'Terror' Against the Press: The ... Boston FBI's 'unconfirmed reports' ...

[Newsjock]

Title truncated to fit
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0430/dnc-mondo7.php

'Terror' Against the Press
The curious saga of the Boston FBI's 'unconfirmed reports' of a right-wing threat to the media
by James Ridgeway
July 29th, 2004 4:25 PM

BOSTON — It looks like the FBI's Boston field office faked a threat of domestic terrorism just before the start of the Democratic National Convention by leaking "unconfirmed" reports of white supremacist groups readying an attack against media vehicles in Boston. Fox News, for one, reportedly was wildly trying to disguise its trucks by covering up its logos.

The effect of this probably was to make the press even more suspicious of anti-war demonstrators than it already is—to even view them as possible terrorists, and if not actual terrorists, then a crowd within which terrorists could operate.

All of this is taking place in an atmosphere of fear and tension whipped up by the Bush administration, with its reports of Al Qaeda "sleeping cells" preparing to strike against America in the midst of the presidential campaign. (See my July 16 article on a chilling Election Day scenario.)

The white supremacists on the far right have never shown any great interest in the war on terror, and they usually try to use the press, not attack it. Mark Potok, editor of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report, which tracks the far right, told Glynn Wilson of the serious-minded Southerner Daily News blog, "We have had no indication whatsoever, not an inkling, that there is any kind of violent action planned by the radical right in Boston. We follow these groups quite closely."

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[eaprez]

1. If that is true...haven't some laws been broken?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. Likely.

Very, very likely.

However, any thought of of prosecutions or reprisals for such behavior is fantasy. The FBI, at least internally, only punishes those who tell the truth.

Ask Sibel.

[Occulus]

17. And Watergate was only a third-rate burglary.

AT THE TIME.

It's amazing what was really "just a burglary" ended up doing, isn't it?

[Johnyawl]

2. Fox News...was wildly trying to disguise its trucks

Why would Fox News have anything to fear from right-wing terrorists?

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Fox was reporting this story endlessly

It added to the sham by creating a bigger sense of panic.

[DS1]

10. It's too bad they didn't duct tape and plastic themselves inside

:evilgrin:

[Fovea]

4. FBI's Boston field office faked a threat of domestic terrorism

This should be easy enough to roll up the ladder. Just start charging everyone up to the Attorney General, and roll the low level boys and girls.

[Minstrel Boy]

6. Isn't a "faked a threat of domestic terrorism"

y'know, like a crime?

For some people, anyway.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

9. For you and me.... letal injection, most likely.... for the admin...

nah, just biz as usual.

[RebelYell]

7. Kick

:kick:

[PATRICK]

8. No, it's convenient cover

courtesy of Bush Inc. so that FOX can disguise themselves in their fear of their "fans" in the Democratic Party. Hilarious, convenient, cowardly and with multiple uses of pathetic timorous beastie fear.

[AnnInLa]

11. kick kick kick till some big media picks it up

[Bluebear]

13. kick kick kick

[calimary]

12. It is encouraging, frankly, to see the phrases "a right-wing threat" and

"white supremacist groups" used. I like seeing this stuff pegged on THOSE bad guys.

[Sven77]

14. caller on Radio swarmed by Homeland Security

I heard that a caller on WAAF radio mentioned a bomb threat that was in the news earlier in the day. Well after the call to the radio station, homeland security tracked him down with the Cell Phone GPS and swarmed his car.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

15. Exactly what I thought when the "warning" was announced.

[VolcanoJen]

16. You know what's really creepy?

That July 16th "Terror on Election Day!" article he linked to in this article. It's here, for those who haven't read it yet.

In the piece, a former Reagan official outlines the way Bushco could grab California through the clever manipulation of imminent terrorist threats. It was chilling, and I'm really hoping Boston wasn't a trial run of the scenario offered in that article.

[Eloriel]

18. Hmmm, reminds me of this --

One was that on the Tuesday before Arnold declared (on Friday of that week) that he would run for Gov. in the recall election, there was a news item on NewsMax (or was it Fox?) that Bush/Cheney thought they could win both NY and CA. Highly improbable, one would think. However, I considered it a backstory for Arnold's declaration (and probable win) AND the electronic voting machine rigging that could make such a boast actually happen. I wrote about it and wrote about it on every thread where the recall election was being discussed, especially with all the DUers who were so damned sanguine about the Terminator.