DHS methodology used in "Rightwing Extremism" memo revealed

The Sebeka/Menahga Review Messenger ^ | August 15, 2009

[2ndDivisionVet]

Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today condemned the methodology used by the Department of Homeland Security in issuing a controversial "right-wing extremism" threat assessment to law enforcement in April as "complete speculation."

"Our worse fears about what went into this memo have been confirmed. The government department that was supposed to be tasked with identifying domestic terrorist threats is apparently using news stories, kooky websites, and conjecture instead of actual hard intelligence reporting and analysis," said Wilson.

"This is a disgrace, and calls into question what it is that the so-called 'Extremism and Radicalizaton Branch of the Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division' actually does," Wilson added.

Americans for Limited Government filed a Freedom of Information request in April demanding all documents related to the drafting of the controversial "right-wing extremism" memo. It has now received an interim response from the Department related to "All data and all studies, reports, or other documents regarding data created or reviewed by the Department in general to draft the Report… [and] on the specific groups listed in the footnote on page 2 of the Report that were used by the Department."

Those studies and reports included 217 pages, "releasable in their entirety, all of which are publicly available," according to the DHS FOIA response. All of the data used by the Department are available via the Internet. A summary of the web-links is included here.

In a recent edition of the Clews-Todd Report, ALG top researcher Don Todd recently gave his assessment of the memo and DHS' FOIA interim response, "Here you have a bunch of government bureaucrats surfing the web that come up with this crackpot website [http://whatdoesitmean.com], and then they alert all the police agencies in the country to look out for veterans, pro-lifers, and people that believe in states' rights."

FOX News today exclusive reported on DHS' response to ALG's freedom of information request.

"Not a single study or report was from any government source," said Wilson. "And again, there was no evidence of any actual active recruitment of 'disgruntled veterans' by these groups, no evidence showing that folks who purchase guns or oppose gun-control legislation are necessarily dangerous, and no evidence that the economic downturn or the election of Barack Obama that is fueling any actual 'resurgence' of 'extremism.'"

The memo had reported that "rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans".

"We already knew that the memo did not illuminate on any actual planned attacks or any groups known to be planning attacks, or any groups with histories of perpetrating attacks that are currently conducting any types of operational recruitment, meeting, or planning attacks," said Wilson.

"And now we know why," Wilson added, explain, "The background DHS used was not based on credible intelligence sources, reporting, and analysis. Instead, what we found is that the Department was apparently surfing the net to see what news stories happened to turn up to support a pre-determined conclusion," Wilson explained.

In defining "rightwing extremism," the Department of Homeland Security memo targets "groups, movements, and adherents… that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority" and "groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."

"We now know for a fact that DHS was monitoring political speech and thought, whether on the Internet or via other forms of communications," said Wilson, pointing to websites included in the DHS FOIA response that tracked gun-control legislation.

The memo had claimed that "Many rightwing extremists groups perceive recent gun control legislation as a threat to their right to bear arms and in response have increased weapons and ammunition stockpiling, as well as renewed participation in paramilitary training exercises."

Previously DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said, "We are on the lookout for criminal and terrorist activity but we do not – nor will we ever – monitor ideology or political beliefs."

"DHS' response to our freedom of information request unfortunately confirms in no uncertain terms that their hunt for 'rightwing extremists' was nothing more than a witch hunt," Wilson concluded.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

Evasive. Do you think that AQ did WTC?

[listenhillary]

Obama has responded to queries about this report with this statement.

"This was a very unprofessional report and we regret it's release. We will rectify this by creating a new czar with a new cabinet level department. All reports of this type will now be vetted by the DMSU for accuracy and more esoteric fabricated data."

Mr. President, what does the acronym DMSU stand for?

"Department of Making Sh*t Up."

[sergeantdave]

The writer buried the lead in the last paragraph.

Here’s the correct lead:

The Department of Homeland Security engaged in a witch hunt to demonize conservatives opposed to the president’s health care plan.

“Here you have a bunch of government bureaucrats surfing the web that come up with this crackpot website [http://whatdoesitmean.com], and then they alert all the police agencies in the country to look out for veterans, pro-lifers, and people that believe in states’ rights,” said ALG top researcher Don Todd who gave his assessment of the memo and DHS’ FOIA interim response.

[Condor51]

"Here you have a bunch of government bureaucrats surfing the web that come up with this crackpot website [http://whatdoesitmean.com], and then they alert all the police agencies in the country to look out for veterans, pro-lifers, and people that believe in states' rights."

'Crackpot website? I beg your pardon. What's 'crackpot' about this:

'The TOP SECRET Powder To Improve Gas Mileage...
Everyone Is Talking About!

Or this...

'MegaH: The Most Powerful Antioxidant Known',
'Crystal Energy: Ever taken a shower? Or lived in an old house? Or used an aluminum pot? ... it's dangerous.'
'MegaHydrate: is the key that unlocks the potential of water as the medium for nutrient replenishment and waste removal at the cellular level.'

Seems like the PERFECT place for Janet Nappy's terrorist experts to get their information on 'Extremists'

[SunkenCiv]

Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today condemned the methodology used by the Department of Homeland Security in issuing a controversial "right-wing extremism" threat assessment to law enforcement in April as "complete speculation." "Our worse fears about what went into this memo have been confirmed. The government department that was supposed to be tasked with identifying domestic terrorist threats is apparently using news stories, kooky websites, and conjecture instead of actual hard intelligence reporting and analysis," said Wilson. "This is a disgrace, and calls into question what it is that the so-called 'Extremism and Radicalizaton Branch of the Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division' actually does," Wilson added.

[justiceseeker93]

About the only surprise here is that DHS revealed its dirty laundry for Americans For Limited Government to see. One wouldn't normally expect them to be so accommodating to a Freedom of Information Act request.

[Atom Smasher]

This is getting more sickening by the day...

[machogirl]

my former gov slipped up ;)

[Liz]

Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson: "We now know for a fact that DHS was monitoring political speech and thought------and groups and individuals who oppose abortion, immigration, gun-control." Wilson concluded: "DHS' response to our FOIA request unfortunately confirms in no uncertain terms that their hunt for 'rightwing extremists' was nothing more than a witch hunt."

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano falsely maintained that they were on the lookout for "criminal and terrorist activity" but did not monitor ideology or political beliefs."

"Monitoring," my Aunt Tilly--- the government was conducting surveillance on Americans and intended to use the power of gov't to restrict Americans' Constitional freedoms.....and Obama okayed this atrocity against Americans.

[GOPJ]

This was Freeper M1Tanker’s last post. He committed suicide:

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:31:23 AM · 11 of 16
M1Tanker to 2ndDivisionVet

I have just returned from a tour in Afghanistan only to find that I am now considered a potential ‘terrorist’ by the DHS...

Meanwhile REAL terrorists from the left wing (ELF/ALF/PETA/ANSWER/ACT/ACORN/WWP/Code Pink/et al) and Islam (Jamal al Faqua, AQ, HAMAS, Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood, etc) are either causing real damage or planning major attacks and they are pointedly IGNORED. Some now receive government funding.

Un-freaking believable... Wait, considering the treason and collusion of the left in the past 8 years, very freaking believable, but still disgusting.

---

FReeper M1Tanker

Major Christopher Galloway Died at FReeper M1Tanker
Sunday, August 16, 2009

[bamahead]

"Not a single study or report was from any government source...there was no evidence of any actual active recruitment of 'disgruntled veterans'...no evidence showing that folks who purchase guns or oppose gun-control legislation are necessarily dangerous..."



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[Freedom2specul8]

LoLOnly if you put a disclaimer, something like “satire” in very tiny print somewhere!

[Freedom2specul8]

Which presidential candidate said the constitution was outdated, do you remember? I think it was clinton or gore.

[djsherin]

I’m not sure who has explicitly stated it, but most of them have acted as if the Constitution is outdated.

[Just mythoughts]

"Monitoring," my Aunt Tilly--- the government was conducting surveillance on Americans and intended to use the power of gov't to restrict Americans' Constitional freedoms.....and Obama okayed this atrocity against Americans.

So there were intended consequences of raising that big TARP, nationalizing banks and auto industries and passing themselves that stimuli campaign slush fund? And they call US Nazis and racists. With all they have already accomplished no wonder BamaCare cure for US was mass production of that magic end of life 'pill'.

[mysterio]

A lot of us were against the creation of DHS. Now I suppose you see why. For fun, go back and look at the threads here from around the creation of the “patriot” act and DHS.

[FreedomPoster]

So basically, they took the rantings of the Kos/DU kids and made an official gov’t report out of them that slammed veterans, gun owners, et al as potential terrorists. Did I get that right?

Just damn.

[Jacquerie]

No, but I would sure like to have the quote, place and date.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping; post.

WOW

[Freedom2specul8]

Yesterday I googled it... I just knew I read it somewhere a long time ago, but can’t find it yet. I’ll keep looking to prove myself right or wrong.

The search resuts are not going back as far as I want them too. They are more recent references to “outdated constitution”, made on blogs.