two stories
1st
http://m.theepochtimes.com/n3/column/98 ... g-america/The FBI: Honor, Leadership, Protecting America
By Vincent J. Bove | September 26, 2014
FBI SWAT team member (Photo Courtesy FBI)
Vincent J. Bove receiving award from Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford of the Newark Division. Bove was the keynote speaker at the division’s Sept. 17, 2014 leadership retreat. (John F. Baroud)
Vincent J. Bove receiving award from Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford of the Newark Division. Bove was the keynote speaker at the division’s Sept. 17, 2014 leadership retreat. (John F. Baroud)
FBI Washington Field Office Evidence Response Team Vehicle (Courtesy FBI)
FBI Washington Field Office Evidence Response Team Vehicle (Courtesy FBI)
Vincent J. Bove receiving the FBI Community Leadership Award for his violence prevention initiatives on Oct. 30, 2007. Bove is accompanied by local, county, and federal law enforcement officials. (Courtesy Vincent J. Bove)
Vincent J. Bove receiving the FBI Community Leadership Award for his violence prevention initiatives on Oct. 30, 2007. Bove is accompanied by local, county, and federal law enforcement officials. (Courtesy Vincent J. Bove)
FBI training initiative. (Courtesy FBI)
FBI training initiative. (Courtesy FBI)
As the United States of America—with allies against militant extremists—strikes targets in Iraq and Syria, all in America must remain vigilant here in our homeland.
Vigilance is critical to protecting America as the current state of affairs includes extremists calling for attacks against civilians and soft targets. Security concerns are intensified and all who love America, freedom, democracy, and liberty must collaborate to safeguard the nation.
Citizens and law enforcement all must have our eyes wide open to potential dangers that threaten innocent people and our way of life. We must never take for granted the privileges of a dinner out, a trip to visit loved ones, or a day with coworkers—life can change in a heartbeat. An abundance of caution is the order of the day—suspicious activities must immediately be reported to authorities. We must expect the unexpected and remain vigilant.
Apathy, indifference, or negligence with respect to current events is not acceptable. Acts of terror are preventable. Innocent lives, as well as the morale of America are at stake. There is no room for failure, for even one act of terror can be catastrophic and every life is sacred. The world has changed and all of us must have a terrorism awareness and prevention mindset.
As the darkness of evil intentions unfolds, America must remain vigilant, collaborative, and courageous.
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The FBI: Protecting America
The top priority of the FBI is protecting America from terrorist attacks. This mission is only possible through collaboration with law enforcement partners nationally and worldwide.
Extremist networks, lone wolfs, and terrorist sympathizers can be neutralized and dismantled through the investigative and intelligence resources of the FBI. But this is only possible with public-private collaboration.
As documented on the FBI website, the scope of FBI operations and collaborative efforts includes:
Joint Terrorism Task Forces
National Counterterrorism Center
Public Internet Tip Line
Terrorist Explosives Device Analytical Center
Terrorist Screening Center
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Strategic Command Center
Terrorist Financing Operations Section
Terrorism Fly Team
FBI Model: Leadership Retreat
In my travels throughout America since 1999, I have highlighted leadership, vigilance, and collaboration as central to my mission of character development, violence prevention, and crisis planning.
These principles have been shared at hundreds of presentations and with many published works and FBI initiatives.
But in my opinion, the seriousness of what these principles signify has never been so important as at this very moment in America’s history.
On Sept. 17, I was privileged to conduct a keynote for the FBI Newark Division Management Retreat. This retreat was made possible through the leadership of the division’s Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford.
Aside from the remarkable motivational and educational aspects of the event, this retreat is a model not only for other FBI divisions but also for all law enforcement agencies as it builds leadership, morale, and partnerships.
During my keynote speech, “The FBI: Honor, Leadership, America,” I used the metaphor of a catastrophic head-on collision train wreck to punctuate the nation’s crisis of leadership and culture of violence. As highlighted with a graphic slide presentation, this violence includes not only domestic, school, and workplace violence, but also acts of terror as demonstrated by the 9/11 and Boston Marathon attacks.
My keynote followed a patriotic leadership presentation by Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., superintendent of West Point. Caslen highlighted that the “Duty, Honor, Country” motto of the United States Military Academy was applicable to all because throughout the nation, even in the military, there is a crisis of leadership. I complemented Caslen’s thoughts by encouraging the FBI to live the principles of “Honor, Leadership, America.”
The FBI and all dedicated to protecting America must be appreciated and their efforts supported. Each of us must work collaboratively and continually enhance our own level of vigilance to protect our homeland and reawaken the nation
2nd
see link for full story
http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile3/5833 ... g.html.cspFBI to probe tampering claims in OKC bombing records case
Courts » Witness denies being threatened in Oklahoma City case, but plaintiff alleges the man was told to “stand down.”
Aug 25 2014 05:13 pm
Lawyer Jesse Trentadue seeks documents and videotapes from the FBI probe of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing ó he believes the records will provide information about the death of his brother, Kenneth Trentadue, in a federal prison.
A federal judge on Monday ordered the FBI to investigate an allegation of witness tampering in a July trial on Utah attorney Jesse Trentadue’s lawsuit seeking Oklahoma City bombing records.
U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups — who rejected arguments by an attorney for the FBI that an email from witness John Matthews declaring that he was never threatened settles the matter — scheduled a Nov. 13 hearing to hear testimony on the allegation, which he said goes to the integrity of the court process.
"I would like very much to have all this resolved," Waddoups said.
The trial focused on whether the FBI has done an adequate search for bombing records requested by Trentadue under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). On the second day of trial, Trentadue said he had just learned Matthews was backing out of testifying.
According to court documents, Matthews planned to testify that he believed the FBI was monitoring bomber Timothy McVeigh in the run up to the 1995 detonation at the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City — information that Trentadue believes the agency wants to suppress.
Trentadue, a Salt Lake City attorney, alleges that Matthews — who he describes as a former undercover operative for the government — was threatened by the FBI with the loss of his disability and other veteran benefits if he took the stand, and told that he should get a case of the "I-don’t-remembers" if he did testify.
Matthews — who has said he is very ill from exposure to toxic chemicals while serving with the Marines in Vietnam — was contacted numerous times by the agency and also talked to his former "handler," who is now retired from the FBI, Trentadue says.
Both Trentadue and Roger Charles, a freelance journalist and investigator, have submitted written statements saying that when they called Matthews during the four-day trial to discuss his absence, the man said he had been threatened by the FBI.
But Department of Justice attorney Kathryn Wyer, who represents the FBI, denies any coercion.
After Waddoups directed the DOJ lawyers in July to look into the allegation, Wyer reported that Matthews had called FBI’s Salt Lake City office asking how he could get out of testifying and an agent told him he should obey a valid subpoena.
On Monday, Wyer acknowledged that Matthews and Don Jarrett, his alleged former handler, were not contacted by DOJ lawyers as part of the witness tampering probe, and that no documentation of the alleged call from Matthews to the FBI was gathered.
Wyer argued that an email sent by Matthews on Aug. 2, after the trial had ended, was sufficient to show there was no tampering.
Matthews’ email — addressed to Wyer, another DOJ attorney, Jarrett, Trentadue and Charles — says: "I am sending you all this, for I want the record straight. I talk (sic) with Don Jarrett (he was my handler for the FBI and now a friend) about this court case. Like we both agree, I had nothing to do with the Oklahoma City Bombing or the tapes. I did not want to testify and I did not want to get caught in a crossfire with both sides. Seeing there was no subpoena I did not have to show up. If I took a trip no one could fine (sic) me to give a subpoena to."
Jarrett told Matthews to contact the FBI in Salt Lake City to inform the agency what he was going to do, Matthews said in his email message. It was his understanding, he wrote, that the agent who answered the phone was supposed to inform the court he was not going to testify.
Matthews also wrote, "NO ONE FROM THE FBI OR DOJ HAS MADE ANY THREATS TO ME OR MY FAMILY."
Trentadue pointed out that Matthews had agreed to testify voluntarily and there was no subpoena. And he said Matthews had told Charles the day before he was to testify that the FBI had told him "to stand down," which he believes influenced his decision against taking the stand.
Trentadue filed suit in 2008 seeking bombing records from the FBI and CIA, which since has been dropped as a defendant. He believes the records will provide information about his brother’s death in a federal prison in Oklahoma City a few months after the April 19, 1995, bombing that killed 168 people.
The death of Kenneth Trentadue was ruled a suicide, but his family believes he was mistaken for a bombing conspirator and killed in an interrogation that got out of hand. Federal officials deny the allegation.
Waddoups has taken the FOIA trial case under consideration and will issue a ruling later.
Trentadue is asking for an order allowing him to search for tapes and documents at FBI locations, including field offices in Oklahoma City and Los Angeles, and requiring the bureau to produce the records he requested, including a videotape of the detonation. The FBI says it spent weeks searching its massive bombing investigation archive and that it has no tape of the explosion or the other requested materials that Trentadue claims are being withheld.