Molon Labe!

by Boston T. Party

  "But Krassny was in his — what? — mid-80s, and he successfully killed two men," observes the AD.

  "Yes sir, but we think he was the exception that will prove the rule. An octogenarian may have started this, but we doubt it's the elderly who are keeping it going. Another filter we are developing will flag those who have suffered recent psychological triggers, such as death of a loved one, divorce, bankruptcy, or loss of job. For example, Krassny had recently lost his wife and two grown children. TRAC is helping us to define other search parameters, such as prior military service — especially combat experience. Commercial and government databases are 98% linked today, fortunately. We couldn't have done this ten, or even five, years ago."

  The AD seems impressed. "And who have you come up with?"

  "At the moment, we are interested in eleven possibles and are analyzing their travel, phone, and email records to see if we can place them near the time and location of any of these deaths and abductions. It's a long shot, but four of these men have suspicious travel patterns and two of them are good friends."

  "Do you think these two were accomplices in some of these crimes?"

  "We can't say. We do know that they didn't travel together, but they may have compared tactics with each other. Both are well-known 'patriot' agitator-types. Both gun-nuts. Both Marine Corps vets. Bradford is a farmer in Lander, Wyoming, and Swan is a diesel mechanic in Logan, Utah. They're four hours apart by car, and their wives are second cousins. They stay in regular touch by PGP encrypted email, which we have yet to break."

  "Farmers and mechanics using PGP. That's just great," the AD sighs. "NSA had their chance to nip all that in the bud twenty years ago and now we have to deal with common terrorists using unbreakable encryption."

  The Counter-Terrorism DAD ignores this and continues, "It was the farmer who emailed the mechanic the Krassny posts. Within weeks — "

  The TRAC Chief interrupts with, "How do you know that if they're both using PGP?"

  "Good question. Although Bradford's email text was encrypted, subject lines are not. One read 'check out this link!!!' Once Swan decrypted Bradford's email, he then clicked on an enclosed URL which had posted Krassny's suicide letter. We know this from analyzing Swan's surf history."

  "Good work. Go on," the AD says.

  "Thank you, sir. Within weeks both of them took independent trips to Denver according to their gas card and hotel receipts. From what we can tell, neither of them had any business or family reason for their travel."

  The AD says, "Denver. Those three abductions?"

  "Yes, sir. The dates show some correlation to their travel. Furthermore, email traffic analysis shows a flurry of communication just prior to and after all three Denver crimes."

  The Assistant Director looks skeptical.

  "It's thin but it's the only thing with any promise," the Counter-Terrorism DAD allows.

  "Do you have PC for a search warrant?"

  "We're a long way from that. We are monitoring their phones and email, however. First bit of incriminating evidence we hear, we'll get warrants. The judges are very interested in some resolution here."

  "No doubt. I'm assuming you've yet to question these two."

  "Correct. We don't want to alarm them this early. We installed GPS tracking beacons in their vehicles. Their names are flagged in all travel computers. With any luck, they will act again. If they drive or fly within one hundred miles of any VIP on our list, we'll be alerted immediately."

  The AD says, "We don't have that kind of time. The Director demands a break in this before he goes on vacation in August. So do I. I want their computers key-sniffed for passphrases. On my authority, go proactive with Magic Lantern and DIRT8. I'm scheduling another meeting for next week, same time. Have something new for me then."

  "Good afternoon, Director. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I say that I was personally very pleased with your nomination, and feel very confident that the Bureau is under excellent helmsmanship."

  "Thank you, Agent Bleth, I appreciate your sentiments. I'm looking forward to the next ten years. Now, I've read your reports on the Wyoming newcomers and their growing control of the counties and legislature. You've been on this since 2007?"

  "Yes, Director. Since just a few months after their first election when they took over five counties out of the blue. During these past two years, I've learned much more about them and their agenda."

  "Good. Let's hear it."

  The White House, Oval Office

  July 2009

  The President looks up from his desk as his new FBI Director Paul Klein is ushered in. "Hi, Paul. Thanks for coming over. So, what do you have on this Wyoming election thing?"

  "It took a little over two years to piece it together, but the Bureau is confident of its conclusions," the Director answers.

  "Five months ago the Bureau had no conclusions. What was the breakthrough here?"

  "Email traffic, Mr. President. Their imperfect security measures and occasionally unencrypted email. We learn more through email analysis than most people realize. DCS1000 gives us tremendous leverage in communication surveillance. Over 95% of the work is completely automated. Also, the NSA finally gave us the help we needed with their quantum computer. Once we had assembled a useful list of target names, words, phrases, and addresses, the picture more or less painted itself."

  "It's those Free State Project people, right?"

  "In part, yes, sir. It began as a splinter group from the FSP's October 2003 vote for New Hampshire. Nearly 20% of their 5,500 membership were split between New England and the Rocky Mountains. We've suspected from the start that the Western membership had probably struck out on their own. Now we have more of an understanding of their schedule, key players, etc."

  "Do they have anything to do with this wave of kidnapping and assassination brought on by that Krassny fellow?"

  "We've uncovered no links to the Krassnyites so far, Mr. President. We do, however, expect two search warrants regarding the Denver crimes."

  "Are these subjects Wyoming newcomers?"

  "No, sir. In fact, only one is from Wyoming and he was born there."

  The President frowns. "OK. So, what's the newcomer agenda?"

  "The recent libertarians plan to progressively take over the political structure of the state — probably over the course of eight years and three election cycles: 2006, 2010, and 2014."

  The President's mouth slightly drops open. "Can that even be done?"

  "Theoretically, yes. It's just a matter of the right numbers moving into the state on a coordinated basis. They have already elected and installed five county governments and about 17% of the state legislators. Federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, and IRS report extremely diminished cooperation in those counties. Justice is looking into what can be done about that. Next November is their second general election cycle, and they will try to add another five to seven counties to give them nearly half the state geographically, and about 30% of the legislature."

  The President says, "I know it's a 'free country' and all, but something about this makes me uneasy. It's just so . . . so unprecedented."

  "I completely agree, Mr. President. We'll keep on top of it."

  ____________

  1 Washington Field Office

  2 Scientific Wild Ass Guess

  3 FBI Document-302 reports are FBI witness statements.

  4 A disparaging name used by many federal agents for the ATF.

  5 UNknown SUBjects

  6 Since 2000, several manufacturers such as H&K, Glock, Ruger, and S&W have been providing fired- rounds from their new handguns to the FBI before delivering them to market. Although such ballistic evidence is of dubious crime-fighting value, it provides a pretext for the eventual owner registration of handguns.

  7 National Instant Check System, an unconstitutional computerized background screening program for people who buy firearms through federally licensed dealers on ATF Form 4473. Immediately after the purchaser has been cleared
for the transaction, the NICS data is by law supposed to be destroyed in order to prevent the formation of a database of gun owners. As is typical of government's "Do as I say, not as I do" attitude, NICS data is never destroyed.

  8 Data Interception by Remote Transmission, a computer monitoring program that can be undetectably installed on a target computer by email. It transmits a record of user keystrokes to authorities each time the user goes online.

  2010

  Although we are certainly correct to wail about the metastasization of the modern Police State, we are forgetting its crucial prerequisite: our prior abandonment of a countervailing culture. Laws can only advance into the previously occupied territory of culture. When culture shrinks, laws are soon passed to fill the vacuum.

  The 2nd Amendment and your right to own and carry tools for self-defense is obviously the prime example here. One hundred years ago, it would have been wholly unthinkable to propose, much less pass, a bill restricting much less prohibiting outright the open carry of a personal handgun. Or the purchase of one. Or the shooting of verminous prairie dogs. Or the hunting of wild game. The shooting and hunting culture was far too deep and widespread.

  By 2000, however, our culture had shrunk considerably, which of course invited its residual elimination by a vast network of laws. We had gradually acquiesced to the most outrageous of 'Simon Says' regulations and ridiculous restrictions. The gun industry pretzeled itself into every contortion demanded by Congress, to the ridiculous point of making pump-action AR15s and AK47s to avoid the 'assault weapons' ban on military-pattern semi-autos.

  We barely caught on in time to have saved ourselves. In order to regain our lost ground, we organized more gun shows and transformed them into almost community-wide events, with games, competitions, prizes, celebrities, and delicious new foods. The .50 caliber shoots were an example.

  We embarked on a serious drive to introduce youngsters to the fun of shooting. Culturally, we were soon to die off if we didn't. We "adopted" sons of single moms and took them regularly to the gun range or ranch for an afternoon of plinking. Then, after a few years, to their first deer hunt. In short, we made a conscious and calculated effort to transfer manhood to boys in the manner done for thousands of years. A grown male who had somehow not become a man is a sickening spectacle and makes eventually for an untenable society. We taught boys by the thousands how to shoot, how to box, how to hunt (and why), how to speak the truth firmly and without equivocation, how to recognize and properly court a decent young lady (assuming he could find one), how to stand up for his rights and dignity, and how to honor his own integrity above all things. This was only possible by getting the poor boys away from that infernal TV set, which will over time reduce mind and morals to mush precisely as it was designed to be.

  We began to take back cultural ground, leaving the laws with less and less fertile soil in which to flourish. Truth and manliness once again began to be respected. All this, however, has only been the beginning of the beginning. We are still quite far from yet being out of the woods, but at least now we have some breathing room before the pressing of the grapes of wrath.

  — James Wayne Preston, Journals

  Logan,Utah

  January 2010

  Frank Edwin Swan is a gun owner. Federal NICS records (that is, the ones which by law are to be destroyed after the purchaser's background check has been approved) show that Swan had purchased a Bushmaster AR15 and Beretta 92 in 1999. Thus, he is know to have only a .223 and 9mm. However, in 2003 Swan bought a thick green paperback book which changed his life. He sold his AR and Beretta at a large Salt Lake City gunshow and traded up to a Springfield Armory® Squad Scout M1ATM .308 battle rifle and a .45 Glock 21. These guns he legally bought from private sellers with cash, thus creating no NICS records at all.

  The .308 is over twice as powerful as the .223, and can perforate much more cover. One round from a .308 will drop a man for good, whereas two to five rounds are required from a .223. Similarly, the .45ACP is a significantly better stopper than the 9mm, especially when using FMJ.

  Swan's Glock 21 needed nothing but tritium night sights. Before retiring for the night, he always attached to the frame rail a powerful tactical white light. Over 70% of defensive gunfire happens at night, so being able to illuminate your threat was paramount. Legally, morally, and tactically you cannot shoot at anything you haven't first positively identified as a legitimate threat.

  Because it was an American made rifle with no pistol grip, a post ban M1A could (under the 1994 "Crime Bill") have a flash suppressor. Swan replaced the stock part for a Smith Enterprise Vortex. Made of forged 8620 hardened steel (just like the M1 and M14), the Vortex was brutally strong and totally eliminated muzzle flash from the 18" barrel. Thus, Swan would not blind himself during a nighttime gunfight.

  With a hunting 5 round magazine, his defensive M1A even doubled as a deer rifle if necessary. Finally, he mounted an Aimpoint CompM2 red dot sight, and a SureFire tactical light.

  Next, Swan experimented with different surplus ammo until he found that Portuguese FMJ was the most accurate in his rifle. Sold by mail order in 1,000 round lots for only 15¢/round delivered, Swan bought several thousand rounds. He could not even begin to reload his own ammo for 15¢/round, especially for what his time was worth. His friends kidded him for buying so much, but Swan had learned from that big green book that "ammo turns money into skill" and that it was preferable to have 900 rounds of skill and 100rds of ammo, versus 1,000 rounds of ammo and no skill.

  Possibly being in a gunfight means risking incoming fire, so Swan thought it prudent to buy a bulletproof vest. He learned to avoid any vest made of Zylon or Goldflex (which permanently degrade from humidity and light over time, and got several cops killed or injured before being recalled). Kevlar aramid was the only way to go. Level IIIA protection (which will stop nearly all handgun rounds) was the best balance between cost, protection, and wearability. He picked a US Armor IIIA with a Level IV (rifle protection) titanium shock plate.

  The vest carrier was also important. For home defense, he chose a police tactical model which had a built in holster and several utility pouches. The garment hung on his bedpost by his nightstand. Also on the bedpost were a pair of Peltor electronic shooting muffs which amplified inaudible sounds but blocked out gunfire. Wearing his Peltors, Swan could clearly hear a whispered conversation in another part of the house. (He proved this with friends one evening, to their stunned amazement. They then all bought their own.)

  His final item of apparel was a bedside pair of slip on boots.

  If ever woken up in the middle of the night by something suspicious, Swan required less than fifteen seconds to put on his boots, vest, and ears to investigate matters. His M1A was under the bed if he ever needed it quickly.

  Although his child support and alimony payments took much of Swan's income, he worked overtime for many months in order to afford training back in 2004 at the world renowned defensive shooting academies of Gunsite in Arizona and Thunder Ranch of Texas. The handgun and rifle courses cost nearly $1,000 each in tuition, not including travel, ammo, lodging, etc. Swan considered the money well spent the training invaluable. He felt confident that he could defend himself during a lethal emergency.

  Unbeknownst to him, he would soon have his chance to find out.

  Washington, D.C.

  J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building

  January 2010

  The Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigation Division gri maces at the mountain of folders on his walnut desk. Violent Census 2010 protests, attacks on Federal Reserve officials and buildings, and civil unrest. It never ends! Jerome Devereaux oversees all intrusive techniques, such as wiretaps, Magic Lantern insertions, "sneak and peek" warrants, long term undercover ops, stings, etc. He picks up two folders from the top of the stack.The proposed joint raids in Utah and Wyoming. He's been under tremendous pressure for over a year to produce an arrest in the Krassnyite phenomenon.

  Finally, western agents
are ready to search and question two suspects. They are both gun owners and members of 2nd Amendment groups. Both harbor anti government views.

  Both had been to Denver near the time of the three abductions.

  Devereaux knows that the probable cause is based only on weak circumstantial evidence, but the Bureau cannot continue to be accused of "doing nothing." Not when judges, congressmen, and VIPs are being kidnapped and murdered at the rate of two a month.

  The AD signs off on the two raids as Active SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information). US Attorneys in Casper and Salt Lake City would strictly curtail dissemination of the case details.

  Maybe we'll get a break.

  Then the American people will see the Bureau taking action.

  Positive public perception is the FBI's greatest asset. The Bureau learned this most poignantly as it had been gradually lost during years of scandals of Ruby Ridge, Waco, Whitewater gate, Jewell gate, Foster gate, Laptop gate, Missing MP5s gate, 9/11 gate, Crime Lab gate, etc.

  It all began with Ruby Ridge. Back in the mid 1990s, Director Louis Freeh personally deemed HRT SWAT sniper Lon Horiuchi's second shot (which struck Vicki Weaver in the face and killed her) as "unconstitutional" but did not censure him.

  It would have greatly dampened HRT morale.

  No, the FBI must stand by its own. If it didn't, who would?

  Freeh put great pressure on the Justice Department to kill the manslaughter charge filed by the state of Idaho. It worked. The matter was moved to federal court against Idaho's wishes, where it died by judicial decree. Federal agents have "sovereign immunity" while enforcing federal law and cannot be held responsible by the states or the people.