US vs LEONARD PELTIER FBI MISCONDUCT

On June 18, 2000 Indian Country Today ran the following article...my comments interspersed:

EDITORIAL COMMENT:
If the person below was at the Jumping Bull  residence (not Wounded Knee) on June 26th, 1975, he needs to get his story straight, and his map...  I am very disappointed in the caliber of reporting from Indian Country Today.  The account below not only fails to line up with any testimony from those who were there, but fails to even meet the FBI's tainted testimony during Leonard's trial in 1977, they at least had the location right.
The following is too inaccurate to be believable and in this editor's opinion smacks of poor research on the part of Indian Country Today.

My comments in brackets interspersed below.
 

An eyewitness to Wounded Knee '75 speaks out, at last
http://www.indiancountry.com/articles/headline-2000-06-21-06.shtml
By Mary Pierpoint
Today staff

Speaking only on condition of anonymity, a Native American man
who witnessed events at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge
Reservation in South Dakota in 1975 speaks out. In his words,
unedited, he addresses the deaths of the two FBI agents and the
murder of Anna Mae Aquash. He chose to step forward only
because of information released by the Leonard Peltier Defense
Committee regarding the agents' murders for which Peltier is serving
two life sentences. Although he has left the area, he has been told
there is still a bounty on his head.

               "There wasn't no four-hour gun battle. The only thing that
             happened was the execution-style murder of the two FBIs. He
             (Peltier) tries to pretend he is some good father figure, but he has a
             dual personality, the bad comes out constantly, not the good.

               When I was there two FBIs that were killed execution style. One
             of them got on the radio and said, 'Tell them to get on that hill! Help
             us, they're shooting at us!' Then the radio went dead. When we
             recovered the bodies later, the shooting was continuously going
             because they were shooting up the FBI vehicle. There were so many
             bullet holes in that police vehicle that you couldn't even begin to
             count. I stopped at 3,000.
 
 

Funny...the FBI only managed to count 74 bullet holes per Agent Cunningham and Agent Lodge's testimony...which vehicle were you checking??  so the "we" makes you BIA police..correct?  they were the only other's there on scene at this time, stopped on the road dead behind SA Gary Adams vehicle with the two blown out tires.  Of course, you may have been part of the BIA group out on field training that morning.  Seems the FBI sent in SWAT teams a few weeks in advance to train the department for just this kind of action.  Planned in advance wouldn't you say?}

               They say he was on that hill, there was only one hill in the area
             and that was what the one FBI was talking about when he said get
             up on that hill. It wasn't Peltier standing up there, no one was there.
             On that hill they are talking about is where the FBI was trying to get
             help to go. That is why they were saying they were trapped.

{SEE:  copy of the map used in Peltier's trial..this was government exhibit 71}

               There was nothing left of them when we got there. One put his
             hand up and a bullet went through that hand and out through his face
             to his back and you could see daylight. One was shot in the back and
             everything was coming out the front and you could see daylight. And
             they talk about being good people, dominated people. They are the
             ones who can take a life and try to get out of it. To this day I have
             no feelings toward them. To take somebody's life and try to get
             away with it. Life is too good for them to live.
 

{Autopsy did not show this.}

               They left family behind, those two FBI agents, young. Nobody
             says anything about their families or helps them. Nobody can bring
             them back, all the money in the world. What is the punishment for
             someone who lies constantly?

{government employment?}

{Agent Williams was not married.....the LPDC released this as to the Memorial for ALL who lost their lives:
If you are attending the June 26 and 27 gathering at Oglala, below is a
general protocol for those who have not been to Pine Ridge before.  The
gathering is being held to mark 25 years since the shoot out occurred.
Ceremonies will be done for both Joe Killsright Stuntz and the agents, as
well as all who lost their lives during the "reign of terror".  There will
be a giveaway to honor the people of Oglala as well, and all who are
attending are encouraged to bring gifts.  If you are not attending, but
would like to send a gift ( such as blankets, crafts, tools and utensils)
you can send them to our office address: LPDC PO Box 583 Lawrence, KS 66044
and we will bring them to Oglala...<<end quote from LPDC}

               When they killed those two innocent guys, that was heard around
             the world, "My God, what are Indian people doing?"

               I think he should die a natural life in prison. If he ever got out,
             what would prevent him from doing it again? One of his own people
             testified against him. One of the guys that was in that camp told the
             story of what he did.

{SEE: Witnessed coerced who did not testify on the Pipe, Mike Anderson}
 

               There was never a vehicle like they described. We lined up and
             checked every vehicle that came through. We never saw it. We
             searched that camp and we saw only old .22s, shotguns, we never
             saw any high powered rifles like the ones they used to shoot up that
             car.
 

{SEE:  SA Adams testimony on Pickup }

               We had to stand and count over 3,000 bullet holes, in the dash,
             seats, radios - all these things were shot up with a high-powered rifle.

               We were across the road, behind a dam, when shots were shot
             directly at us and they were high-powered rifles. We didn't return the
             fire back. We were taught to shoot to kill, but to try to preserve a
             life. But to them a life was nothing, as you can see. Two innocent
             people tried to arrest and they got killed. Later we swept that area
             and there were no high-powered weapons. What happened to those
             weapons? They took them with them when they escaped.

             <snipped>

               The traditional people are most respectful. The elderly spoke
             against AIM. If the traditional people were being abused and
             persecuted, it was by AIM. I can honestly say that. For those that
             believe what they (Peltier Defense Committee) say, wake up and
             smell the coffee. It won't happen again.
 

{The traditional people met to request that AIM come to help.  Francis HeCrow, treaty researcher for the traditional Elders states in testimony that there were four meeting that year in January, February, March  and April to discuss, research, put it together and come up with a resolution to request AIM's presence on Pine Ridge.  This document was taken to Washington DC in September of 1975 following the raids on Crow Dog's and Al Runnings and was signed by Chief Fools Crow, David Flying Hawk, Luke Weasel Bear ,Charlie Red Cloud, Matthew Bear Shield and Frank Kills Enemy of the traditional Chief's council}

               They (AIM) used people for their betterment. Maybe they had
             something going to begin with, but it turned violent. You live violent,
             you die a violent death.

               They will kill their own kind to keep them quiet. I was also
             involved in that one too (Anna Mae Aquash). They (the FBI) know
             who killed her, but they wanted the man above. A detective in
             Colorado is reopening the case. My God, I mean if AIM can put out
             the execution of their own people and Anna Mae Aquash was not a
             narc. I can tell you that. The FBI tried to break her, but they
             couldn't. She was there to assist and help wherever she was needed
             at. It didn't have to be in Pine Ridge, she just participated and
             helped, she was never a narc like AIM branded her to be.

               If they wanted an example they should have made an example out
             of Peltier. They should have executed him. Any place else they
             would have. Nobody has a personal vendetta against him.

               They (those supporting Peltier) better stop and realize that it could
             happen to their family. Who would they run to? The FBI? Those
             guys have been investigating crime on the reservation for years and
             years. No law enforcement holds a grudge, but they don't want to
             see Peltier paroled. They should have made him an example by
             executing him. They would have done it to somebody else.

               This rehabilitation (Peltier's) isn't going to work. It didn't work on
             the outside, what makes them think it will work? Think about what
             they have done. How many people have they hurt and then moved
             on. They have scarred a lot of tribes and then just moved on. Even
             their own tribes don't want them. You don't listen to lies or you will
             get yourself in trouble.

               The FBI was only there to investigate the killings. They left
             afterwards. They didn't persecute the people. Those FBIs that were
             shot were only there to serve a warrant, on hundred-dollar boots.
             They did not terrorize the people. All they did was investigate the
             murders and escorted the bodies out. Somebody needs to speak the
             truth. It is time to move on now and let the past go.
 

{In July, the council passed a resolution unanimously requesting the FBI to leave Pine Ridge after more than 300 descended upon the people wearing army style fatigues, carrying M16 rifles and arriving in armored personnel carriers.  It was an invasion force.}

[Note: straightforward language used in the following response to the appearance of the above article..Ish]

* From: "ks"

Watching a puppy chase its own tail is funny.  Then it gets old.  Then
frustrating.  So, in the interests of defining exciting, up-to-date, pursuit-oriented
bogeymen, let's have a go at what we'll call "COINTEL for Dummies."  It's a
short, one time only course.  No credit.  Your respective instructors will be pop-
quizzing, no doubt.

COINTEL is "counter-intelligence," for those who aren't clear on it & evidently
there are a few of you.  Counter-intelligence is a strategy used to (a) collect
information, and/or (b) disseminate misinformation for the purpose of
disruption.  Tactics --- custom-fitted methods employed to pursue the strategy
of counter-intelligence --- are infinite, specifically developed to suit the
situation at hand yet always maintaining focus on the agreed-upon target.  The
strategy of counter-intelligence is long-term.  Individual tactics, by definition,
must always be short-term.  A single tactic does not a strategy make --- that is,
tactics are employed in multiples, always.  An individual with a single tactic will
invariably achieve signal failure.  There are no exceptions to this rule.  Counter-
intelligence has no agenda (agenda being defined as a broadly-based primary
interest or goal); it has a purpose, a particular object which it diligently
searches out by way of these multiple, usually elaborate, often inefficient
tactics.  The target, or object, may be a specific piece of information or a
"ladder" of information; or it may be a particular person; or a particular
"intangible objective."  An example of an intangible objective would be
retrieving, or appearing to retrieve, an item or piece of information in such a
way as to implicate a third-party.  The item or information retrieved (or
pretended) may or may not be of any actual value, as the identity or
subsequent health of the implicated third-party may or may not be of primary
value.  The objective is the smoke & confusion --- askance suspicion,
accusation, "infiltration" --- chaos.  This is pure counter-intelligence.  And it's
neat.  It's tidy.  Deniable.  Unprovable.

The FBI is both one of the best & one of the worst practitioners of COINTEL.
But it's not an agency issue; it's an agent issue, or a group or task-force of
agents.  No matter how well trained, some folks are better at it than others, and
some are simply stupid as hell.  There are other agencies or groups which are
vastly more skilled at COINTEL than the FBI or other U.S. organizations.  FARC
has skilled counter-intelligence personnel.  The Syrians & the Israelies have
them & the British are quite good.  The Soviets were and are exlempary
practitioners.  AIM had very skilled personnel who, with two or three
exceptions, had no formal counter-intelligence training whatsoever.  The
indigenous resistence has them (including a few of those just mentioned ...
though not the two or three exceptions noted).

Now.  Having covered all that, let's move on to why the ICT article can not be a
construct of counter-intelligence.  It's just too f*cking sloppy.  There you are.
That's it.  No need to whisper, no need to throw runes, wave feathers, rattle
dem bones.  While it is certainly true that the feds have managed to
manufacture some monumentally ugly plain-as-day fuckups both in the past &
very recently, the deciding factor here is collateral damage, specifically, the lack
thereof.  The FBI puts great stock in its ability to inflict a range of damage on
its selected target, whatever the scope or direct intent of the operation.  They
truly admire the better-bang-for-the-buck.  They desire, say, not just the man &
the counterfeit bills, but the plates, the press, his property, and the phone
records too.  The feds don't lust after pieces and parts; they like whole things.
We know this better than anyone else.

Now, having said ~that~, it can only be true that the feds are of course behind
the whole business of the article.  They initiated it.  But, somewhere in the dark,
sulphurous caverns of FBI-land, some SAC is banging away at doorframing
with his big head, wishing to hell he'd gone about the whole business
differently.  The whole thing is so badly done as to be beyond belief.  Damn
tragic, too, because it was a tailor-made opportunity to drive the proverbial last
nail into The Man's box --- the timing is akin to major planets lining up.  Peltier
was just denied --- again.  The anniversary of the firefight is just now.  The
fourth of July is coming up, apple pie, America the beautiful, sea to shining sea.
An election year: the Time-of-Great-Cowardice for any self-loving politician.
There are signs of dispair in Peltier's camp, in the movement overall.  There is
greater than usual conflict within the movement, very evident on any number of
messageboards on the internet.  This timing can be no mistake.  But the feds
only initiated it.  "Indian Country Today" produced it (and f*cked it up in
unimaginably grandiose style).  So it amounts to flagrant collusion on the part
of ICT, classic crackers-and-mollases betrayal.  We should make it our business
to see to it that it amounts most of all to corporate suicide.  It is the ~timing~
here that damns ICT, not the goofball, ridiculously inept material in the article.
There can be no mistaking the purpose of the ~timing~.

.............

ks
 "Indígena resistência existe. / América Indígena Resistência"

Freedom for Leonard Peltier
Fax the following 4 people for free
President Clinton
Vice President Al Gore
Texas Governor George Bush
Attorney General Janet Reno

http://Clemency_for_Peltier.tripod.com
You help is appreciated