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An L.A. Police Bust Shows New Tactics For Fighting Terror
The Wall Street Journal ^ | December 27, 2006 | Robert Block

Posted on 12/29/2006 12:23:33 PM PST by Man of the Right

LOS ANGELES -- In September 2004, just days after Chechen rebels raided a school in Beslan, Russia, killing 331 men, women and children, the Los Angeles Police Department summoned senior officers to its decaying downtown headquarters. The issue on the table: What would they do if a similar attack took place here?

Most of the talk that morning was about where to deploy SWAT teams if terrorists ever took over a local school. Detective Mark Severino, one of the city's counterterrorist investigators, then asked his colleagues: "Do we even have Chechen extremists in Los Angeles?" Blank stares and silence filled the room. His boss at the time, Deputy Chief John Miller, told him to go find out.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: California; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: chechen; civilliberties; intelligence; lapd
For non-subscribers, the article explains the LAPD's intelligence unit's use of criminal rather than national security, law to take down a Chechen ring stealing cars and using the proceeds to finance terrorism in Chechnya, Georgia and Armeania. The underlying message is that 9,000 FBI agents can't do it all. There are 800,000 state and local police out there who would like to do their part if provided with Homeland Security's list of terrorist organizations and some information sharing by the feds. Not every city has NYPD's, LAPD's or the CPD's resources, but every department would like to know who's living in their jurisdiction. Not always, but typically, terrorists will have committed a crime in the process of engaging in terrorism. Fear of blowback from civil libertarians has prevented Dubya from conducting a single military tribunal in the more than six years since 9-11. In contrast, only terminal bed-wetters deny the cops legitimae authority to break up a stolen car ring.

When the LAPD identified and investigated the Chechen terrorists in its midst and approached the FBI, naturally the FBI wanted no part of it -- until the LAPD furnished photos of the clan leader with the deceased terrorist leader, the so-called Butcher of Beslan, Shamil Basayev.

1 posted on 12/29/2006 12:23:36 PM PST by Man of the Right
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To: Man of the Right

Follow the money ...


2 posted on 12/29/2006 12:26:58 PM PST by sono (For everyone but America the free world is mostly a free ride. - Mark Steyn)
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To: Man of the Right

If anybody takes over a school here, I doubt they'll be from Chechnya.


3 posted on 12/29/2006 12:29:14 PM PST by wastedyears ("By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Man of the Right

In this, I salute the LAPD. Good work!


4 posted on 12/29/2006 12:29:36 PM PST by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Enterprise

What the hell is wrong with the FBI?????


5 posted on 12/29/2006 12:34:41 PM PST by squarebarb (send gifts to Gitmo for our guys!)
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To: wastedyears

"If anybody takes over a school here, I doubt they'll be from Chechnya."




Wait! Isn't the terrorist Antosama bin Villaregosa already trying to take over L.A.'s schools?


6 posted on 12/29/2006 12:36:40 PM PST by gc4nra ( this tag line protected by Kimber and the First Amendment (I voted for McClintock))
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To: squarebarb

Cops I have talked to over the years have always said the same thing. Mostly, communication and cooperation with the FBI is one way - their way.


7 posted on 12/29/2006 12:38:36 PM PST by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Man of the Right

LAPD still badly needs some good press, good story.


8 posted on 12/29/2006 12:39:50 PM PST by Wayne07
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To: Man of the Right

Deputy Chief John Miller???? I knew John Miller worked for the LAPD Terrorism Unit, didn't know he was a Deputy Chief...


9 posted on 12/29/2006 12:49:43 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: squarebarb

Clinton. Hillary replaced everyone when she came into office with friends from her school days. When they were leaving office people in appointed positions were given tenured jobs and, when Bush was elected, he kept everyone.


10 posted on 12/29/2006 12:52:26 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: wastedyears

Why not?


11 posted on 12/29/2006 12:57:36 PM PST by Rocky Mountain High
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To: Arizona Carolyn

I don't know.


12 posted on 12/29/2006 1:00:08 PM PST by Man of the Right
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To: MrShoop

I agree. Being a cop is a thankless job. It's especially thankless in LA.


13 posted on 12/29/2006 1:01:26 PM PST by Man of the Right
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To: Enterprise

I join you.


14 posted on 12/29/2006 1:02:25 PM PST by Man of the Right
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To: sono

That's what they did, among other things. I wish every jurisdiction was as proactive.


15 posted on 12/29/2006 1:03:21 PM PST by Man of the Right
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To: wastedyears

Who knows what their intentions are? They were responsible for the deaths of 186 kids in Beslan. The U.S. has its differences with Putin. Still, if asked to line up with the terrorists or the children, I support the children every time.


16 posted on 12/29/2006 1:07:08 PM PST by Man of the Right
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To: sono

Why do we let the supporters of Chechen terrorists into our country, and once we know they're here, why aren't they deported, or at least turned over to the Russians? One of the most horrible things I've seen on TV this year was a documentary about how they took over that theater in Moscow, kept all the performers and the audience hostage and finally killed some of the kids before the Russians moved in) (and accidently killed a bunch of people with gas that was suppoesd to make them sleepy). The Chechens are on a par with Al Queda and are just as unwelcome here.


17 posted on 12/29/2006 2:33:08 PM PST by 3AngelaD (ic.)
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To: Man of the Right
"decaying downtown headquarters"

I'm sure Parker Center is a bit outdated but is it really "decaying"?
18 posted on 12/29/2006 2:40:04 PM PST by SoCal Pubbie
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To: squarebarb

They can't be everywhere.


19 posted on 12/29/2006 8:28:36 PM PST by Valin (History takes time. It is not an instant thing.)
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