (a) Involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life that is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State; and (b) appears to be intended - (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by assassination or kidnapping." * * * * * * Comments: This definition seems to fit many radical groups - who use bomb threats, bombing, arson, destruction of private and public property or other illegal acts of coercion and violence -- to broadcast their objection to government policy. Peaceful demonstrations are not illegal. They are a desirable democratic means to make public objection to government policy or any other issue. But when peaceful demonstrators habitually use violence to get their message across in the media, they are stepping over the line. Sooner or later, they'll use more violence or threats of violence and become terrorists. When any self-appointed leader or any of their followers actually do something that constitutes an act of violence as defined by law, and you know about it, blow the whistle on them. Acts of violence against innocent people solely as a means of expressing dissent against government policies by radical groups cannot be condoned. Large rewards of $100,000 to $500,000 provides CrimeFighters the incentive to do something about it! * * * * * * Police Corruption It's no surprise to anyone when a politician is accused of bribery. There is no specific reward for corruption, but if bribes, payoffs, kickbacks, or malfeasance of public office is involved, it's usually a crime and rewards are available under 3059, and possibly RICO. Besides a multitude of crooked politicians, there are also crooked cops! Police corruption isn't anything new. It's been with us ever since police forces were created. As long as there are temptations, anyone can be corrupted. The bigger the temptation, the easier it is. It's not just cops. It applies to all people in any profession -- doctors, lawyers, judges, and priests. Cops are exposed to far more temptations than others. It's so easy to put money in their pockets. Being a cop is a tough job. Being an honest cop is tougher still. (That also applies to CrimeFighters!) The reason for mentioning police corruption in this otherwise pro-cop book is: (a) to tell CrimeFighters to resist temptation because they'll get caught eventually; (b) to look for police corruption and report it to the FBI; and (c) to work mainly with the FBI and federal agents. Not that all FBI agents are guaranteed 100% "untouchable", but the odds favor the Feds more than local cops. The pocketbook "Cocaine Wars," mentions that 1 out of 10 Miami cops were on the take. (Note the past tense.) While that situation is over, I don't believe corruption has been completely eradicated, and those incidents are not confined to Miami alone. * * * * * * * * * From the book "Serpico," a true story of one brave cop's fight against widespread police corruption in the N.Y. P.D.: Pg 138: ".....This situation was not unique to New York. During the past quarter century scandals have repeatedly shaken police departments around the country, in Atlanta, Baltimore, San Francisco, Philadelphia, in Newark, Louisville, Reno, Kansas City, and Detroit, Reading, and Albany, N.Y." "In the summer of 1966 -- just about the time Serpico was meeting with Captain Foran -- a study of police corruption in Boston, Washington, D.C., and Chicago showed that one out of every five policemen "was observed in a criminal violation," even though they knew they were being watched. The study, conducted by Dr. Albert J.Ries of Yale University under a grant from the President's Crime Commission, involved 36 trained observers reporting on the activities of 597 cops chosen at random in the three cities. Crimes that were witnessed embraced actual theft, receiving protection payoffs, and accepting money to alter sworn testimony. They did not include such examples of petty graft as free meals and drinks, small gifts, and discounts on purchases." Here's a quote from "Wiseguy, Life in a Mafia Family," by Nicholas Pileggi, Pocketbooks (1985) that may shake you up. (The book is full of similar revealing "secrets" N.Y. cops weren't happy with.) Pg 120: "After about four months I took my first pinch for running a wire room. It was in August of 1967, and the cops who broke in said we were doing $2 million worth of business a week. I only wish. We'd gotten word from the cops we'd paid off that we were going to be busted. We were due. They just went through the motions. It was done right. No cuffs or anything. After we were booked we took the cops for dinner on Mulberry Street before we went to night court for the arraignment. Al Newman, our bondsman, was already in court when we got there. I grabbed a cab home. The cops dropped Milty off. The next day we were back in action at a different apartment. We had taken a pinch and now were okay for a while. John Sutter, my lawyer, bounced the case around the courts for a year until I finally pleaded guilty. I got fined $100 and went home. The city was spending millions of dollars for plainclothes cops to catch bookmakers, but it was obvious that the whole thing was set up so the cops could shake us down. The cops didn't want to put us out of business any more than they wanted to shoot the golden goose." * * * * * * Another interesting book to read is "The Cops are Robbers," by Gerald W. Clemente with Kevin Stevens, published by Avon Books, 1987. From the back cover: "MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, 1980 - MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS "A uniformed police sergeant in his cruiser patrols the darkened street outside the Depositors Trust Bank. A conscientious cop safeguarding the life savings of the citizenry? "Hardly. While the sergeant keeps lookout, his five pals, including two other cops, dynamite their way into the bank's vault and raid hundreds of safe deposit boxes. Gold, diamonds, cash -- they snatch it all. Returning the next two nights, they make a total haul estimated as high as $25 million. And they get away clean. "The problem was they couldn't stay clean. "In `The Cops are Robbers,' ex-police captain Jerry Clemente tells the whole truth about the tale even "60 Minutes" couldn't unravel. And how drugs, gambling, and greed finally turned the perfect crime into a headline-making expose of police corruption." Comment: The book covers many other areas of police corruption besides the main story -- including supervisors selling answers to exams to a large number of cops so they could "buy" their promotion for $3,000, instead of earning it by studying. At the back of the book, in the Epilogue, Gerald Clemente says: "There is some sign that times are changing. The old guard, with its code of silence and fanatical sense of brotherhood, is beginning to be replaced by a younger corps of police administrators eager to bring corruption to light. These new men often have motives that are less than noble -- many are trying to garner media interest that will spread their names and advance their careers. In the same way, many of the old guard did what they did out of a true sense of honor. But the final result, it seems, will be a cleaner police force. Whatever the case, it seems clear to me that without a recognition that policemen are human and subject to temptation, and without a policy that provides someone to watch over the individual activities of the police, the problem of corruption will never be solved." * * * * * * Not all cops are crooked or corruptible. The vast majority are honest, hard-working, and conscientious. But there are enough crooked cops percentage-wise to be a serious threat to CrimeFighters if they should chance upon police corruption and report it to local cops. I recommend CrimeFighters report police corruption, if they find any, only to the FBI. (And apply for a reward, too.) The FBI will report it to the Internal Affairs Division (IAD) of the local P.D., and will monitor the case to prevent a cover up. * * * * * * Assassination 18 USCS 1751 Presidential and Presidential staff assassination, kidnapping, and assault; penalties. (a) Whoever kills (1) any individual who is the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President, or, if there is no Vice President, the officer next in the order of succession to the Office of the President of the United States, the Vice-President-elect, or any person who is acting as President under the Constitution and laws of the United States, or; (2) any person appointed under section 105(a)(2)(A) of title 3 employed in the Executive Office of the President or appointed under section 106(a)(1)(A) of title 3 employed in the Office of the Vice President, shall be punished as provided by sections 1111 and 1112 of this title. (b) Whoever kidnaps any individual designated in subsection (a) of this section shall be punished (1) by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, or (2) by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life, if death results to such individual. (c) Whoever attempts to kill or kidnap any individual designated in subsection (a) of this section shall be punished by imprisonment for any term of years or for life. (d) If two or more persons conspire to kill or kidnap any individual designated in subsection (a) of this section and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be punished (1) by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, or (2) by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life, if death results to such individual. (e) Whoever assaults any person designated in subsection (a)(1) shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. Whoever assaults any person designated in subsection (a)(2) shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both; and if personal injury results, shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. (f) skipped (g) The Attorney General of the United States, in his discretion is author- ized to pay an amount not to exceed $100,000 for information and services concerning a violation of subsection (a)(1). Any officer or employee of the United States or of any State or local government who furnishes information or renders service in the performance of his official duties shall not be eligible for payment under this subsection. (h) skipped (i) Violations of this section shall be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistance may be requested from any Federal, State, or local agency, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force, any statute, rule, or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding. F9 for next Chapter