Posted on 04/19/2010 6:06:14 PM PDT by Sybeck1
September 6, 1999
WASHINGTON--A former government officer has told investigators that members of the secret Army unit Delta Force said they participated in a shoot-out during the final assault on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
The witness, according to congressional sources, has already named names; and will soon offer his account under oath!
The development caused panic and confusion at the top levels of the Justice Department and the FBI over the holiday weekend, leaving one top official scrambling for details.
FBI Director Freeh has demanded a full briefing, one agency source divulged late Monday.
Developing...
Meanwhile, congressional investigators are growing convinced that infrared film taken by an FBI surveillance aircraft at 9,000 feet on the final day of the Waco standoff does appear to show U.S. armed forces firing into the church compound.
"We are looking at the footage frame-by-frame... most of us have grown convinced that it does show snipers unloading from the rear of a tank," an investigator for the House Government Reform Committee told the DRUDGE REPORT.
Former FBI agent Richard Schwein, a supervisor at Waco, said charges of government gunfire were "absolutely false."
"False, absolutely false," he said on FOX NEWS SUNDAY. "No FBI agent fired any rounds from their weapons at Waco. There were no Delta Forces or special operations soldiers in an operational capacity at Waco." "And everyone on our side, and the FBI's side, were in armored vehicles, so I don't know how you'd have films of anybody firing into the back of the building. No one was on foot, because we had no body armor that would stop the rounds they were firing."
WAIVER WONDER
Use of active military personnel against civilians without presidential decree is a violation of federal law.
Late last month White House spokesman Joe Lockhart first told reporters that he had no information on the waiver issue.
[August 26, 1999; Thursday]
Q Joe, why was the Army's Delta Force present on the scene the day that Waco burned?
MR. LOCKHART: I would refer you to the Justice Department. I don't have information on the Delta Force one way or the other.
Q The reason I asked is because since the law prohibits the military being used against civilians, I wondered whether the White House either, A, requested it or, B, President Clinton signed a waiver for it.
MR. LOCKHART: I don't have any information on that. Again, I'd refer you to Justice. I don't have any independent information on their role, if any.
The next day, when asked again about any possible waiver, Lockhart offered more details.
[August 27, 1999; Friday]
Q What did the White House know about the potential operational involvement of Delta Force in the Waco siege?
MR. LOCKHART: I think that's an issue that was dealt with at the time. And as we said yesterday, the president was not asked to sign a waiver, nor were we aware of any activity that would have required a waiver. But, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, Lockhart may still not have the full story.
One witness has told congressional investigators that in April of 1993, in response to a press inquiry, a White House spokesman stated privately that a "waiver is on the president's desk that would have authorized military intervention.
A development that will cause battle during fresh rounds of congressional hearings.
FILED BY MATT DRUDGE
This Information Is From The Drudge Report
Take off your blinders. Waco wasn't just about Koresh. Think of the innocents who died because Reno was an a$$hat.
Waco, along with Ruby Ridge, needs to be remembered as what happens when governmental agencies feel they are above the citizens.
The Jews were in the gas chambers, and Hitlers henchmen were there, the people at the compound were murdered and the henchmen of the USA government was there, same thing, since the government had no business there in the first place the details are not that important.
If a woman is stabbed to death in her bedroom while she sleeps, by a stranger with a knife, is there any reason to suspect any other cause?
Sexy.
“I remeber the Republican controlled hearings after the Waco and Ruby Ridge mass murders. They totally covered up all the crimes like they were a part of the Clinton/Reno mafia.”
Considering the slap on the wrist that Sandy Berger got later for another issue, they WERE part of the “Clinton/Reno mafia”. Power protects itself.
I doubt this. If Delta Force had been involved, the end result would have been completely different. They don’t screw up that badly.
If you mentioned Ruby Ridge, you need to include Bush Sr., William Barr and maybe Richard Thornburgh (Although resigned well before the wetwork occurred) “mafia” into the mix.
To be in compliance of the Posse Comitatus Congress would have to have approved the assault. Otherwise the only other way would be if Nuclear material is involved, which none was.
“Under 18 U.S.C. § 831, the Attorney General may request that the Secretary of Defense provide emergency assistance if civilian law enforcement is inadequate to address certain types of threats involving the release of nuclear materials, such as potential use of a nuclear or radiological weapon. Such assistance may be by any personnel under the authority of the Department of Defense, provided such assistance does not adversely affect U.S. military preparedness”
“JSOC has provided support to domestic law enforcement agencies during high profile, or high risk events such as the Olympics, the World Cup, political party conventions and Presidential inaugurations. Although use of the military for law enforcement purposes in the United states is generally prohibited by the Posse Comitatus Act, Title 10 of the US Code expressly allows the Secretary of Defense to make military personnel available to train Federal, State, and local civilian law enforcement officials in the operation and maintenance of equipment”
So, this is what Reno held over Clinton? She could somehow prove that he sent in the military, thereby violating the Constitution? Maybe he signed the waiver referred to in the article, and she had a copy of it.
The front door proved that bullets were incoming that
penetrated the door. I don’t believe a word feds had to say.
Never forget!
Thanks for posting this. Combined with what Dick Morris said last night, it could get interesting. I’d like to see Bill Clinton twisting in the wind on this one, especially after he tried to lay the blame for the OKC bombing on conservatives.
You’re a liar.
Same here. I keep remembering Alamo-Girl's "Arkancide list."
I don't support David koresh or his BDs. I think they're nuts. But, we don't go blowing up a compound and burning little kids alive because we think someone is a little nutso.
Further, David Koresh left the compound nearly every day to buy cigarettes and to jog. They could've easily arrested him on any number of those occasions.
The ATFags wanted a hyped up victory to justify their existence. After shots were fired (discrepancy over who fired first) something like 4 ATFags were killed and 6 davidians..... then the FBI took over and made everything "better" after a lengthy standoff.
Not only that, but they [the davidians] allowed people to leave until the people no longer felt safe to do so.
OMG. Last night on Hannity - Dick Morris said Clinton wasn't going to reassign Reno after Waco, but Reno threatened to tell the American people the truth about Waco if he let her go. So, he had to keep her on. She was blackmailing him.
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