1 00:00:10,549 --> 00:00:08,310 in the 1930s 2 00:00:13,190 --> 00:00:10,559 roosevelt nation through a series of 3 00:00:14,230 --> 00:00:13,200 radio broadcasts known as the fireside 4 00:00:16,230 --> 00:00:14,240 chats 5 00:00:18,070 --> 00:00:16,240 his aim was to reassure the common man 6 00:00:23,189 --> 00:00:18,080 that our society would recover from its 7 00:00:27,830 --> 00:00:25,670 for a new era of worldly frustration we 8 00:00:33,190 --> 00:00:27,840 offer a fresh conversation 9 00:00:37,270 --> 00:00:35,030 wow how's it going everybody welcome to 10 00:00:39,350 --> 00:00:37,280 thc drinking a little drink 11 00:00:40,790 --> 00:00:39,360 smoking a little smoke i'm the man who 12 00:00:42,630 --> 00:00:40,800 calls himself the carl wood thanks for 13 00:00:44,630 --> 00:00:42,640 listening thanks for tweeting liking and 14 00:00:46,150 --> 00:00:44,640 reviewing the show you're all bona fide 15 00:00:47,670 --> 00:00:46,160 pimps and i salute you for it 16 00:00:49,430 --> 00:00:47,680 i'm moving some of the pieces around on 17 00:00:51,510 --> 00:00:49,440 thc so i'm going to drop on you 18 00:00:52,950 --> 00:00:51,520 everyone's favorite ad for conspiracies 19 00:00:54,549 --> 00:00:52,960 my attempt to bring the conspiracy 20 00:00:57,350 --> 00:00:54,559 perspective out into the open 21 00:00:59,430 --> 00:00:57,360 into the world of bold fashion it's also 22 00:01:01,510 --> 00:00:59,440 the best way to keep me alive supporting 23 00:01:03,110 --> 00:01:01,520 that little venture so here's that and 24 00:01:05,270 --> 00:01:03,120 on the other side we'll be talking to 25 00:01:07,510 --> 00:01:05,280 trevor aronson about his new book 26 00:01:09,030 --> 00:01:07,520 terror factory inside the fbi's 27 00:01:16,310 --> 00:01:09,040 manufactured war 28 00:01:19,429 --> 00:01:17,830 we're here because we don't buy into the 29 00:01:21,190 --> 00:01:19,439 [\h__\h] of mainstream culture 30 00:01:22,630 --> 00:01:21,200 we're tired of the mundane passionless 31 00:01:24,230 --> 00:01:22,640 careers we've been shuffled into as a 32 00:01:25,270 --> 00:01:24,240 result of this orchestrated debt-based 33 00:01:26,789 --> 00:01:25,280 system of rule 34 00:01:28,550 --> 00:01:26,799 and the stranglehold on education 35 00:01:29,910 --> 00:01:28,560 entertainment by cold soulless 36 00:01:33,030 --> 00:01:29,920 corporations 37 00:01:35,670 --> 00:01:33,040 people yes we are frustrated yes 38 00:01:37,190 --> 00:01:35,680 we are tired and we reject the free of 39 00:01:39,350 --> 00:01:37,200 root tranquilizers that are monday night 40 00:01:41,429 --> 00:01:39,360 football and an ice cold budweiser 41 00:01:42,710 --> 00:01:41,439 we have to stop hiding stop hiding 42 00:01:44,550 --> 00:01:42,720 behind the headphones in the cherry 43 00:01:46,230 --> 00:01:44,560 popper 420 username 44 00:01:48,149 --> 00:01:46,240 let the world see that the resistance is 45 00:01:50,469 --> 00:01:48,159 strong and society is changing 46 00:01:51,670 --> 00:01:50,479 it was a time to be anonymous that time 47 00:01:53,190 --> 00:01:51,680 has passed 48 00:01:55,270 --> 00:01:53,200 and so the higher side chats would like 49 00:01:57,030 --> 00:01:55,280 to present conspiracies as the dawning 50 00:01:58,310 --> 00:01:57,040 of this new paradigm in the uniform of 51 00:01:59,910 --> 00:01:58,320 the revolution 52 00:02:01,990 --> 00:01:59,920 because bold fashion should mean more 53 00:02:03,670 --> 00:02:02,000 than some celebrity meat dress or frappu 54 00:02:05,910 --> 00:02:03,680 and a silly pink polo 55 00:02:07,510 --> 00:02:05,920 conspirates redefines bold fashion as 56 00:02:08,469 --> 00:02:07,520 having the balls to project socially 57 00:02:10,309 --> 00:02:08,479 uncomfortable 58 00:02:11,830 --> 00:02:10,319 and unpopular truths from your radiant 59 00:02:15,350 --> 00:02:11,840 chest all 60 00:02:17,750 --> 00:02:15,360 [\h__\h] day conspiracies.net 61 00:02:18,949 --> 00:02:17,760 let them know that you know bold designs 62 00:02:22,309 --> 00:02:18,959 for trouble times 63 00:02:24,390 --> 00:02:22,319 hard truths soft [\h__\h] 64 00:02:26,550 --> 00:02:24,400 folks it has been over a decade since 65 00:02:28,390 --> 00:02:26,560 the suspicious tragedy of 911 and it's 66 00:02:30,309 --> 00:02:28,400 hard for even the most conventional of 67 00:02:31,990 --> 00:02:30,319 patriots to argue that our response 68 00:02:34,309 --> 00:02:32,000 hasn't been at very least 69 00:02:35,990 --> 00:02:34,319 a bit overblown yeah we've invaded 70 00:02:36,949 --> 00:02:36,000 numerous countries ruined more lives 71 00:02:39,110 --> 00:02:36,959 than can be counted 72 00:02:40,630 --> 00:02:39,120 overthrown unconnected governments hung 73 00:02:42,470 --> 00:02:40,640 unaffiliated leaders 74 00:02:44,710 --> 00:02:42,480 spent trillions of dollars on corporate 75 00:02:45,830 --> 00:02:44,720 weaponry groped and degraded millions of 76 00:02:47,509 --> 00:02:45,840 innocent travelers 77 00:02:49,270 --> 00:02:47,519 confiscated hundreds of thousands of 78 00:02:51,350 --> 00:02:49,280 bottles of cologne and hair gel 79 00:02:52,630 --> 00:02:51,360 accepted the invasion of our privacy and 80 00:02:54,550 --> 00:02:52,640 invited our streamline 81 00:02:56,229 --> 00:02:54,560 in definite detention folks it would 82 00:02:57,910 --> 00:02:56,239 seem excessive even without the looming 83 00:02:59,430 --> 00:02:57,920 doubt of the official story 84 00:03:01,110 --> 00:02:59,440 unfortunately the culture of fear 85 00:03:02,949 --> 00:03:01,120 stemming from that single day 86 00:03:04,229 --> 00:03:02,959 has done damage to this world that will 87 00:03:05,750 --> 00:03:04,239 last generations 88 00:03:07,589 --> 00:03:05,760 a fact that hits home much harder when 89 00:03:09,350 --> 00:03:07,599 you realize the majority of the paranoia 90 00:03:10,070 --> 00:03:09,360 causing terror plots over the past 10 91 00:03:11,910 --> 00:03:10,080 years 92 00:03:13,830 --> 00:03:11,920 have not been planned in some foreign 93 00:03:16,390 --> 00:03:13,840 cave in the sand but instead by 94 00:03:18,229 --> 00:03:16,400 overeager agents and fbi cubicles 95 00:03:19,990 --> 00:03:18,239 today's guest trevor aronson is here to 96 00:03:21,110 --> 00:03:20,000 walk us through just such a realization 97 00:03:23,589 --> 00:03:21,120 with his new book 98 00:03:25,750 --> 00:03:23,599 the terror factory inside the fbi's 99 00:03:27,509 --> 00:03:25,760 manufactured war on terrorism 100 00:03:29,509 --> 00:03:27,519 trevor is a winner of over two dozen 101 00:03:31,030 --> 00:03:29,519 awards in journalism and his trajectory 102 00:03:33,030 --> 00:03:31,040 is looking stronger than ever 103 00:03:34,869 --> 00:03:33,040 you've seen him on democracy now russian 104 00:03:36,949 --> 00:03:34,879 times and this american life and i'm 105 00:03:39,830 --> 00:03:36,959 happy to welcome him here to thc 106 00:03:40,789 --> 00:03:39,840 trevor how's it going great great thanks 107 00:03:42,390 --> 00:03:40,799 for having me 108 00:03:44,789 --> 00:03:42,400 absolutely thanks for being here wow 109 00:03:46,869 --> 00:03:44,799 what a great book man 110 00:03:48,309 --> 00:03:46,879 i commend your work in such a taboo area 111 00:03:50,229 --> 00:03:48,319 making a career out of government 112 00:03:52,470 --> 00:03:50,239 criticism seems to be riskier and 113 00:03:54,550 --> 00:03:52,480 riskier these days 114 00:03:56,390 --> 00:03:54,560 i i think we we do see you know there's 115 00:03:58,149 --> 00:03:56,400 a especially after 9 11 there was a real 116 00:04:00,390 --> 00:03:58,159 skepticism of the press or i'm sorry 117 00:04:01,830 --> 00:04:00,400 unwillingness by the press to really be 118 00:04:03,910 --> 00:04:01,840 skeptical of these 119 00:04:06,309 --> 00:04:03,920 uh you know types of cases and the fbi's 120 00:04:08,229 --> 00:04:06,319 counterterrorism program in general 121 00:04:09,670 --> 00:04:08,239 right and uh so well so to kick it off 122 00:04:11,110 --> 00:04:09,680 in the intro i ran through quite a few 123 00:04:14,149 --> 00:04:11,120 of the negative consequences 124 00:04:15,910 --> 00:04:14,159 due to the war on terror now most 125 00:04:17,189 --> 00:04:15,920 tried and too true patriots would 126 00:04:19,030 --> 00:04:17,199 respond by saying everything the 127 00:04:21,110 --> 00:04:19,040 government is doing is justified 128 00:04:22,710 --> 00:04:21,120 because we've had no attacks since but 129 00:04:24,230 --> 00:04:22,720 would you say that's a naive way of 130 00:04:26,070 --> 00:04:24,240 looking at it 131 00:04:28,390 --> 00:04:26,080 i i do think it's not you know it's true 132 00:04:28,950 --> 00:04:28,400 that we we haven't had any uh attacks i 133 00:04:30,310 --> 00:04:28,960 mean 134 00:04:32,230 --> 00:04:30,320 there have been a couple of close calls 135 00:04:33,189 --> 00:04:32,240 you know i don't make the case in the in 136 00:04:34,790 --> 00:04:33,199 the book that there there aren't 137 00:04:36,790 --> 00:04:34,800 terrorists at all i mean if you look at 138 00:04:38,870 --> 00:04:36,800 najib zazi you know he came close to 139 00:04:39,189 --> 00:04:38,880 obama's new york subway system in 2009 140 00:04:42,710 --> 00:04:39,199 and 141 00:04:45,590 --> 00:04:42,720 attempt to bomb times square 142 00:04:47,189 --> 00:04:45,600 in 2010 but you know the majority of 143 00:04:48,710 --> 00:04:47,199 cases that the 144 00:04:50,230 --> 00:04:48,720 department of justice and the fbi have 145 00:04:52,469 --> 00:04:50,240 brought into federal court 146 00:04:53,990 --> 00:04:52,479 uh for terrorism charges since 9 11 147 00:04:57,590 --> 00:04:54,000 haven't been like najib 148 00:04:59,189 --> 00:04:57,600 zazi and fajr instead they've been 149 00:05:00,950 --> 00:04:59,199 you know what i would consider people on 150 00:05:03,189 --> 00:05:00,960 the fringes of society that are 151 00:05:04,310 --> 00:05:03,199 economically desperate or in some cases 152 00:05:06,230 --> 00:05:04,320 mentally ill 153 00:05:08,070 --> 00:05:06,240 who get caught up in a sting operation 154 00:05:09,670 --> 00:05:08,080 involving an fbi informant 155 00:05:11,590 --> 00:05:09,680 who offers them all the means and 156 00:05:12,469 --> 00:05:11,600 opportunity they need to commit an act 157 00:05:15,670 --> 00:05:12,479 of terrorism 158 00:05:18,150 --> 00:05:15,680 you know what the fbi fears today is not 159 00:05:18,950 --> 00:05:18,160 this trained well-organized cell of 160 00:05:20,710 --> 00:05:18,960 terrorists 161 00:05:22,469 --> 00:05:20,720 like we saw in 911 or like in other 162 00:05:23,350 --> 00:05:22,479 parts of the world what they really fear 163 00:05:24,790 --> 00:05:23,360 is someone who 164 00:05:26,550 --> 00:05:24,800 they consider a lone wolf someone here 165 00:05:28,230 --> 00:05:26,560 in the united states who you know 166 00:05:30,150 --> 00:05:28,240 doesn't have a specific connection to al 167 00:05:30,550 --> 00:05:30,160 qaeda but you know becomes inspired 168 00:05:33,029 --> 00:05:30,560 through 169 00:05:33,830 --> 00:05:33,039 al qaeda jihadi videos and extremist 170 00:05:35,749 --> 00:05:33,840 message boards 171 00:05:37,110 --> 00:05:35,759 to commit some sort of act of terrorism 172 00:05:38,950 --> 00:05:37,120 and so these sting operations are 173 00:05:40,310 --> 00:05:38,960 intended to lure these people out to 174 00:05:43,029 --> 00:05:40,320 find the people who are 175 00:05:43,350 --> 00:05:43,039 on that line you know as an fbi says you 176 00:05:45,270 --> 00:05:43,360 know 177 00:05:47,029 --> 00:05:45,280 crossing about to cross over from 178 00:05:49,110 --> 00:05:47,039 sympathizer to operator 179 00:05:51,110 --> 00:05:49,120 and they do that by by inserting 180 00:05:52,790 --> 00:05:51,120 informants and undercover agents 181 00:05:54,550 --> 00:05:52,800 and you know buddying them up so to 182 00:05:55,909 --> 00:05:54,560 speak to people who say they want to 183 00:05:57,110 --> 00:05:55,919 commit an act of terrorism 184 00:05:58,950 --> 00:05:57,120 and then providing all the means 185 00:06:00,550 --> 00:05:58,960 necessary the logistical means sometimes 186 00:06:02,230 --> 00:06:00,560 the idea itself 187 00:06:04,070 --> 00:06:02,240 and in almost every case they provide 188 00:06:05,270 --> 00:06:04,080 the bomb and the weapons and so most of 189 00:06:07,350 --> 00:06:05,280 these people 190 00:06:08,790 --> 00:06:07,360 who are prosecuted on terrorism charges 191 00:06:10,550 --> 00:06:08,800 and who the federal government 192 00:06:12,710 --> 00:06:10,560 puts forward in press conferences as 193 00:06:14,309 --> 00:06:12,720 being a dangerous tariff who was about 194 00:06:15,990 --> 00:06:14,319 without the strike never have the 195 00:06:16,629 --> 00:06:16,000 capacity on their own for terrorism in 196 00:06:18,629 --> 00:06:16,639 most cases 197 00:06:20,390 --> 00:06:18,639 they never had weapons of their own in 198 00:06:21,510 --> 00:06:20,400 in most cases they had very little money 199 00:06:22,790 --> 00:06:21,520 and so it's hard to believe that on 200 00:06:24,390 --> 00:06:22,800 their own they would have become tariffs 201 00:06:26,070 --> 00:06:24,400 but through these elaborate sting 202 00:06:27,430 --> 00:06:26,080 operations the fbi is able to kind of 203 00:06:29,350 --> 00:06:27,440 overnight transform them 204 00:06:31,110 --> 00:06:29,360 into uh you know someone that the the 205 00:06:31,830 --> 00:06:31,120 public starts to believe as a dangerous 206 00:06:34,390 --> 00:06:31,840 terrorist 207 00:06:36,390 --> 00:06:34,400 right and some of these stories are are 208 00:06:39,270 --> 00:06:36,400 more shocking than others you know the 209 00:06:41,029 --> 00:06:39,280 the range is pretty wide on how you know 210 00:06:42,710 --> 00:06:41,039 susceptible to terrorism 211 00:06:43,909 --> 00:06:42,720 the patsy really is but run us through 212 00:06:44,629 --> 00:06:43,919 these numbers because the book says 213 00:06:47,270 --> 00:06:44,639 there's been 214 00:06:49,029 --> 00:06:47,280 about 508 people charged with having 215 00:06:51,270 --> 00:06:49,039 terrorists planned since 9 11 216 00:06:52,309 --> 00:06:51,280 what percentage of these quote foiled 217 00:06:55,430 --> 00:06:52,319 plots could be 218 00:06:57,029 --> 00:06:55,440 considered in some way fbi manufactured 219 00:06:59,270 --> 00:06:57,039 right so there's been in the decade 220 00:07:01,670 --> 00:06:59,280 after 9 11 there were a little over 500 221 00:07:03,029 --> 00:07:01,680 defendants and terrorism cases and of 222 00:07:06,070 --> 00:07:03,039 those 500 223 00:07:08,390 --> 00:07:06,080 um about half were were 224 00:07:09,189 --> 00:07:08,400 involving informants so in some cases 225 00:07:10,870 --> 00:07:09,199 the informant 226 00:07:12,309 --> 00:07:10,880 acted as you might suspect he provided 227 00:07:14,790 --> 00:07:12,319 information to the fbi 228 00:07:15,510 --> 00:07:14,800 but in other cases in in more than 150 229 00:07:17,670 --> 00:07:15,520 cases 230 00:07:19,430 --> 00:07:17,680 the informant acts as almost as an agent 231 00:07:21,110 --> 00:07:19,440 provocateur he provides 232 00:07:23,029 --> 00:07:21,120 uh he plays a role in the sting 233 00:07:23,749 --> 00:07:23,039 operation in some cases he provides the 234 00:07:26,230 --> 00:07:23,759 idea 235 00:07:27,909 --> 00:07:26,240 in other cases he provides the means and 236 00:07:30,150 --> 00:07:27,919 in these sting operations there 237 00:07:32,150 --> 00:07:30,160 there's never anyone you know by 238 00:07:33,589 --> 00:07:32,160 themselves who's capable of terrorism 239 00:07:35,430 --> 00:07:33,599 it's always the fbi informant to the 240 00:07:36,150 --> 00:07:35,440 undercover agent who make the terrorism 241 00:07:38,469 --> 00:07:36,160 possible 242 00:07:40,070 --> 00:07:38,479 you know a good example of this is a a 243 00:07:40,870 --> 00:07:40,080 case that became well known outside new 244 00:07:42,550 --> 00:07:40,880 york city 245 00:07:44,869 --> 00:07:42,560 known as the newburgh iv and these were 246 00:07:46,790 --> 00:07:44,879 four african-american converts to islam 247 00:07:47,990 --> 00:07:46,800 and thanks to a very aggressive 248 00:07:50,230 --> 00:07:48,000 informant they 249 00:07:51,189 --> 00:07:50,240 engaged in this plot to bomb synagogues 250 00:07:53,270 --> 00:07:51,199 in the bronx 251 00:07:55,350 --> 00:07:53,280 well it turns out that the lead defended 252 00:07:57,270 --> 00:07:55,360 on the case in the case with a 253 00:07:59,670 --> 00:07:57,280 walmart stalker who had a history of 254 00:08:01,270 --> 00:07:59,680 mental illness had no money on his own 255 00:08:03,589 --> 00:08:01,280 and it was the informant who ultimately 256 00:08:05,189 --> 00:08:03,599 provided everything they needed that he 257 00:08:06,230 --> 00:08:05,199 provided the transportation because they 258 00:08:08,390 --> 00:08:06,240 didn't have cars 259 00:08:09,510 --> 00:08:08,400 he provided the money they needed to 260 00:08:11,110 --> 00:08:09,520 build the bomb making 261 00:08:13,909 --> 00:08:11,120 to buy the bomb making material he 262 00:08:15,749 --> 00:08:13,919 provided the know-how to build the bombs 263 00:08:17,189 --> 00:08:15,759 and then all the the defendants had to 264 00:08:18,550 --> 00:08:17,199 do was just place the bombs 265 00:08:20,550 --> 00:08:18,560 in front of the synagogues which they 266 00:08:22,070 --> 00:08:20,560 did but on their own these are guys that 267 00:08:23,430 --> 00:08:22,080 were on the fringes of society i mean 268 00:08:24,869 --> 00:08:23,440 they had no interest in 269 00:08:26,869 --> 00:08:24,879 you know commit no ability to commit 270 00:08:27,589 --> 00:08:26,879 terrorism on their own and in addition 271 00:08:29,430 --> 00:08:27,599 to 272 00:08:30,869 --> 00:08:29,440 the informant providing all the means he 273 00:08:32,230 --> 00:08:30,879 offered he also offered a number of 274 00:08:34,790 --> 00:08:32,240 inducements you know he offered 275 00:08:35,430 --> 00:08:34,800 them in 250 000 and carried forward in 276 00:08:36,949 --> 00:08:35,440 the plot 277 00:08:39,110 --> 00:08:36,959 and you know to the lead defendant he 278 00:08:41,110 --> 00:08:39,120 offered him a to buy him a barber shop 279 00:08:42,550 --> 00:08:41,120 and so you know that's a case that fbi 280 00:08:44,230 --> 00:08:42,560 director robert mueller has 281 00:08:46,710 --> 00:08:44,240 decided repeatedly to congress as an 282 00:08:48,949 --> 00:08:46,720 example of the fbi thwarting 283 00:08:49,910 --> 00:08:48,959 an impending terrorist attack but in 284 00:08:51,829 --> 00:08:49,920 truth that 285 00:08:53,350 --> 00:08:51,839 that attack was only made possible 286 00:08:54,070 --> 00:08:53,360 through this elaborate sting operation 287 00:08:56,389 --> 00:08:54,080 where the fbi 288 00:08:57,269 --> 00:08:56,399 basically empowered you know a group of 289 00:08:59,030 --> 00:08:57,279 losers to 290 00:09:00,550 --> 00:08:59,040 you know overnight become terrorists 291 00:09:01,590 --> 00:09:00,560 right i mean in some of these cases you 292 00:09:05,110 --> 00:09:01,600 got 293 00:09:07,590 --> 00:09:05,120 an informant who is paid by the fbi 294 00:09:09,350 --> 00:09:07,600 per terrorist i guess and you know 295 00:09:11,670 --> 00:09:09,360 they're finding people 296 00:09:12,630 --> 00:09:11,680 who are kind of online just running 297 00:09:14,710 --> 00:09:12,640 their mouth that have 298 00:09:16,230 --> 00:09:14,720 mental problems and no money and then 299 00:09:17,750 --> 00:09:16,240 they're stringing them along 300 00:09:19,269 --> 00:09:17,760 offering them money to do it and then 301 00:09:21,990 --> 00:09:19,279 saying hey guys get this guy 302 00:09:24,070 --> 00:09:22,000 i got one put the check in the bank 303 00:09:25,829 --> 00:09:24,080 exactly you know and i think that's 304 00:09:28,150 --> 00:09:25,839 that's one of the most fascinating parts 305 00:09:29,350 --> 00:09:28,160 about this story i think because 306 00:09:30,870 --> 00:09:29,360 you know this story ultimately is a 307 00:09:32,070 --> 00:09:30,880 story about terrorism but it's also a 308 00:09:33,590 --> 00:09:32,080 story about 309 00:09:35,269 --> 00:09:33,600 you know justice and the fairness of 310 00:09:36,870 --> 00:09:35,279 justice justice united states and the 311 00:09:38,150 --> 00:09:36,880 administration of that justice 312 00:09:39,990 --> 00:09:38,160 and you know what's particularly 313 00:09:41,030 --> 00:09:40,000 disturbing i think is that so many of 314 00:09:42,550 --> 00:09:41,040 these informants 315 00:09:44,310 --> 00:09:42,560 involved in these sting operations have 316 00:09:44,790 --> 00:09:44,320 a financial interest in the prosecution 317 00:09:46,790 --> 00:09:44,800 you know 318 00:09:47,829 --> 00:09:46,800 they will get paid if they find someone 319 00:09:48,949 --> 00:09:47,839 who um 320 00:09:50,790 --> 00:09:48,959 you know they can portray as this 321 00:09:51,190 --> 00:09:50,800 terrorist and a sting operation and they 322 00:09:52,710 --> 00:09:51,200 can 323 00:09:54,389 --> 00:09:52,720 be paid handsome sons you know some of 324 00:09:55,990 --> 00:09:54,399 these informants make a hundred thousand 325 00:09:57,590 --> 00:09:56,000 dollars or more per case 326 00:09:59,350 --> 00:09:57,600 and so when you have that kind of 327 00:10:00,470 --> 00:09:59,360 incentive where you know if you can go 328 00:10:01,829 --> 00:10:00,480 out and find someone 329 00:10:03,350 --> 00:10:01,839 um who says they want to commit an act 330 00:10:04,949 --> 00:10:03,360 of terrorism and bring them along on the 331 00:10:05,670 --> 00:10:04,959 plot there's going to be a lot of money 332 00:10:07,509 --> 00:10:05,680 waiting for you 333 00:10:09,110 --> 00:10:07,519 for it at the end you know that's going 334 00:10:10,389 --> 00:10:09,120 to that creates a recipe where you're 335 00:10:10,949 --> 00:10:10,399 going to have a lot of these cases 336 00:10:12,069 --> 00:10:10,959 because 337 00:10:14,069 --> 00:10:12,079 the informant is going to be very 338 00:10:16,310 --> 00:10:14,079 aggressive in finding people who are 339 00:10:17,990 --> 00:10:16,320 susceptible who are easily influenced 340 00:10:19,190 --> 00:10:18,000 and then guide them along in a process 341 00:10:19,910 --> 00:10:19,200 you know that's part of a sting 342 00:10:21,750 --> 00:10:19,920 operation 343 00:10:24,230 --> 00:10:21,760 where you know from day one they have 344 00:10:26,870 --> 00:10:24,240 little capacity and by day 90 345 00:10:27,670 --> 00:10:26,880 you know they have a bomb in a storage 346 00:10:28,949 --> 00:10:27,680 unit and they're 347 00:10:31,350 --> 00:10:28,959 ready willing to deliver it with the 348 00:10:32,069 --> 00:10:31,360 informant it is crazy and one of the 349 00:10:34,230 --> 00:10:32,079 most shocking 350 00:10:36,470 --> 00:10:34,240 stories in the book to me about someone 351 00:10:38,470 --> 00:10:36,480 becoming a patsy in a terror plot was 352 00:10:39,910 --> 00:10:38,480 the story of the albany pizza man 353 00:10:41,350 --> 00:10:39,920 mohamed haussein 354 00:10:43,110 --> 00:10:41,360 walk us through that case a little bit 355 00:10:44,630 --> 00:10:43,120 so folks can better understand how this 356 00:10:47,190 --> 00:10:44,640 happens to people 357 00:10:48,870 --> 00:10:47,200 right so the fbi was interested in this 358 00:10:51,509 --> 00:10:48,880 man who was a local imam 359 00:10:51,910 --> 00:10:51,519 in in uh albany new york named yasina 360 00:10:53,990 --> 00:10:51,920 ref 361 00:10:55,030 --> 00:10:54,000 and they needed to find a way to get to 362 00:10:57,269 --> 00:10:55,040 him and so 363 00:10:58,949 --> 00:10:57,279 they um they ended up targeting this 364 00:10:59,590 --> 00:10:58,959 local pizzeria owner named mohammed 365 00:11:01,509 --> 00:10:59,600 hussain 366 00:11:02,870 --> 00:11:01,519 and the the fbi used this very 367 00:11:04,870 --> 00:11:02,880 aggressive informant 368 00:11:05,990 --> 00:11:04,880 named shahed hussein and and the names 369 00:11:07,190 --> 00:11:06,000 can be confusing but because they were 370 00:11:10,230 --> 00:11:07,200 both similar but 371 00:11:11,269 --> 00:11:10,240 in in this case um muhammad hussain you 372 00:11:12,710 --> 00:11:11,279 know is going about his 373 00:11:14,310 --> 00:11:12,720 life he's actually built a nice life for 374 00:11:15,190 --> 00:11:14,320 himself united states he had several 375 00:11:17,430 --> 00:11:15,200 rental properties 376 00:11:18,230 --> 00:11:17,440 a successful pizzeria he cared for his 377 00:11:20,470 --> 00:11:18,240 whole family 378 00:11:21,269 --> 00:11:20,480 as well as his mentally disabled brother 379 00:11:22,949 --> 00:11:21,279 and um 380 00:11:24,470 --> 00:11:22,959 the fbi chose to target him because they 381 00:11:27,990 --> 00:11:24,480 wanted to get closer to the 382 00:11:30,550 --> 00:11:28,000 the imam and muhammad hussein was a 383 00:11:31,829 --> 00:11:30,560 a very devout muslim and was active in 384 00:11:33,910 --> 00:11:31,839 the local mosque 385 00:11:35,590 --> 00:11:33,920 and they they devised this plot where 386 00:11:36,630 --> 00:11:35,600 they were going to loan to muhammad 387 00:11:39,430 --> 00:11:36,640 hussein 388 00:11:41,670 --> 00:11:39,440 um money that he needed to repair some 389 00:11:44,230 --> 00:11:41,680 boilers at a rental property that he had 390 00:11:45,509 --> 00:11:44,240 and uh essentially the the fbi informant 391 00:11:46,870 --> 00:11:45,519 told muhammad was saying well 392 00:11:48,710 --> 00:11:46,880 you know i've got this money coming in 393 00:11:51,190 --> 00:11:48,720 i'm an importer exporter from 394 00:11:52,710 --> 00:11:51,200 from china and you know i've got to move 395 00:11:54,550 --> 00:11:52,720 this fifty thousand dollars i'll give 396 00:11:56,790 --> 00:11:54,560 you fifty thousand dollars if you'll 397 00:11:58,310 --> 00:11:56,800 uh you know pay it back to me over time 398 00:12:01,269 --> 00:11:58,320 and so they agreed to do that 399 00:12:03,590 --> 00:12:01,279 um what the fbi do is that muhammad 400 00:12:06,069 --> 00:12:03,600 hossein being a very devout muslim 401 00:12:07,350 --> 00:12:06,079 would want a muslim religious leader to 402 00:12:08,790 --> 00:12:07,360 oversee the transaction which is 403 00:12:11,030 --> 00:12:08,800 customary in islam 404 00:12:11,990 --> 00:12:11,040 and just to make sure that the the 405 00:12:13,590 --> 00:12:12,000 financial 406 00:12:15,269 --> 00:12:13,600 uh transaction meets the religious 407 00:12:16,870 --> 00:12:15,279 standards and so the fbi 408 00:12:18,389 --> 00:12:16,880 undercover agent says that muhammad who 409 00:12:19,990 --> 00:12:18,399 said well you know i don't want an 410 00:12:21,110 --> 00:12:20,000 indian and i don't want a pakistani 411 00:12:22,790 --> 00:12:21,120 overseeing this 412 00:12:24,389 --> 00:12:22,800 and um and he said that for a very 413 00:12:26,710 --> 00:12:24,399 specific reason which was that 414 00:12:27,990 --> 00:12:26,720 that only left one other local muslim 415 00:12:29,990 --> 00:12:28,000 religious leader in town and that was 416 00:12:33,030 --> 00:12:30,000 justina ref who was in iraqi 417 00:12:34,230 --> 00:12:33,040 and uh uh kurdish iraqi and so yashina 418 00:12:36,470 --> 00:12:34,240 rest is brought in to 419 00:12:38,310 --> 00:12:36,480 oversee this financial transaction and 420 00:12:39,030 --> 00:12:38,320 during the financial transaction the fbi 421 00:12:41,750 --> 00:12:39,040 informant 422 00:12:43,269 --> 00:12:41,760 holds up a trigger device for a missile 423 00:12:44,629 --> 00:12:43,279 which is really hard to tell if the 424 00:12:47,269 --> 00:12:44,639 trigger provides it looks like an 425 00:12:48,949 --> 00:12:47,279 oversized label maker um and he's saying 426 00:12:50,710 --> 00:12:48,959 things about mujahideen and 427 00:12:52,870 --> 00:12:50,720 making a number of comments that are 428 00:12:54,949 --> 00:12:52,880 somewhat nonsensical at times 429 00:12:56,790 --> 00:12:54,959 but that was enough for the fbi to to 430 00:12:58,949 --> 00:12:56,800 build a case around both of them 431 00:12:59,910 --> 00:12:58,959 for money laundering for supporting 432 00:13:02,550 --> 00:12:59,920 terrorism 433 00:13:03,430 --> 00:13:02,560 and uh yasina ref was was was convicted 434 00:13:05,190 --> 00:13:03,440 as was 435 00:13:07,590 --> 00:13:05,200 mohammed hossein and muhammad hussain is 436 00:13:09,110 --> 00:13:07,600 serving at least 15 years in prison 437 00:13:11,670 --> 00:13:09,120 but this is a guy who never had any 438 00:13:14,069 --> 00:13:11,680 specific connection to terrorism 439 00:13:15,190 --> 00:13:14,079 right the evidence suggested that it was 440 00:13:16,790 --> 00:13:15,200 very 441 00:13:19,110 --> 00:13:16,800 unlikely that he realized the money he 442 00:13:20,230 --> 00:13:19,120 was funneling was supposed to be related 443 00:13:22,389 --> 00:13:20,240 at all to terrorism 444 00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:22,399 there was a rather uh you know odd 445 00:13:25,750 --> 00:13:24,480 moment where the fbi informant shows 446 00:13:27,990 --> 00:13:25,760 muhammad hussain a 447 00:13:29,670 --> 00:13:28,000 service to air missile but then tells 448 00:13:31,430 --> 00:13:29,680 him later that you know he's an importer 449 00:13:32,389 --> 00:13:31,440 exporter and he knows an fbi agent and 450 00:13:33,910 --> 00:13:32,399 it's all legitimate 451 00:13:34,949 --> 00:13:33,920 and so muhammad hussain was left with 452 00:13:36,470 --> 00:13:34,959 the impression that well that's weird 453 00:13:37,910 --> 00:13:36,480 that he was importing weapons but 454 00:13:39,509 --> 00:13:37,920 you know he tells me he knows an fbi 455 00:13:40,069 --> 00:13:39,519 agent he tells me it's legitimate you 456 00:13:41,430 --> 00:13:40,079 know there 457 00:13:43,110 --> 00:13:41,440 there is a legitimate business in 458 00:13:45,269 --> 00:13:43,120 importing and exporting weapons 459 00:13:47,430 --> 00:13:45,279 um and you know this was a case that 460 00:13:49,030 --> 00:13:47,440 largely outraged the community in albany 461 00:13:50,629 --> 00:13:49,040 um and it was enough to get but it was 462 00:13:53,030 --> 00:13:50,639 enough to get both of them you know 463 00:13:54,069 --> 00:13:53,040 convicted and neither of these men were 464 00:13:56,389 --> 00:13:54,079 at all involved 465 00:13:58,470 --> 00:13:56,399 in any plot that was imminent in any you 466 00:14:00,230 --> 00:13:58,480 know terrorism organization that 467 00:14:02,310 --> 00:14:00,240 posed any sort of threat to the united 468 00:14:05,350 --> 00:14:02,320 states you know the the only connection 469 00:14:07,189 --> 00:14:05,360 to terrorism was a rather distant 470 00:14:09,350 --> 00:14:07,199 connection for yasina ref where 471 00:14:10,710 --> 00:14:09,360 allegedly in iraq they found a list of 472 00:14:13,430 --> 00:14:10,720 names uh for 473 00:14:14,550 --> 00:14:13,440 a group and yassina ref's name was on 474 00:14:15,189 --> 00:14:14,560 that but that was all the government 475 00:14:16,230 --> 00:14:15,199 really had 476 00:14:17,829 --> 00:14:16,240 and that's all they've been able to 477 00:14:19,030 --> 00:14:17,839 release publicly yet they were still 478 00:14:20,230 --> 00:14:19,040 able to get convictions for both of 479 00:14:22,629 --> 00:14:20,240 these men 480 00:14:24,230 --> 00:14:22,639 yeah it is really sad because the guy is 481 00:14:26,230 --> 00:14:24,240 just working in his pizza shop an 482 00:14:29,350 --> 00:14:26,240 informant shows up he's giving 483 00:14:31,189 --> 00:14:29,360 toys to his kids he's telling him he can 484 00:14:33,829 --> 00:14:31,199 get his uh mentally challenged 485 00:14:35,670 --> 00:14:33,839 brother an id card and he's just 486 00:14:37,030 --> 00:14:35,680 injecting himself into this man's life 487 00:14:38,790 --> 00:14:37,040 he didn't seek him out 488 00:14:40,550 --> 00:14:38,800 and uh you know then he's like oh you 489 00:14:41,269 --> 00:14:40,560 need a loan man well i can help you out 490 00:14:43,670 --> 00:14:41,279 and i guess he 491 00:14:45,350 --> 00:14:43,680 kind of thought because of the religious 492 00:14:47,189 --> 00:14:45,360 connection like maybe that's why he's 493 00:14:47,750 --> 00:14:47,199 being so nice he's got the extra money 494 00:14:49,189 --> 00:14:47,760 but 495 00:14:51,189 --> 00:14:49,199 you know to just be turned around and 496 00:14:52,470 --> 00:14:51,199 thrown in jail for 15 years 497 00:14:54,790 --> 00:14:52,480 you know a lot of people think oh this 498 00:14:56,310 --> 00:14:54,800 can't happen to me and 499 00:14:57,990 --> 00:14:56,320 i'm sure there's also a little bit of a 500 00:14:59,110 --> 00:14:58,000 culture of racism when it comes to the 501 00:15:01,829 --> 00:14:59,120 prosecution 502 00:15:02,310 --> 00:15:01,839 but you know it's not that far off from 503 00:15:04,550 --> 00:15:02,320 just 504 00:15:06,310 --> 00:15:04,560 happening to anyone that they decide to 505 00:15:07,590 --> 00:15:06,320 throw into that plot 506 00:15:09,189 --> 00:15:07,600 and it's certainly worth noting that the 507 00:15:10,230 --> 00:15:09,199 evidence suggested that the informant 508 00:15:12,470 --> 00:15:10,240 they used 509 00:15:14,069 --> 00:15:12,480 in targeting muhammad hussein was a far 510 00:15:15,350 --> 00:15:14,079 worse criminal than muhammad hussein 511 00:15:17,509 --> 00:15:15,360 ever could have been you know the the 512 00:15:20,150 --> 00:15:17,519 informant she had hussein was accused of 513 00:15:22,069 --> 00:15:20,160 murder in pakistan and fled the country 514 00:15:25,430 --> 00:15:22,079 he was then running a dmv scam where he 515 00:15:27,590 --> 00:15:25,440 had several people who worked at the dmv 516 00:15:29,430 --> 00:15:27,600 he helped a number of immigrants get 517 00:15:30,710 --> 00:15:29,440 driver's licenses that were fraudulent 518 00:15:31,590 --> 00:15:30,720 so they could use them to become cab 519 00:15:34,069 --> 00:15:31,600 drivers 520 00:15:35,670 --> 00:15:34,079 in new york there's evidence that while 521 00:15:37,030 --> 00:15:35,680 he was declaring bankruptcy 522 00:15:38,389 --> 00:15:37,040 he didn't declare to the court five 523 00:15:39,430 --> 00:15:38,399 hundred thousand dollars he had in an 524 00:15:40,870 --> 00:15:39,440 overseas account 525 00:15:42,710 --> 00:15:40,880 you know all types of things that you 526 00:15:44,310 --> 00:15:42,720 know are criminal 527 00:15:46,150 --> 00:15:44,320 and he was able to escape those criminal 528 00:15:48,150 --> 00:15:46,160 charges because he agreed to work 529 00:15:49,829 --> 00:15:48,160 as an informant for the fbi and then 530 00:15:51,430 --> 00:15:49,839 ultimately you know hounded muhammad 531 00:15:52,870 --> 00:15:51,440 hossein as part of this case 532 00:15:54,550 --> 00:15:52,880 and you know now she had hussein has 533 00:15:55,749 --> 00:15:54,560 continued to work with the fbi he 534 00:15:57,430 --> 00:15:55,759 he makes a hundred thousand dollars or 535 00:15:58,310 --> 00:15:57,440 more per case and move moves from case 536 00:16:00,629 --> 00:15:58,320 to case and 537 00:16:01,670 --> 00:16:00,639 you know has both an economic incentive 538 00:16:02,870 --> 00:16:01,680 because he can make a lot of money 539 00:16:04,470 --> 00:16:02,880 within that with the fbi 540 00:16:05,910 --> 00:16:04,480 but also a kind of a punitive one you 541 00:16:07,030 --> 00:16:05,920 know that that as long as he works for 542 00:16:08,550 --> 00:16:07,040 the fbi he 543 00:16:09,829 --> 00:16:08,560 doesn't have to worry about facing any 544 00:16:10,949 --> 00:16:09,839 criminal charges for what he's done in 545 00:16:13,269 --> 00:16:10,959 the past 546 00:16:15,030 --> 00:16:13,279 yeah and you call him in the book you 547 00:16:15,509 --> 00:16:15,040 call him the super informant and he is 548 00:16:17,269 --> 00:16:15,519 such an 549 00:16:19,110 --> 00:16:17,279 [\h__\h] because you know he has a 550 00:16:21,110 --> 00:16:19,120 culture of doing this to people 551 00:16:22,790 --> 00:16:21,120 for his paycheck and obviously you said 552 00:16:24,470 --> 00:16:22,800 you know the guy 553 00:16:26,230 --> 00:16:24,480 is a worse criminal than anyone than 554 00:16:27,590 --> 00:16:26,240 most of the people he's he's getting 555 00:16:29,189 --> 00:16:27,600 mixed up in these plots 556 00:16:30,870 --> 00:16:29,199 he's just a guy hungry for money and he 557 00:16:32,710 --> 00:16:30,880 found a way to get it 558 00:16:34,470 --> 00:16:32,720 absolutely yeah one of the things i 559 00:16:36,230 --> 00:16:34,480 mentioned as i mentioned in the book 560 00:16:37,910 --> 00:16:36,240 you know it's important to understand 561 00:16:39,670 --> 00:16:37,920 that you know informants are not 562 00:16:41,430 --> 00:16:39,680 nice guys they're they're usually you 563 00:16:42,310 --> 00:16:41,440 know in some cases worse than the people 564 00:16:44,629 --> 00:16:42,320 they target 565 00:16:45,910 --> 00:16:44,639 you know steven trott who's a judge and 566 00:16:47,110 --> 00:16:45,920 the district court appellate judge in 567 00:16:49,189 --> 00:16:47,120 the federal level 568 00:16:50,470 --> 00:16:49,199 calls you know the informant sociopath 569 00:16:51,350 --> 00:16:50,480 and i think that's a great description 570 00:16:53,350 --> 00:16:51,360 for them because 571 00:16:55,030 --> 00:16:53,360 you know they have to basically do what 572 00:16:56,790 --> 00:16:55,040 most people would 573 00:16:58,310 --> 00:16:56,800 would hate which is that they have to go 574 00:17:00,310 --> 00:16:58,320 and every day lie to someone 575 00:17:01,829 --> 00:17:00,320 and then over months and even years 576 00:17:03,430 --> 00:17:01,839 build up an intense 577 00:17:05,189 --> 00:17:03,440 relationship a great friendship with 578 00:17:06,230 --> 00:17:05,199 someone and then be willing to turn on 579 00:17:08,470 --> 00:17:06,240 that person you know 580 00:17:10,069 --> 00:17:08,480 and send that person to jail for for 581 00:17:11,669 --> 00:17:10,079 decades and and i don't think that's 582 00:17:12,949 --> 00:17:11,679 something that anyone other than a 583 00:17:13,750 --> 00:17:12,959 sociopath could really do in good 584 00:17:15,110 --> 00:17:13,760 conscience right 585 00:17:16,630 --> 00:17:15,120 and it doesn't always end well i mean 586 00:17:17,590 --> 00:17:16,640 have you ever seen bulletproof you know 587 00:17:20,789 --> 00:17:17,600 that 588 00:17:23,990 --> 00:17:20,799 right yeah i mean you know 589 00:17:25,029 --> 00:17:24,000 these ultimately the the fbi you know 590 00:17:27,510 --> 00:17:25,039 it's important to note like 591 00:17:28,309 --> 00:17:27,520 in using these informants the good ones 592 00:17:30,230 --> 00:17:28,319 are never going to be 593 00:17:31,669 --> 00:17:30,240 good guys you know so ultimately almost 594 00:17:33,190 --> 00:17:31,679 every one of these informants 595 00:17:35,590 --> 00:17:33,200 has some kind of baggage you know the 596 00:17:37,750 --> 00:17:35,600 fbi in many of these thing operations 597 00:17:38,950 --> 00:17:37,760 has used criminals they've included you 598 00:17:40,870 --> 00:17:38,960 know drug dealers 599 00:17:43,430 --> 00:17:40,880 um in one case it included a man who was 600 00:17:45,110 --> 00:17:43,440 wanted in albania for shooting someone 601 00:17:46,630 --> 00:17:45,120 in another case it included a child 602 00:17:48,150 --> 00:17:46,640 molester you know it 603 00:17:49,990 --> 00:17:48,160 the fbi is willing to use just about 604 00:17:51,430 --> 00:17:50,000 anyone as an informant uh 605 00:17:53,029 --> 00:17:51,440 which really raises a question you know 606 00:17:54,630 --> 00:17:53,039 like are we really um 607 00:17:56,070 --> 00:17:54,640 are we using people who are worse than 608 00:17:56,470 --> 00:17:56,080 the people we're targeting you know are 609 00:17:59,750 --> 00:17:56,480 we 610 00:18:03,110 --> 00:17:59,760 smaller ones essentially right 611 00:18:03,830 --> 00:18:03,120 another point about uh muhammad hussein 612 00:18:05,590 --> 00:18:03,840 was 613 00:18:07,830 --> 00:18:05,600 you know he said to you when you visited 614 00:18:09,110 --> 00:18:07,840 him in jail his kids are now without a 615 00:18:11,510 --> 00:18:09,120 father 616 00:18:12,310 --> 00:18:11,520 growing up without guidance that's the 617 00:18:14,630 --> 00:18:12,320 kind of 618 00:18:15,990 --> 00:18:14,640 action that creates someone who wants to 619 00:18:18,549 --> 00:18:16,000 do damage to this government 620 00:18:19,750 --> 00:18:18,559 taking away someone's father you know 621 00:18:21,270 --> 00:18:19,760 that's what that's a 622 00:18:23,750 --> 00:18:21,280 you're going to want revenge for that 623 00:18:26,470 --> 00:18:23,760 not necessarily that his kids do but 624 00:18:27,909 --> 00:18:26,480 we we have to be careful of like uh what 625 00:18:29,270 --> 00:18:27,919 we're doing to people these are real 626 00:18:30,630 --> 00:18:29,280 lives 627 00:18:33,270 --> 00:18:30,640 it's a it's a good point to raise 628 00:18:34,870 --> 00:18:33,280 because it really raises a question of 629 00:18:37,190 --> 00:18:34,880 blowback you know what ultimately will 630 00:18:38,230 --> 00:18:37,200 happen as a an unintended consequence of 631 00:18:39,830 --> 00:18:38,240 these policies 632 00:18:42,470 --> 00:18:39,840 you know and certainly some of these men 633 00:18:43,590 --> 00:18:42,480 that we're sending away for 15 25 35 634 00:18:44,870 --> 00:18:43,600 years 635 00:18:46,549 --> 00:18:44,880 you know that were caught up in a sting 636 00:18:47,990 --> 00:18:46,559 operation on their own unable to commit 637 00:18:51,190 --> 00:18:48,000 acts of terrorism 638 00:18:53,430 --> 00:18:51,200 you know it it's not unreasonable to ask 639 00:18:54,870 --> 00:18:53,440 whether upon their release from jail in 640 00:18:56,230 --> 00:18:54,880 their 40s and their 50s 641 00:18:58,150 --> 00:18:56,240 they will be so angry that they will 642 00:18:59,909 --> 00:18:58,160 actually become terrorists that on their 643 00:19:01,270 --> 00:18:59,919 own 25 years ago they never could have 644 00:19:02,390 --> 00:19:01,280 become and i think that is 645 00:19:04,789 --> 00:19:02,400 one of the things that'll be really 646 00:19:05,750 --> 00:19:04,799 interesting to see and let's look at the 647 00:19:07,510 --> 00:19:05,760 other side of 648 00:19:09,110 --> 00:19:07,520 informants because there's also there's 649 00:19:11,029 --> 00:19:09,120 the criminal informants but there's also 650 00:19:12,630 --> 00:19:11,039 a lot of intimidation and blackmailing 651 00:19:14,390 --> 00:19:12,640 that goes into creating unwilling 652 00:19:16,710 --> 00:19:14,400 informants in the muslim community 653 00:19:18,630 --> 00:19:16,720 while using some type of various 654 00:19:20,470 --> 00:19:18,640 leverage to pressure them into finding 655 00:19:22,549 --> 00:19:20,480 something just to get the heat off of 656 00:19:24,070 --> 00:19:22,559 them right you know 657 00:19:25,669 --> 00:19:24,080 the best thing to compare this to in 658 00:19:27,029 --> 00:19:25,679 some ways but it's important to compare 659 00:19:30,150 --> 00:19:27,039 two because it's so different 660 00:19:31,830 --> 00:19:30,160 is how the fbi investigated you know 661 00:19:32,870 --> 00:19:31,840 organized crime in the 80s for example 662 00:19:34,789 --> 00:19:32,880 like when they were going after the 663 00:19:36,230 --> 00:19:34,799 italian mafia organizations 664 00:19:38,070 --> 00:19:36,240 in those cases the way they recruited 665 00:19:39,990 --> 00:19:38,080 informants was they looked for people 666 00:19:41,110 --> 00:19:40,000 who were you know the lower level mafia 667 00:19:42,870 --> 00:19:41,120 soldiers who were 668 00:19:44,310 --> 00:19:42,880 who are committing crimes minor ones 669 00:19:45,830 --> 00:19:44,320 like you know stealing a car 670 00:19:47,350 --> 00:19:45,840 and then you get that guy you bust him 671 00:19:48,630 --> 00:19:47,360 for stealing a car and you say to him 672 00:19:51,270 --> 00:19:48,640 you know if you work with us 673 00:19:51,669 --> 00:19:51,280 we can make that that stolen car theft 674 00:19:54,150 --> 00:19:51,679 charge 675 00:19:55,350 --> 00:19:54,160 go away um and you can you have to work 676 00:19:56,150 --> 00:19:55,360 with us as an informant and that's how 677 00:19:57,669 --> 00:19:56,160 they recruited 678 00:19:59,110 --> 00:19:57,679 these informants well if you're 679 00:20:00,230 --> 00:19:59,120 recruiting in the muslim community it's 680 00:20:01,750 --> 00:20:00,240 a lot different than recruiting from 681 00:20:04,310 --> 00:20:01,760 within an organized crime 682 00:20:05,350 --> 00:20:04,320 uh organization you know in these cases 683 00:20:06,789 --> 00:20:05,360 you know these are people who are 684 00:20:07,990 --> 00:20:06,799 law-abiding people going about their day 685 00:20:10,070 --> 00:20:08,000 working everyday jobs 686 00:20:11,270 --> 00:20:10,080 going to the mosque on friday you know 687 00:20:13,510 --> 00:20:11,280 you're not going to catch them 688 00:20:15,590 --> 00:20:13,520 stealing cars and so in this case the 689 00:20:16,230 --> 00:20:15,600 fbi needs to build up its capacity for 690 00:20:18,230 --> 00:20:16,240 intelligence 691 00:20:19,990 --> 00:20:18,240 in muslim communities and it does that 692 00:20:21,990 --> 00:20:20,000 by using what leverage it can 693 00:20:23,190 --> 00:20:22,000 and in the muslim community immigration 694 00:20:23,750 --> 00:20:23,200 tends to be the greatest form of 695 00:20:26,470 --> 00:20:23,760 leverage 696 00:20:27,990 --> 00:20:26,480 right so what we what we see is uh and 697 00:20:28,870 --> 00:20:28,000 what we've seen a number of cases is the 698 00:20:31,909 --> 00:20:28,880 fbi 699 00:20:33,029 --> 00:20:31,919 working very closely with ice using 700 00:20:35,430 --> 00:20:33,039 immigration and the threat of 701 00:20:36,950 --> 00:20:35,440 deportation as leverage to recruit 702 00:20:39,350 --> 00:20:36,960 informants you know so these are people 703 00:20:41,270 --> 00:20:39,360 who didn't violate any laws if they 704 00:20:43,750 --> 00:20:41,280 if they were facing possible deportation 705 00:20:46,470 --> 00:20:43,760 that's a civil issue not a criminal one 706 00:20:47,430 --> 00:20:46,480 and in these cases the fbi uses that to 707 00:20:49,590 --> 00:20:47,440 say well you know 708 00:20:51,830 --> 00:20:49,600 unless you work with us you're gonna you 709 00:20:53,430 --> 00:20:51,840 know have to be deported or they'll say 710 00:20:55,190 --> 00:20:53,440 hey you know we're we know you're 711 00:20:55,830 --> 00:20:55,200 looking to get your your family over 712 00:20:58,310 --> 00:20:55,840 from 713 00:20:59,590 --> 00:20:58,320 syria if you work with us we'll make 714 00:21:02,149 --> 00:20:59,600 that happen if you don't 715 00:21:03,510 --> 00:21:02,159 they probably won't be able to come over 716 00:21:04,149 --> 00:21:03,520 and that's an extraordinary form of 717 00:21:06,230 --> 00:21:04,159 leverage 718 00:21:08,070 --> 00:21:06,240 that the fbi is able to use and and it's 719 00:21:09,029 --> 00:21:08,080 been incredibly effective you know today 720 00:21:11,590 --> 00:21:09,039 the fbi has 721 00:21:13,750 --> 00:21:11,600 15 000 informants who are working for it 722 00:21:15,750 --> 00:21:13,760 it's just 10 times as many as it had 723 00:21:17,190 --> 00:21:15,760 under hoover and you know some of these 724 00:21:18,149 --> 00:21:17,200 informants are like i mentioned shahid 725 00:21:20,789 --> 00:21:18,159 hussein who 726 00:21:22,070 --> 00:21:20,799 was a criminal who you know played as an 727 00:21:22,870 --> 00:21:22,080 agent provocative for these sting 728 00:21:24,630 --> 00:21:22,880 operations 729 00:21:26,710 --> 00:21:24,640 others are providing information under 730 00:21:28,470 --> 00:21:26,720 duress um you know acting and sting 731 00:21:28,950 --> 00:21:28,480 operations under address as a result of 732 00:21:31,110 --> 00:21:28,960 these 733 00:21:33,190 --> 00:21:31,120 immigration threats you know to point 734 00:21:35,190 --> 00:21:33,200 out another one of his methods that 735 00:21:36,470 --> 00:21:35,200 that really does because i'm sure some 736 00:21:37,990 --> 00:21:36,480 people are like well you know it's got 737 00:21:39,110 --> 00:21:38,000 to be pretty tough to get mixed up in a 738 00:21:40,789 --> 00:21:39,120 terror plot but 739 00:21:42,950 --> 00:21:40,799 it really isn't i mean it even came out 740 00:21:43,669 --> 00:21:42,960 in court that he uses code words for 741 00:21:45,990 --> 00:21:43,679 missiles 742 00:21:47,110 --> 00:21:46,000 that he makes up that only he knows that 743 00:21:49,029 --> 00:21:47,120 the person he's talking to doesn't know 744 00:21:50,390 --> 00:21:49,039 he called it uh a chaudry 745 00:21:52,230 --> 00:21:50,400 you're like oh yeah i'm transporting 746 00:21:53,669 --> 00:21:52,240 some cauldries and you guys just like 747 00:21:54,230 --> 00:21:53,679 okay whatever like you're gonna give me 748 00:21:55,990 --> 00:21:54,240 fifty 749 00:21:57,669 --> 00:21:56,000 thousand dollars like you know and he 750 00:22:00,310 --> 00:21:57,679 was paying them back too it's just 751 00:22:01,669 --> 00:22:00,320 it's so unfortunate in the memo line 752 00:22:03,270 --> 00:22:01,679 there when he was paying them back he 753 00:22:04,470 --> 00:22:03,280 put you know loan repayment you know 754 00:22:05,750 --> 00:22:04,480 there were certainly evidences suggest 755 00:22:07,510 --> 00:22:05,760 he thought it was alone 756 00:22:09,510 --> 00:22:07,520 um there there was very little evidence 757 00:22:11,590 --> 00:22:09,520 to support the idea that 758 00:22:12,549 --> 00:22:11,600 the two defendants uh muhammad hussain 759 00:22:14,310 --> 00:22:12,559 and yasina ref 760 00:22:15,750 --> 00:22:14,320 knew what chowdhury meant you know it 761 00:22:17,270 --> 00:22:15,760 was clear that 762 00:22:18,710 --> 00:22:17,280 he was he was using that word but it was 763 00:22:19,590 --> 00:22:18,720 unclear that they even knew what 764 00:22:21,270 --> 00:22:19,600 chowdhury meant 765 00:22:22,950 --> 00:22:21,280 um and you know it also fit a pattern 766 00:22:25,029 --> 00:22:22,960 too you know later 767 00:22:26,310 --> 00:22:25,039 hussein that same informant was used in 768 00:22:27,669 --> 00:22:26,320 this new brick case that i mentioned 769 00:22:29,669 --> 00:22:27,679 earlier where these men were 770 00:22:30,870 --> 00:22:29,679 plotting to bomb synagogues in the bronx 771 00:22:33,190 --> 00:22:30,880 and in that case 772 00:22:34,950 --> 00:22:33,200 during during trial testimony it came 773 00:22:38,230 --> 00:22:34,960 out because on one of the recordings 774 00:22:39,990 --> 00:22:38,240 shahed hussein offers the men 250 000 775 00:22:41,110 --> 00:22:40,000 to carry forward with the plot and 776 00:22:41,990 --> 00:22:41,120 obviously that looks very bad on the 777 00:22:42,710 --> 00:22:42,000 government side you know you're 778 00:22:44,070 --> 00:22:42,720 basically offering 779 00:22:46,310 --> 00:22:44,080 you know bribing someone to go forward 780 00:22:48,950 --> 00:22:46,320 in a sting operation and uh 781 00:22:50,710 --> 00:22:48,960 hussein says well that was a code word 782 00:22:51,110 --> 00:22:50,720 and uh the the defense attorney asked 783 00:22:52,710 --> 00:22:51,120 them well 784 00:22:54,149 --> 00:22:52,720 who knew that code word and shahed 785 00:22:55,510 --> 00:22:54,159 hussein had to admit well he was the 786 00:22:56,710 --> 00:22:55,520 only one who knew that code word 787 00:22:58,390 --> 00:22:56,720 and so obviously it's not much of a code 788 00:22:59,430 --> 00:22:58,400 word if you're the only one who knows it 789 00:23:01,830 --> 00:22:59,440 and you know it was 790 00:23:03,909 --> 00:23:01,840 it was clear in both of these cases that 791 00:23:05,750 --> 00:23:03,919 hussein was doing and saying things 792 00:23:07,510 --> 00:23:05,760 whatever he needed to do to make a 793 00:23:09,990 --> 00:23:07,520 prosecutable case 794 00:23:10,549 --> 00:23:10,000 that to me that specific case was the 795 00:23:12,310 --> 00:23:10,559 most 796 00:23:13,909 --> 00:23:12,320 shocking but digging through all these 797 00:23:17,029 --> 00:23:13,919 documents and cases yourself what did 798 00:23:19,110 --> 00:23:17,039 you find most troubling or surprising 799 00:23:21,029 --> 00:23:19,120 you know in some of these cases what i 800 00:23:21,990 --> 00:23:21,039 found troubling was the fact that as i 801 00:23:24,390 --> 00:23:22,000 mentioned earlier that they 802 00:23:25,590 --> 00:23:24,400 used people who were worse than the 803 00:23:26,310 --> 00:23:25,600 people they were targeting you know for 804 00:23:28,630 --> 00:23:26,320 example they 805 00:23:30,390 --> 00:23:28,640 in seattle they used that child molester 806 00:23:31,990 --> 00:23:30,400 who ultimately targeted 807 00:23:33,990 --> 00:23:32,000 two men who were mentally ill one of 808 00:23:35,270 --> 00:23:34,000 them had schizoaffective disorder which 809 00:23:37,190 --> 00:23:35,280 means he had trouble distinguishing 810 00:23:38,470 --> 00:23:37,200 between reality and fantasy which 811 00:23:40,390 --> 00:23:38,480 obviously someone who 812 00:23:42,230 --> 00:23:40,400 uh is going to be very susceptible to 813 00:23:44,070 --> 00:23:42,240 the influence of an informant 814 00:23:45,990 --> 00:23:44,080 um but in other cases you know what i 815 00:23:48,310 --> 00:23:46,000 found so shocking was just 816 00:23:50,470 --> 00:23:48,320 how how how little the capacity was you 817 00:23:52,549 --> 00:23:50,480 know one of my one of my favorite cases 818 00:23:54,470 --> 00:23:52,559 uh for lack of a better term is this man 819 00:23:57,029 --> 00:23:54,480 named derek sharif and 820 00:23:57,750 --> 00:23:57,039 you know derek was this guy who lived in 821 00:23:59,750 --> 00:23:57,760 illinois 822 00:24:01,590 --> 00:23:59,760 and he recently converted to islam and 823 00:24:03,830 --> 00:24:01,600 his and his parents and his family 824 00:24:05,750 --> 00:24:03,840 had ostracized him for it and he was 825 00:24:07,350 --> 00:24:05,760 working at this video game store 826 00:24:09,110 --> 00:24:07,360 didn't have a place to live and his car 827 00:24:11,269 --> 00:24:09,120 had just broken down so derek was 828 00:24:12,630 --> 00:24:11,279 in like the worst possible situation you 829 00:24:14,549 --> 00:24:12,640 can possibly be 830 00:24:16,070 --> 00:24:14,559 and an informant comes to a video game 831 00:24:17,190 --> 00:24:16,080 store and says hey yeah i know 832 00:24:18,870 --> 00:24:17,200 i know you know you don't have a place 833 00:24:19,830 --> 00:24:18,880 to live you don't your car's broken down 834 00:24:21,590 --> 00:24:19,840 why don't you live with me 835 00:24:23,029 --> 00:24:21,600 you can use my car you know i've got 836 00:24:24,470 --> 00:24:23,039 food you can just stay with me 837 00:24:26,549 --> 00:24:24,480 and derek you know because it was the 838 00:24:27,909 --> 00:24:26,559 day before ramadan thinks this is a sign 839 00:24:29,750 --> 00:24:27,919 from god and goes and 840 00:24:31,029 --> 00:24:29,760 lives with this informant and over the 841 00:24:32,230 --> 00:24:31,039 course of months the informant 842 00:24:34,390 --> 00:24:32,240 encourages him to 843 00:24:35,669 --> 00:24:34,400 move forward in a plot to attack a 844 00:24:37,909 --> 00:24:35,679 shopping mall and this wasn't an 845 00:24:38,870 --> 00:24:37,919 idea that the informant came up with and 846 00:24:40,549 --> 00:24:38,880 so 847 00:24:42,470 --> 00:24:40,559 they talk about it and derek is saying 848 00:24:44,070 --> 00:24:42,480 some pretty hateful odious things and 849 00:24:45,590 --> 00:24:44,080 but the problem for the fbi's case was 850 00:24:46,390 --> 00:24:45,600 that they needed what's called an overt 851 00:24:47,909 --> 00:24:46,400 action they had 852 00:24:49,430 --> 00:24:47,919 they had to get him doing something that 853 00:24:50,149 --> 00:24:49,440 wasn't that was more than just talking 854 00:24:52,549 --> 00:24:50,159 about it 855 00:24:53,750 --> 00:24:52,559 and uh so so they decided well let's 856 00:24:55,190 --> 00:24:53,760 let's see if we can get him to buy 857 00:24:58,230 --> 00:24:55,200 grenades for the attack 858 00:24:59,830 --> 00:24:58,240 but the big problem for the fbi 859 00:25:01,830 --> 00:24:59,840 was that derek was flat broke he didn't 860 00:25:02,310 --> 00:25:01,840 have any money and so the informant says 861 00:25:03,750 --> 00:25:02,320 to him 862 00:25:05,510 --> 00:25:03,760 well you've got these old stereo 863 00:25:06,070 --> 00:25:05,520 speakers right but what if we took this 864 00:25:07,990 --> 00:25:06,080 to the 865 00:25:09,590 --> 00:25:08,000 the arms dealer and i think if we took 866 00:25:10,630 --> 00:25:09,600 it to him and said hey we'll give you 867 00:25:13,029 --> 00:25:10,640 the stereo speakers 868 00:25:14,390 --> 00:25:13,039 and you'll give us the five grenades 869 00:25:15,350 --> 00:25:14,400 he'll say fair trade 870 00:25:16,630 --> 00:25:15,360 and uh you know of course it's 871 00:25:17,430 --> 00:25:16,640 ridiculous on its face you know i don't 872 00:25:18,789 --> 00:25:17,440 know a lot about 873 00:25:20,310 --> 00:25:18,799 black market arm stealing but i don't 874 00:25:20,710 --> 00:25:20,320 think a arm dealer is going to accept 875 00:25:22,710 --> 00:25:20,720 two 876 00:25:24,549 --> 00:25:22,720 ratty old stereo speakers for no you 877 00:25:27,990 --> 00:25:24,559 need at least four 878 00:25:30,070 --> 00:25:28,000 right and so they end up going to uh the 879 00:25:31,990 --> 00:25:30,080 shopping mall and derek brings his two 880 00:25:33,669 --> 00:25:32,000 scenario speakers and hands them over to 881 00:25:35,430 --> 00:25:33,679 this undercover agent who's posing as an 882 00:25:36,870 --> 00:25:35,440 arms dealer and the undercover agent 883 00:25:39,269 --> 00:25:36,880 hands them back 884 00:25:40,070 --> 00:25:39,279 the grenades and uh the fbi rushes in 885 00:25:42,230 --> 00:25:40,080 and arrests him 886 00:25:43,590 --> 00:25:42,240 and ultimately he's convicted uh of 887 00:25:44,549 --> 00:25:43,600 conspiracy to use a weapon of mass 888 00:25:47,190 --> 00:25:44,559 destruction 889 00:25:48,149 --> 00:25:47,200 uh and is now serving 25 years in prison 890 00:25:49,909 --> 00:25:48,159 well obviously 891 00:25:51,669 --> 00:25:49,919 you know derek sharif on his own with 892 00:25:53,269 --> 00:25:51,679 his two spirit old stereo speakers 893 00:25:54,870 --> 00:25:53,279 never could have obtained the grenades 894 00:25:56,549 --> 00:25:54,880 never would have been able to move 895 00:25:58,630 --> 00:25:56,559 forward in a plot like this and so 896 00:26:00,149 --> 00:25:58,640 what i find most disturbing is are cases 897 00:26:02,149 --> 00:26:00,159 like that where 898 00:26:03,750 --> 00:26:02,159 ultimately men like derek sharif are 899 00:26:05,269 --> 00:26:03,760 convicted and sentenced 900 00:26:06,870 --> 00:26:05,279 according to sentencing guidelines that 901 00:26:10,149 --> 00:26:06,880 were designed for true 902 00:26:11,830 --> 00:26:10,159 capable terrorists so the fbi by 903 00:26:14,230 --> 00:26:11,840 empowering him by giving him access to 904 00:26:16,390 --> 00:26:14,240 these grenades ultimately puts him 905 00:26:17,830 --> 00:26:16,400 under sentencing guidelines that on his 906 00:26:19,350 --> 00:26:17,840 own he never could have committed a 907 00:26:20,950 --> 00:26:19,360 crime that would put him there and so 908 00:26:22,950 --> 00:26:20,960 you know to me that's a great example of 909 00:26:25,430 --> 00:26:22,960 the fbi really just empowering someone 910 00:26:26,870 --> 00:26:25,440 to become a terrorist who on his own you 911 00:26:28,149 --> 00:26:26,880 know was probably incapable of even 912 00:26:30,230 --> 00:26:28,159 minor crimes 913 00:26:31,750 --> 00:26:30,240 right and in regards to some of the 914 00:26:33,350 --> 00:26:31,760 misguided youth and 915 00:26:35,430 --> 00:26:33,360 mentally unstable there's a comment in 916 00:26:37,029 --> 00:26:35,440 the book made by one of the defense 917 00:26:39,029 --> 00:26:37,039 attorneys and he says something like 918 00:26:41,269 --> 00:26:39,039 this whole mess could have been avoided 919 00:26:43,029 --> 00:26:41,279 if the fbi counseled individuals rather 920 00:26:45,350 --> 00:26:43,039 than encouraging them and i thought wow 921 00:26:46,789 --> 00:26:45,360 it seems so simple doesn't it 922 00:26:48,149 --> 00:26:46,799 absolutely you know actually i'm in 923 00:26:49,669 --> 00:26:48,159 portland oregon right now and there's a 924 00:26:51,669 --> 00:26:49,679 trial going on involving this 925 00:26:53,269 --> 00:26:51,679 this man named muhammad muhammad and you 926 00:26:54,470 --> 00:26:53,279 know that's a great example of this this 927 00:26:56,310 --> 00:26:54,480 was a guy who 928 00:26:57,830 --> 00:26:56,320 you know espoused radical beliefs that 929 00:26:58,710 --> 00:26:57,840 he wanted to get involved in jihad 930 00:27:00,390 --> 00:26:58,720 somehow and 931 00:27:02,390 --> 00:27:00,400 these undercover agents came to him and 932 00:27:05,029 --> 00:27:02,400 said are you interested in you know 933 00:27:06,470 --> 00:27:05,039 do working on a plot with us and he says 934 00:27:08,549 --> 00:27:06,480 yes and he's and he talks about how he 935 00:27:10,310 --> 00:27:08,559 wants to bomb pioneer square in portland 936 00:27:11,990 --> 00:27:10,320 and uh the fbi agents ultimately give 937 00:27:13,510 --> 00:27:12,000 him everything he needs you know he had 938 00:27:15,430 --> 00:27:13,520 he has no he has no money he's about to 939 00:27:17,029 --> 00:27:15,440 be evicted from his apartment the fbi 940 00:27:18,950 --> 00:27:17,039 gives him i think three thousand dollars 941 00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:18,960 to pay his back rent so the eviction 942 00:27:23,669 --> 00:27:19,440 won't 943 00:27:25,430 --> 00:27:23,679 they then provide the bomb 944 00:27:27,190 --> 00:27:25,440 everything he needs they provide the car 945 00:27:28,630 --> 00:27:27,200 they provide everything and 946 00:27:30,389 --> 00:27:28,640 ultimately he moves forward in this plot 947 00:27:31,909 --> 00:27:30,399 but that's an example of this kid 948 00:27:33,669 --> 00:27:31,919 he was 19 at the time when this thing 949 00:27:33,990 --> 00:27:33,679 operation started who probably could 950 00:27:35,750 --> 00:27:34,000 have just 951 00:27:37,110 --> 00:27:35,760 been scared out of doing something like 952 00:27:38,470 --> 00:27:37,120 this probably 953 00:27:41,110 --> 00:27:38,480 you know in the middle of the sting 954 00:27:42,470 --> 00:27:41,120 operation if the fbi said boo we got you 955 00:27:43,909 --> 00:27:42,480 you know what are you doing here instead 956 00:27:44,630 --> 00:27:43,919 of letting him carry forward with it the 957 00:27:45,750 --> 00:27:44,640 whole time 958 00:27:46,710 --> 00:27:45,760 i don't think this is a guy who 959 00:27:48,310 --> 00:27:46,720 necessarily would have become a 960 00:27:50,070 --> 00:27:48,320 terrorist but right you know the fbi did 961 00:27:52,710 --> 00:27:50,080 these elaborate sting operations 962 00:27:53,590 --> 00:27:52,720 you know puts you know goes all the way 963 00:27:55,430 --> 00:27:53,600 and gets them to 964 00:27:57,350 --> 00:27:55,440 commit these fantastical acts you know 965 00:27:59,029 --> 00:27:57,360 these ex these these acts of terrorism 966 00:28:00,710 --> 00:27:59,039 that if they were real 967 00:28:01,909 --> 00:28:00,720 would be horrific but when they're able 968 00:28:03,750 --> 00:28:01,919 to bring them to a jury they're just 969 00:28:04,149 --> 00:28:03,760 like so overwhelming that in most cases 970 00:28:08,070 --> 00:28:04,159 they're 971 00:28:09,750 --> 00:28:08,080 cases well another side is uh 972 00:28:11,110 --> 00:28:09,760 you know the cozy relationship between 973 00:28:12,630 --> 00:28:11,120 government and the media and one of my 974 00:28:13,830 --> 00:28:12,640 favorite examples in the book of how 975 00:28:15,830 --> 00:28:13,840 that works is 976 00:28:17,830 --> 00:28:15,840 the case of the liberty city seven so 977 00:28:20,870 --> 00:28:17,840 what was so sketchy about the uh 978 00:28:22,230 --> 00:28:20,880 the timing of that event right so you 979 00:28:23,669 --> 00:28:22,240 know this this was under the 980 00:28:25,590 --> 00:28:23,679 administration of george w bush it would 981 00:28:27,669 --> 00:28:25,600 have been his second term in office 982 00:28:29,269 --> 00:28:27,679 and you know as you may recall that the 983 00:28:30,149 --> 00:28:29,279 new york times had written a number of 984 00:28:32,630 --> 00:28:30,159 stories about 985 00:28:34,310 --> 00:28:32,640 government overreach in spying on 986 00:28:36,549 --> 00:28:34,320 law-abiding citizens 987 00:28:37,590 --> 00:28:36,559 um using powers that were given to the 988 00:28:41,110 --> 00:28:37,600 bush administration 989 00:28:42,470 --> 00:28:41,120 after 9 11. and you know one example of 990 00:28:43,510 --> 00:28:42,480 that you know you may recall one of the 991 00:28:45,510 --> 00:28:43,520 examples was 992 00:28:47,029 --> 00:28:45,520 you know white warrantless wiretapping 993 00:28:47,590 --> 00:28:47,039 being able to listen in on conversations 994 00:28:53,430 --> 00:28:47,600 without 995 00:28:54,710 --> 00:28:53,440 in october of 2006 the new york times 996 00:28:55,110 --> 00:28:54,720 was about to release this story about 997 00:28:56,630 --> 00:28:55,120 how 998 00:28:58,630 --> 00:28:56,640 the bush administration was also getting 999 00:29:00,389 --> 00:28:58,640 access to bank records without 1000 00:29:02,070 --> 00:29:00,399 without warrants with the same type of 1001 00:29:02,950 --> 00:29:02,080 violation and they've worked together 1002 00:29:04,549 --> 00:29:02,960 for days 1003 00:29:06,070 --> 00:29:04,559 with the bush administration saying you 1004 00:29:06,870 --> 00:29:06,080 know this is the story that's coming out 1005 00:29:08,310 --> 00:29:06,880 the new york times 1006 00:29:09,990 --> 00:29:08,320 really did due diligence and telling 1007 00:29:11,590 --> 00:29:10,000 them this is what we have what's your 1008 00:29:12,070 --> 00:29:11,600 response and this is the day it's coming 1009 00:29:14,230 --> 00:29:12,080 out 1010 00:29:15,269 --> 00:29:14,240 well the the day before that story is 1011 00:29:17,590 --> 00:29:15,279 about to come out the 1012 00:29:18,389 --> 00:29:17,600 the the doj announced the the 1013 00:29:20,870 --> 00:29:18,399 prosecution 1014 00:29:22,070 --> 00:29:20,880 uh the indictment against seven guys in 1015 00:29:24,470 --> 00:29:22,080 liberty city which is 1016 00:29:25,669 --> 00:29:24,480 the poor section of miami and the 1017 00:29:27,590 --> 00:29:25,679 accusation was that 1018 00:29:29,669 --> 00:29:27,600 it was just over the top to begin with 1019 00:29:30,870 --> 00:29:29,679 you know alberto gonzalez said that 1020 00:29:32,549 --> 00:29:30,880 these seven guys 1021 00:29:33,909 --> 00:29:32,559 were going to declare ground war on the 1022 00:29:35,510 --> 00:29:33,919 united states of america which 1023 00:29:37,190 --> 00:29:35,520 obviously on its face is ridiculous it's 1024 00:29:38,310 --> 00:29:37,200 seven guys in the port in the poor 1025 00:29:40,230 --> 00:29:38,320 section of miami 1026 00:29:42,310 --> 00:29:40,240 and then the other accusation was that 1027 00:29:44,789 --> 00:29:42,320 they were plotting to bomb 1028 00:29:45,510 --> 00:29:44,799 the sears tower in chicago as well as 1029 00:29:55,029 --> 00:29:45,520 the 1030 00:29:58,070 --> 00:29:55,039 connection was 1031 00:30:00,149 --> 00:29:58,080 an undercover informant who um was 1032 00:30:01,750 --> 00:30:00,159 posing as an al-qaeda operative and who 1033 00:30:03,510 --> 00:30:01,760 was offering the guys fifty thousand 1034 00:30:05,909 --> 00:30:03,520 dollars to move forward in the plot 1035 00:30:07,350 --> 00:30:05,919 and yet the media you know immediately 1036 00:30:09,510 --> 00:30:07,360 portrayed this as 1037 00:30:10,549 --> 00:30:09,520 a dangerous plot and ultimately where it 1038 00:30:11,510 --> 00:30:10,559 was effective for the bush 1039 00:30:13,430 --> 00:30:11,520 administration 1040 00:30:15,510 --> 00:30:13,440 was that by by announcing it on the day 1041 00:30:17,029 --> 00:30:15,520 it did that pushed below the full this 1042 00:30:17,669 --> 00:30:17,039 very important new york times story 1043 00:30:20,230 --> 00:30:17,679 about 1044 00:30:22,230 --> 00:30:20,240 the bush administration's use of uh you 1045 00:30:24,310 --> 00:30:22,240 know warrantless searches on 1046 00:30:25,909 --> 00:30:24,320 bank records and you know ultimately it 1047 00:30:26,950 --> 00:30:25,919 took three trials to convict the liberty 1048 00:30:29,110 --> 00:30:26,960 city seven 1049 00:30:30,470 --> 00:30:29,120 um they only convicted five of the seven 1050 00:30:31,350 --> 00:30:30,480 you know several of the guys got really 1051 00:30:32,950 --> 00:30:31,360 short sentences 1052 00:30:34,630 --> 00:30:32,960 you know i should say short but i said 1053 00:30:36,389 --> 00:30:34,640 that relative to terrorism sentences you 1054 00:30:38,230 --> 00:30:36,399 know seven seven years or so 1055 00:30:39,430 --> 00:30:38,240 um and either guys that on their own 1056 00:30:40,070 --> 00:30:39,440 never had the capacity to commit 1057 00:30:41,669 --> 00:30:40,080 terrorism 1058 00:30:43,510 --> 00:30:41,679 you know never could have without the 1059 00:30:44,710 --> 00:30:43,520 informant got involved in a plot 1060 00:30:46,470 --> 00:30:44,720 involving al-qaeda because they were 1061 00:30:46,870 --> 00:30:46,480 never actually connected to al-qaeda and 1062 00:30:49,029 --> 00:30:46,880 yet 1063 00:30:50,710 --> 00:30:49,039 the media in many ways you know kind of 1064 00:30:52,630 --> 00:30:50,720 parroted exactly what the federal 1065 00:30:53,990 --> 00:30:52,640 government wanted it to in these cases 1066 00:30:55,590 --> 00:30:54,000 and that's that's true of a lot of these 1067 00:30:56,149 --> 00:30:55,600 terrorism cases you know it's true 1068 00:30:57,909 --> 00:30:56,159 almost 1069 00:30:59,830 --> 00:30:57,919 in every kind of crime case you know 1070 00:31:01,110 --> 00:30:59,840 early on when a when a crime including 1071 00:31:02,630 --> 00:31:01,120 terrorism is announced 1072 00:31:04,149 --> 00:31:02,640 the government has a has an efficient 1073 00:31:05,509 --> 00:31:04,159 way of kind of controlling the narrative 1074 00:31:07,190 --> 00:31:05,519 because that first story 1075 00:31:08,310 --> 00:31:07,200 is often you know the only access to 1076 00:31:09,110 --> 00:31:08,320 information you have comes from the 1077 00:31:11,909 --> 00:31:09,120 government 1078 00:31:13,509 --> 00:31:11,919 and um and and and for that reason you 1079 00:31:16,070 --> 00:31:13,519 know the media has been 1080 00:31:17,269 --> 00:31:16,080 very kind of lap dog-ish in its response 1081 00:31:18,549 --> 00:31:17,279 to these types of 1082 00:31:20,789 --> 00:31:18,559 cases you know when they're announced by 1083 00:31:22,870 --> 00:31:20,799 doj the media portrays it 1084 00:31:24,549 --> 00:31:22,880 almost you know instinctually as here's 1085 00:31:26,470 --> 00:31:24,559 another threat and it was thwarted 1086 00:31:27,590 --> 00:31:26,480 and thanks to like fbi agents who were 1087 00:31:29,669 --> 00:31:27,600 vigilant and 1088 00:31:30,950 --> 00:31:29,679 only later if it all kind of comes back 1089 00:31:32,470 --> 00:31:30,960 and says well wait a minute 1090 00:31:33,669 --> 00:31:32,480 were these guys really terrorists can 1091 00:31:35,269 --> 00:31:33,679 they really be terrorists if they were 1092 00:31:36,870 --> 00:31:35,279 never in contact with al qaeda 1093 00:31:39,110 --> 00:31:36,880 you know the only person who was 1094 00:31:40,549 --> 00:31:39,120 seemingly the terrorist in it 1095 00:31:42,549 --> 00:31:40,559 was the undercover operative who was 1096 00:31:43,350 --> 00:31:42,559 posing as a terrorist and i think 1097 00:31:45,990 --> 00:31:43,360 ultimately 1098 00:31:47,269 --> 00:31:46,000 we are seeing you know slowly a shift in 1099 00:31:48,870 --> 00:31:47,279 this conversation 1100 00:31:50,310 --> 00:31:48,880 um i'd like to think my reporting has 1101 00:31:51,350 --> 00:31:50,320 played some role in this but you know 1102 00:31:53,350 --> 00:31:51,360 for example like 1103 00:31:55,110 --> 00:31:53,360 the when quasi novice the the man who 1104 00:31:57,029 --> 00:31:55,120 was accused of applying to bomb the 1105 00:31:58,630 --> 00:31:57,039 federal reserve building in new york 1106 00:32:00,389 --> 00:31:58,640 this past october 1107 00:32:02,070 --> 00:32:00,399 with the involvement of an undercover 1108 00:32:03,269 --> 00:32:02,080 agent you know the fifth paragraph of 1109 00:32:04,950 --> 00:32:03,279 that story was a 1110 00:32:06,870 --> 00:32:04,960 a rather meaty explanation for the new 1111 00:32:08,630 --> 00:32:06,880 york times of the the criticism 1112 00:32:10,470 --> 00:32:08,640 of these cases and we weren't seeing 1113 00:32:11,750 --> 00:32:10,480 that before you know the previous six 1114 00:32:12,630 --> 00:32:11,760 years of these cases we weren't seeing 1115 00:32:14,549 --> 00:32:12,640 that type of 1116 00:32:16,230 --> 00:32:14,559 awareness by the media and my hope is 1117 00:32:17,590 --> 00:32:16,240 that eventually you know 1118 00:32:19,190 --> 00:32:17,600 this this conversation will shift 1119 00:32:20,870 --> 00:32:19,200 further and the media will be more 1120 00:32:22,950 --> 00:32:20,880 aggressive in questioning 1121 00:32:24,389 --> 00:32:22,960 the fbi and the doj about the efficacy 1122 00:32:26,310 --> 00:32:24,399 of these types of cases 1123 00:32:28,230 --> 00:32:26,320 of course yeah you got to hope what's 1124 00:32:30,389 --> 00:32:28,240 the state of the fbi's 1125 00:32:31,990 --> 00:32:30,399 terror factory today do you see these 1126 00:32:35,430 --> 00:32:32,000 practices dying down at 1127 00:32:37,350 --> 00:32:35,440 all like since 9 11. no 1128 00:32:39,509 --> 00:32:37,360 there really right now is very little 1129 00:32:40,470 --> 00:32:39,519 incentive for the fbi to pull back on 1130 00:32:42,149 --> 00:32:40,480 these practices 1131 00:32:44,389 --> 00:32:42,159 and and the reason for that is is really 1132 00:32:45,990 --> 00:32:44,399 twofold the the the primary reason is 1133 00:32:47,350 --> 00:32:46,000 that this is a bureaucratic 1134 00:32:49,110 --> 00:32:47,360 problem in some ways as i describe in 1135 00:32:50,870 --> 00:32:49,120 the book you know every year the fbi 1136 00:32:52,310 --> 00:32:50,880 gets three billion dollars to fight 1137 00:32:53,909 --> 00:32:52,320 terrorism and that's the largest part of 1138 00:32:54,870 --> 00:32:53,919 its budget that's that's more money than 1139 00:32:57,750 --> 00:32:54,880 they receive 1140 00:32:59,590 --> 00:32:57,760 for organized crime for financial fraud 1141 00:33:01,990 --> 00:32:59,600 for other areas that were traditionally 1142 00:33:03,430 --> 00:33:02,000 the focus of the fbi prior to 9 11. and 1143 00:33:05,110 --> 00:33:03,440 so they can't 1144 00:33:06,789 --> 00:33:05,120 every year spend 3 billion on 1145 00:33:08,310 --> 00:33:06,799 counter-terrorism and come back to 1146 00:33:09,909 --> 00:33:08,320 congress and say hey guys 1147 00:33:11,509 --> 00:33:09,919 we spent your 3 billion dollars and we 1148 00:33:13,509 --> 00:33:11,519 didn't find any terrorists you know 1149 00:33:15,669 --> 00:33:13,519 these these sting operations are a very 1150 00:33:17,509 --> 00:33:15,679 effective mechanism for the fbi 1151 00:33:18,710 --> 00:33:17,519 to say hey we spent your three billion 1152 00:33:20,230 --> 00:33:18,720 dollars and look what we found look at 1153 00:33:20,710 --> 00:33:20,240 this terror plot we poured it look at 1154 00:33:23,269 --> 00:33:20,720 the 1155 00:33:24,149 --> 00:33:23,279 threat that exists and you know it it 1156 00:33:26,950 --> 00:33:24,159 it's it's that 1157 00:33:28,950 --> 00:33:26,960 you know it's really a matter of kind of 1158 00:33:30,389 --> 00:33:28,960 focusing resources on a problem and 1159 00:33:32,230 --> 00:33:30,399 finding more problems you know and if 1160 00:33:34,470 --> 00:33:32,240 you focus three billion dollars of the 1161 00:33:36,070 --> 00:33:34,480 fbi's resources in any era you'd find 1162 00:33:38,070 --> 00:33:36,080 you know all kinds of problems depending 1163 00:33:39,430 --> 00:33:38,080 on the area you focus on and the other 1164 00:33:41,430 --> 00:33:39,440 issue that's that's really involved in 1165 00:33:44,149 --> 00:33:41,440 the fbi is that they have a near perfect 1166 00:33:44,549 --> 00:33:44,159 record of conviction on these trials um 1167 00:33:46,149 --> 00:33:44,559 so 1168 00:33:47,830 --> 00:33:46,159 you know the only real check for the fbi 1169 00:33:49,269 --> 00:33:47,840 in these cases is for the courts to 1170 00:33:50,070 --> 00:33:49,279 throw them out for there to be lots of 1171 00:33:52,070 --> 00:33:50,080 acquittals 1172 00:33:53,190 --> 00:33:52,080 and that would cause a re-examination of 1173 00:33:54,789 --> 00:33:53,200 these policies 1174 00:33:56,230 --> 00:33:54,799 but right now you know of these cases 1175 00:33:59,190 --> 00:33:56,240 there's a high degree 1176 00:34:00,789 --> 00:33:59,200 of guilty pleas given the the very long 1177 00:34:01,909 --> 00:34:00,799 sentences that that come as part of the 1178 00:34:04,149 --> 00:34:01,919 mandatory minimums 1179 00:34:05,269 --> 00:34:04,159 and then the other is that you know in 1180 00:34:07,430 --> 00:34:05,279 so far there have been 1181 00:34:09,349 --> 00:34:07,440 10 defendants who have argued entrapment 1182 00:34:11,750 --> 00:34:09,359 and they've so far been 1183 00:34:14,069 --> 00:34:11,760 unable to win on that defense the 11th 1184 00:34:15,750 --> 00:34:14,079 one mohamed mohamed here in portland 1185 00:34:18,389 --> 00:34:15,760 his trial is ongoing and he's also 1186 00:34:20,470 --> 00:34:18,399 arguing entrapment but you know so far 1187 00:34:22,310 --> 00:34:20,480 the the fbi and the doj have yeah they 1188 00:34:24,470 --> 00:34:22,320 said near perfect records of conviction 1189 00:34:26,069 --> 00:34:24,480 and and have had little reason to worry 1190 00:34:27,669 --> 00:34:26,079 that these cases will be thrown out for 1191 00:34:29,669 --> 00:34:27,679 entrapment 1192 00:34:31,349 --> 00:34:29,679 well like you pointed out the fbi gets 1193 00:34:32,230 --> 00:34:31,359 three billion dollars a year to fight 1194 00:34:33,909 --> 00:34:32,240 terrorism and 1195 00:34:35,589 --> 00:34:33,919 you know there are some estimates that 1196 00:34:37,030 --> 00:34:35,599 say that it would take about two billion 1197 00:34:39,430 --> 00:34:37,040 dollars a year 1198 00:34:40,950 --> 00:34:39,440 to end poverty i mean wouldn't bringing 1199 00:34:42,869 --> 00:34:40,960 citizens citizens to the war 1200 00:34:44,069 --> 00:34:42,879 of the world up to a sustainable level 1201 00:34:47,589 --> 00:34:44,079 of life do more to end 1202 00:34:50,629 --> 00:34:48,790 that's possible good question i mean to 1203 00:34:51,909 --> 00:34:50,639 me if you have something to lose 1204 00:34:53,909 --> 00:34:51,919 you're not going to get involved in this 1205 00:34:55,030 --> 00:34:53,919 the people who do are poor down on their 1206 00:34:57,109 --> 00:34:55,040 luck they want 1207 00:34:59,190 --> 00:34:57,119 excitement or attention but if everybody 1208 00:35:00,950 --> 00:34:59,200 had you know the basic necessities 1209 00:35:03,030 --> 00:35:00,960 covered like why would you risk that 1210 00:35:05,510 --> 00:35:03,040 jail has to be worse than your life you 1211 00:35:06,790 --> 00:35:05,520 know and in some cases jail's not 1212 00:35:08,950 --> 00:35:06,800 i mean certainly the the people that are 1213 00:35:10,470 --> 00:35:08,960 caught up in these sting operations 1214 00:35:11,589 --> 00:35:10,480 support that idea because these are 1215 00:35:13,349 --> 00:35:11,599 these are not people who are living 1216 00:35:15,030 --> 00:35:13,359 comfortable lives 1217 00:35:16,390 --> 00:35:15,040 with a good job and in a house with a 1218 00:35:17,589 --> 00:35:16,400 picket fence and a family 1219 00:35:19,510 --> 00:35:17,599 you know these are people very much on 1220 00:35:20,950 --> 00:35:19,520 the fringes of society who you know 1221 00:35:23,430 --> 00:35:20,960 don't have many economic 1222 00:35:25,190 --> 00:35:23,440 economic resources in most cases are are 1223 00:35:27,430 --> 00:35:25,200 very poorly educated 1224 00:35:28,310 --> 00:35:27,440 um and just don't have a great outlook 1225 00:35:30,310 --> 00:35:28,320 on life 1226 00:35:31,910 --> 00:35:30,320 because of their circumstances and you 1227 00:35:33,829 --> 00:35:31,920 know that's in part why they're 1228 00:35:35,670 --> 00:35:33,839 susceptible to this type of stuff either 1229 00:35:36,950 --> 00:35:35,680 you know for their for their own hatred 1230 00:35:38,310 --> 00:35:36,960 you know in the case of the new york 1231 00:35:39,750 --> 00:35:38,320 four that i mentioned earlier 1232 00:35:41,589 --> 00:35:39,760 you know this guy was hateful and 1233 00:35:43,349 --> 00:35:41,599 anti-semitic um 1234 00:35:44,870 --> 00:35:43,359 you know in part because he had this 1235 00:35:46,630 --> 00:35:44,880 life where he spent you know 1236 00:35:48,630 --> 00:35:46,640 an early part of his life in jail for 1237 00:35:50,710 --> 00:35:48,640 for dealing crack cocaine 1238 00:35:51,829 --> 00:35:50,720 he then worked at walmart and had very 1239 00:35:54,069 --> 00:35:51,839 little um 1240 00:35:55,750 --> 00:35:54,079 you know in the way of economic power 1241 00:35:57,589 --> 00:35:55,760 and in so many ways had been 1242 00:35:59,430 --> 00:35:57,599 disenfranchised and so here you have 1243 00:36:01,270 --> 00:35:59,440 this informant who comes to him and says 1244 00:36:02,710 --> 00:36:01,280 hey i can make you a big man don't you 1245 00:36:04,550 --> 00:36:02,720 want to be a big man like 1246 00:36:06,150 --> 00:36:04,560 get involved in this terror plot and a 1247 00:36:06,390 --> 00:36:06,160 guy like that is susceptible but you 1248 00:36:08,310 --> 00:36:06,400 know 1249 00:36:09,910 --> 00:36:08,320 someone like you or me someone comes to 1250 00:36:10,950 --> 00:36:09,920 us and says i can make you a big 1251 00:36:12,310 --> 00:36:10,960 big man you want to get into all 1252 00:36:13,589 --> 00:36:12,320 parapleg you know we're probably saying 1253 00:36:14,950 --> 00:36:13,599 get out of here and we're calling the 1254 00:36:15,670 --> 00:36:14,960 police but there are going to be those 1255 00:36:17,430 --> 00:36:15,680 people 1256 00:36:18,710 --> 00:36:17,440 who um you know are going to be 1257 00:36:20,069 --> 00:36:18,720 susceptible in that way 1258 00:36:21,990 --> 00:36:20,079 and those are the people that are really 1259 00:36:23,270 --> 00:36:22,000 being pulled into these sting operations 1260 00:36:25,109 --> 00:36:23,280 you know there was actually a judge who 1261 00:36:26,390 --> 00:36:25,119 oversaw one of these sting trials and 1262 00:36:28,630 --> 00:36:26,400 i thought she had a really great quote 1263 00:36:30,310 --> 00:36:28,640 that i quoted in the book which is 1264 00:36:32,150 --> 00:36:30,320 that you know these guys are so 1265 00:36:33,510 --> 00:36:32,160 buffoonish that if there really were 1266 00:36:34,150 --> 00:36:33,520 al-qaeda terrorists without the united 1267 00:36:35,510 --> 00:36:34,160 states 1268 00:36:37,030 --> 00:36:35,520 wanting to recruit people to commit to 1269 00:36:38,550 --> 00:36:37,040 acts of terrorism they probably wouldn't 1270 00:36:39,750 --> 00:36:38,560 even bothered with these guys you know 1271 00:36:40,550 --> 00:36:39,760 and i think that's that's a great 1272 00:36:41,990 --> 00:36:40,560 example because 1273 00:36:43,510 --> 00:36:42,000 these guys are a buffoonish and it's 1274 00:36:44,310 --> 00:36:43,520 really only the fbi through these sting 1275 00:36:46,150 --> 00:36:44,320 operations 1276 00:36:48,230 --> 00:36:46,160 that would even care to empower someone 1277 00:36:49,750 --> 00:36:48,240 like that to become a terrorist 1278 00:36:51,430 --> 00:36:49,760 well to bring this forward a little bit 1279 00:36:53,109 --> 00:36:51,440 it seems like 1280 00:36:55,270 --> 00:36:53,119 you know like with the case of the 1281 00:36:57,670 --> 00:36:55,280 liberty city seven that situation 1282 00:36:58,550 --> 00:36:57,680 it seems like the government is in this 1283 00:37:00,390 --> 00:36:58,560 pattern of 1284 00:37:02,470 --> 00:37:00,400 eroding some civil liberties getting a 1285 00:37:04,550 --> 00:37:02,480 little more aggressive and spying 1286 00:37:06,390 --> 00:37:04,560 and then it raises the public's eyebrow 1287 00:37:09,030 --> 00:37:06,400 and then all of a sudden that action 1288 00:37:10,230 --> 00:37:09,040 conveniently is justified with some 1289 00:37:12,390 --> 00:37:10,240 foiled plot 1290 00:37:14,150 --> 00:37:12,400 you know with ndaa a lot of people are 1291 00:37:15,910 --> 00:37:14,160 wary that government media are pushing 1292 00:37:17,990 --> 00:37:15,920 to blur the lines between 1293 00:37:19,990 --> 00:37:18,000 a real terrorist and say a protester or 1294 00:37:21,349 --> 00:37:20,000 in your case a real investigative 1295 00:37:22,710 --> 00:37:21,359 journalist some journalists are really 1296 00:37:24,069 --> 00:37:22,720 worried about that do you have any 1297 00:37:26,230 --> 00:37:24,079 thoughts there 1298 00:37:27,910 --> 00:37:26,240 i mean i think as far as the definition 1299 00:37:29,829 --> 00:37:27,920 of terrorism i mean one of the cases i 1300 00:37:32,069 --> 00:37:29,839 try to make in the book is that 1301 00:37:33,430 --> 00:37:32,079 we really have kind of bastardized and 1302 00:37:35,510 --> 00:37:33,440 distorted this word 1303 00:37:37,109 --> 00:37:35,520 so much you know these laws that were 1304 00:37:38,630 --> 00:37:37,119 written after 9 11 1305 00:37:40,630 --> 00:37:38,640 and before 9 11 that you know such as 1306 00:37:42,470 --> 00:37:40,640 the material support laws you know 1307 00:37:43,750 --> 00:37:42,480 these were laws intended for people that 1308 00:37:45,670 --> 00:37:43,760 were connected to 1309 00:37:47,430 --> 00:37:45,680 sophisticated international 1310 00:37:48,230 --> 00:37:47,440 organizations that had the means and the 1311 00:37:50,630 --> 00:37:48,240 know-how 1312 00:37:52,390 --> 00:37:50,640 to bomb a plane for example or obama 1313 00:37:53,270 --> 00:37:52,400 building or commit some horrific act of 1314 00:37:55,270 --> 00:37:53,280 terrorism 1315 00:37:56,310 --> 00:37:55,280 but you know through the evolution of 1316 00:37:58,230 --> 00:37:56,320 these cases 1317 00:37:59,430 --> 00:37:58,240 you know we're describing as terrorists 1318 00:38:01,030 --> 00:37:59,440 people that are just 1319 00:38:02,790 --> 00:38:01,040 kind of buffoonish and on the edges of 1320 00:38:04,870 --> 00:38:02,800 society and on their own 1321 00:38:05,829 --> 00:38:04,880 who couldn't become terrorism terrorists 1322 00:38:08,069 --> 00:38:05,839 and so i think 1323 00:38:09,589 --> 00:38:08,079 you know it's hard to know you know what 1324 00:38:10,790 --> 00:38:09,599 a terrorist is any longer because it's 1325 00:38:12,230 --> 00:38:10,800 been so distorted 1326 00:38:14,310 --> 00:38:12,240 and you know i think we can you can see 1327 00:38:15,190 --> 00:38:14,320 you can see the same in in similar cases 1328 00:38:16,630 --> 00:38:15,200 that aren't 1329 00:38:18,470 --> 00:38:16,640 related to islamic terrorism you know 1330 00:38:19,990 --> 00:38:18,480 we've had a number of prosecutions 1331 00:38:21,030 --> 00:38:20,000 involving environmental activists and 1332 00:38:22,710 --> 00:38:21,040 people on the left 1333 00:38:24,150 --> 00:38:22,720 you know the the nato ford for example 1334 00:38:26,390 --> 00:38:24,160 in chicago or these 1335 00:38:27,910 --> 00:38:26,400 these seven guys who plotted to you know 1336 00:38:29,109 --> 00:38:27,920 these so-called anarchists in cleveland 1337 00:38:31,030 --> 00:38:29,119 who plotted 1338 00:38:32,310 --> 00:38:31,040 a bridge over the cuyahoga river you 1339 00:38:33,670 --> 00:38:32,320 know these were guys you know one of 1340 00:38:35,510 --> 00:38:33,680 whom was mentally ill 1341 00:38:36,790 --> 00:38:35,520 who had no capacity on their own and it 1342 00:38:38,150 --> 00:38:36,800 was an informant who 1343 00:38:39,829 --> 00:38:38,160 provided them with the bomb that they 1344 00:38:42,150 --> 00:38:39,839 needed to set up the bridge 1345 00:38:43,109 --> 00:38:42,160 and you know we're now portraying them 1346 00:38:45,510 --> 00:38:43,119 as terrorists 1347 00:38:46,710 --> 00:38:45,520 and i i think what the media has done or 1348 00:38:49,750 --> 00:38:46,720 has allowed to happen 1349 00:38:50,710 --> 00:38:49,760 is for the is to really abduct to the 1350 00:38:52,870 --> 00:38:50,720 government 1351 00:38:54,710 --> 00:38:52,880 the role of defining what a terrorist is 1352 00:38:56,790 --> 00:38:54,720 and who a terrorist is so when 1353 00:38:58,390 --> 00:38:56,800 the fbi and the doj bring charges and 1354 00:39:00,790 --> 00:38:58,400 they say this man's a terrorist 1355 00:39:01,670 --> 00:39:00,800 the the media is happily to report you 1356 00:39:03,510 --> 00:39:01,680 know so-and-so 1357 00:39:04,870 --> 00:39:03,520 accused of you know terrorism and you 1358 00:39:07,829 --> 00:39:04,880 know suspected terrorists 1359 00:39:09,910 --> 00:39:07,839 and his name and what we don't we do see 1360 00:39:11,670 --> 00:39:09,920 some of is a real double standard we see 1361 00:39:13,430 --> 00:39:11,680 you know for example people charged with 1362 00:39:14,870 --> 00:39:13,440 islamic terrorism people on the left 1363 00:39:16,870 --> 00:39:14,880 environmental activists 1364 00:39:18,150 --> 00:39:16,880 so-called anarchists all being labeled 1365 00:39:19,829 --> 00:39:18,160 as terrorists but then 1366 00:39:21,829 --> 00:39:19,839 you know when they're sovereign citizens 1367 00:39:23,589 --> 00:39:21,839 for example or white supremacists 1368 00:39:25,270 --> 00:39:23,599 you know involved in plots that are 1369 00:39:26,870 --> 00:39:25,280 ultimately convicted 1370 00:39:29,510 --> 00:39:26,880 are only brought to court by doj and the 1371 00:39:30,710 --> 00:39:29,520 fbi we're not seeing that label applied 1372 00:39:32,550 --> 00:39:30,720 and you know i think that makes that's 1373 00:39:32,950 --> 00:39:32,560 what makes it even more confusing like 1374 00:39:34,950 --> 00:39:32,960 how 1375 00:39:36,790 --> 00:39:34,960 you know i'm not i if i was brought up 1376 00:39:38,230 --> 00:39:36,800 to testify to someone and they said 1377 00:39:40,069 --> 00:39:38,240 can you describe what a terrorist is 1378 00:39:41,670 --> 00:39:40,079 today you know based on the last 10 1379 00:39:42,069 --> 00:39:41,680 years worth of terrorism prosecutions in 1380 00:39:43,670 --> 00:39:42,079 the united 1381 00:39:45,190 --> 00:39:43,680 states i really would have a hard time 1382 00:39:47,109 --> 00:39:45,200 defining that 1383 00:39:48,230 --> 00:39:47,119 those type of tricks they use i thought 1384 00:39:49,829 --> 00:39:48,240 i saw them 1385 00:39:52,390 --> 00:39:49,839 happening in the occupy movement the 1386 00:39:54,150 --> 00:39:52,400 unfortunately brief occupy movement but 1387 00:39:56,550 --> 00:39:54,160 they were infested with agent 1388 00:39:58,310 --> 00:39:56,560 provocators you'd have one masked guy 1389 00:39:59,589 --> 00:39:58,320 throw a brick towards the cops then all 1390 00:40:00,950 --> 00:39:59,599 of a sudden he's gone but a hundred 1391 00:40:02,230 --> 00:40:00,960 innocent protesters are getting 1392 00:40:04,309 --> 00:40:02,240 tear-gassed and beaten 1393 00:40:05,589 --> 00:40:04,319 on the premise of them being violent it 1394 00:40:07,510 --> 00:40:05,599 makes you wonder 1395 00:40:09,990 --> 00:40:07,520 if change can ever really come about 1396 00:40:12,230 --> 00:40:10,000 because of this kind of manipulation 1397 00:40:14,309 --> 00:40:12,240 i think in some ways what we've seen 1398 00:40:16,470 --> 00:40:14,319 here 1399 00:40:18,230 --> 00:40:16,480 after 9 11 and with a focus on say 1400 00:40:19,109 --> 00:40:18,240 occupy or if you look at the sting 1401 00:40:21,030 --> 00:40:19,119 operation 1402 00:40:22,630 --> 00:40:21,040 involving the informant brandon darby 1403 00:40:23,430 --> 00:40:22,640 with the 2008 republican national 1404 00:40:24,870 --> 00:40:23,440 convention 1405 00:40:26,950 --> 00:40:24,880 what we've seen is a lot of money from 1406 00:40:27,270 --> 00:40:26,960 the federal government being earmarked 1407 00:40:30,390 --> 00:40:27,280 for 1408 00:40:32,710 --> 00:40:30,400 counterterrorism and that flow into the 1409 00:40:34,230 --> 00:40:32,720 fbi as well as local law enforcement 1410 00:40:36,069 --> 00:40:34,240 and the truth is there aren't a bunch of 1411 00:40:37,190 --> 00:40:36,079 muhammad autos running around the united 1412 00:40:37,990 --> 00:40:37,200 states you know there's no evidence 1413 00:40:39,829 --> 00:40:38,000 suggest that 1414 00:40:41,430 --> 00:40:39,839 that that is the case but you have 1415 00:40:42,230 --> 00:40:41,440 millions about billions of dollars 1416 00:40:44,790 --> 00:40:42,240 flowing 1417 00:40:46,550 --> 00:40:44,800 in the effort to fight terrorism and so 1418 00:40:47,990 --> 00:40:46,560 what ends up happening is groups that 1419 00:40:48,550 --> 00:40:48,000 aren't what it was necessarily targeted 1420 00:40:52,950 --> 00:40:48,560 for 1421 00:40:54,630 --> 00:40:52,960 counterterrorism activity 1422 00:40:56,230 --> 00:40:54,640 and i think you know that's why we see 1423 00:40:58,790 --> 00:40:56,240 what we see with you know 1424 00:41:00,550 --> 00:40:58,800 informants being used in occupy uh with 1425 00:41:02,790 --> 00:41:00,560 informants being used for example the 1426 00:41:04,790 --> 00:41:02,800 2008 republican national convention 1427 00:41:05,990 --> 00:41:04,800 and i think in some ways you know when a 1428 00:41:08,790 --> 00:41:06,000 bunch of counter-terrorism money 1429 00:41:10,550 --> 00:41:08,800 flows to cops there's a suspicion among 1430 00:41:12,550 --> 00:41:10,560 cops that well these people on the left 1431 00:41:14,069 --> 00:41:12,560 you know they're protesters they must be 1432 00:41:15,750 --> 00:41:14,079 up to no good they must be up to 1433 00:41:17,270 --> 00:41:15,760 on the verge of some sort of violence 1434 00:41:18,230 --> 00:41:17,280 and i don't think it's necessarily wrong 1435 00:41:20,550 --> 00:41:18,240 for the fbi 1436 00:41:22,870 --> 00:41:20,560 to use informants in those groups just 1437 00:41:24,309 --> 00:41:22,880 to use informants to get information to 1438 00:41:25,430 --> 00:41:24,319 you know to spy on them to some instead 1439 00:41:26,550 --> 00:41:25,440 to say like well are they really 1440 00:41:28,230 --> 00:41:26,560 interested in terrorism 1441 00:41:29,589 --> 00:41:28,240 but i think where the fbi has started 1442 00:41:31,430 --> 00:41:29,599 across the line 1443 00:41:33,349 --> 00:41:31,440 is by using these informants as 1444 00:41:34,150 --> 00:41:33,359 provocateurs as people right who aren't 1445 00:41:35,589 --> 00:41:34,160 just listening 1446 00:41:36,710 --> 00:41:35,599 but are saying hey do you want to do 1447 00:41:37,829 --> 00:41:36,720 something do you want to commit some 1448 00:41:39,270 --> 00:41:37,839 sort of act of terrorism 1449 00:41:41,510 --> 00:41:39,280 and i think that's what we're seeing 1450 00:41:42,630 --> 00:41:41,520 more and more with the use of informants 1451 00:41:44,550 --> 00:41:42,640 yeah there's just too much of a 1452 00:41:46,150 --> 00:41:44,560 financial incentive for them but uh you 1453 00:41:48,069 --> 00:41:46,160 know with the increased surveillance 1454 00:41:49,670 --> 00:41:48,079 and the erosion of privacy that we find 1455 00:41:51,030 --> 00:41:49,680 ourselves dealing with 1456 00:41:52,150 --> 00:41:51,040 what do you say to someone who says well 1457 00:41:53,589 --> 00:41:52,160 if you've got nothing to hide what are 1458 00:41:55,750 --> 00:41:53,599 you so afraid of because i think that's 1459 00:41:57,030 --> 00:41:55,760 the wrong attitude 1460 00:41:59,349 --> 00:41:57,040 absolutely you know i think this is 1461 00:42:01,589 --> 00:41:59,359 always there there's always a tension 1462 00:42:03,270 --> 00:42:01,599 and there's always a conflict between 1463 00:42:04,950 --> 00:42:03,280 you know civil liberties and national 1464 00:42:06,550 --> 00:42:04,960 security so then the question is 1465 00:42:08,950 --> 00:42:06,560 how much are we willing to give up on 1466 00:42:11,109 --> 00:42:08,960 the civil liberties side to feel safer 1467 00:42:12,390 --> 00:42:11,119 on the national security side and i 1468 00:42:13,030 --> 00:42:12,400 would argue that we're giving up too 1469 00:42:15,109 --> 00:42:13,040 much you know 1470 00:42:16,790 --> 00:42:15,119 in some ways the pendulum has swung way 1471 00:42:20,150 --> 00:42:16,800 too much toward national security 1472 00:42:22,790 --> 00:42:20,160 you know what we have now if you look at 1473 00:42:23,190 --> 00:42:22,800 national security under president obama 1474 00:42:24,630 --> 00:42:23,200 since 1475 00:42:26,470 --> 00:42:24,640 his tournament off his first term in 1476 00:42:27,670 --> 00:42:26,480 office there's been an explosion of what 1477 00:42:29,030 --> 00:42:27,680 are called warrantless electronic 1478 00:42:30,790 --> 00:42:29,040 wiretaps or warrantless electronic 1479 00:42:32,309 --> 00:42:30,800 surveillance where they're going into 1480 00:42:34,630 --> 00:42:32,319 people's email and looking 1481 00:42:35,829 --> 00:42:34,640 for evidence of you know being involved 1482 00:42:37,670 --> 00:42:35,839 in some kind of 1483 00:42:38,870 --> 00:42:37,680 security threat you know under current 1484 00:42:40,390 --> 00:42:38,880 fbi guidelines 1485 00:42:43,030 --> 00:42:40,400 they can open up what's called a threat 1486 00:42:45,349 --> 00:42:43,040 assessment of anyone for 72 hours 1487 00:42:46,550 --> 00:42:45,359 which allows them to data mine to go 1488 00:42:47,270 --> 00:42:46,560 through your email to go through your 1489 00:42:49,270 --> 00:42:47,280 trash 1490 00:42:50,870 --> 00:42:49,280 to find out if there's any reason to 1491 00:42:52,950 --> 00:42:50,880 believe you are a security threat 1492 00:42:54,790 --> 00:42:52,960 and they can do that without having any 1493 00:42:56,470 --> 00:42:54,800 reason to believe that you are 1494 00:42:58,309 --> 00:42:56,480 involved in any sort of crime they don't 1495 00:42:59,829 --> 00:42:58,319 need what's what was what's termed a 1496 00:43:01,670 --> 00:42:59,839 predicate like a 1497 00:43:03,750 --> 00:43:01,680 reasonable belief that you are involved 1498 00:43:05,270 --> 00:43:03,760 in criminal activity they can for 72 1499 00:43:06,470 --> 00:43:05,280 hours to spy on you for 1500 00:43:08,950 --> 00:43:06,480 the purpose of seeing if you were 1501 00:43:10,470 --> 00:43:08,960 involved in terrorism and then after 72 1502 00:43:11,829 --> 00:43:10,480 hours they need that predicate 1503 00:43:13,510 --> 00:43:11,839 and what we're seeing is an explosion of 1504 00:43:14,790 --> 00:43:13,520 this of the federal government using 1505 00:43:17,030 --> 00:43:14,800 those powers to 1506 00:43:18,309 --> 00:43:17,040 surveil people to to look at private 1507 00:43:19,430 --> 00:43:18,319 look at their private information look 1508 00:43:21,750 --> 00:43:19,440 at their private emails 1509 00:43:22,550 --> 00:43:21,760 all in the name of national security and 1510 00:43:24,390 --> 00:43:22,560 and i think what 1511 00:43:25,990 --> 00:43:24,400 what ultimately comes with this is a 1512 00:43:26,870 --> 00:43:26,000 number of like blowback issues you know 1513 00:43:28,710 --> 00:43:26,880 for example that's 1514 00:43:30,550 --> 00:43:28,720 essentially how david petraeus went down 1515 00:43:32,150 --> 00:43:30,560 right like you know this is a this is 1516 00:43:33,670 --> 00:43:32,160 this is power so in check that i brought 1517 00:43:35,030 --> 00:43:33,680 down the cia director 1518 00:43:37,030 --> 00:43:35,040 and yet you know i think it's important 1519 00:43:38,470 --> 00:43:37,040 for people to realize that in the 1520 00:43:40,309 --> 00:43:38,480 you know kind of name of 1521 00:43:42,069 --> 00:43:40,319 counterterrorism we've given the 1522 00:43:43,750 --> 00:43:42,079 government a lot of surveillance power 1523 00:43:45,109 --> 00:43:43,760 that's being used against everyone you 1524 00:43:46,950 --> 00:43:45,119 know i mean 1525 00:43:48,790 --> 00:43:46,960 we have we have fusion centers in every 1526 00:43:51,030 --> 00:43:48,800 state that collect information 1527 00:43:52,790 --> 00:43:51,040 from local police agencies that collect 1528 00:43:53,829 --> 00:43:52,800 license plate information 1529 00:43:55,990 --> 00:43:53,839 trying to figure out where people are 1530 00:43:56,710 --> 00:43:56,000 going there's a growing you know data 1531 00:43:58,150 --> 00:43:56,720 set that 1532 00:43:59,990 --> 00:43:58,160 the federal government has on on 1533 00:44:01,510 --> 00:44:00,000 everyone and i think you know 1534 00:44:03,430 --> 00:44:01,520 there should be more inquiry of that of 1535 00:44:04,870 --> 00:44:03,440 how much privacy and how much civil 1536 00:44:08,069 --> 00:44:04,880 liberty are we giving up 1537 00:44:09,829 --> 00:44:08,079 in you know the name of uh 1538 00:44:11,670 --> 00:44:09,839 of you know fighting terrorism like how 1539 00:44:13,190 --> 00:44:11,680 much of our you know how much are we 1540 00:44:15,190 --> 00:44:13,200 shredding the fabric of our society in 1541 00:44:16,870 --> 00:44:15,200 the name of protecting it so to speak 1542 00:44:18,390 --> 00:44:16,880 right it seems like the the culture is 1543 00:44:21,190 --> 00:44:18,400 kind of going to 1544 00:44:22,069 --> 00:44:21,200 a position where you're a suspicious 1545 00:44:23,349 --> 00:44:22,079 person first 1546 00:44:25,829 --> 00:44:23,359 and then you have to prove that you're 1547 00:44:27,109 --> 00:44:25,839 not you know rather than the other way 1548 00:44:28,309 --> 00:44:27,119 around 1549 00:44:29,430 --> 00:44:28,319 you know that's definitely the case with 1550 00:44:31,510 --> 00:44:29,440 these threat assessments which i said 1551 00:44:32,630 --> 00:44:31,520 are like these these 72-hour periods 1552 00:44:34,390 --> 00:44:32,640 where the fbi 1553 00:44:35,990 --> 00:44:34,400 can you know basically look under every 1554 00:44:37,910 --> 00:44:36,000 rock related to you and all they 1555 00:44:39,589 --> 00:44:37,920 really need is an informant someone 1556 00:44:40,309 --> 00:44:39,599 maybe who's the criminal himself someone 1557 00:44:42,470 --> 00:44:40,319 who's paid 1558 00:44:43,589 --> 00:44:42,480 who says hey you know i heard about this 1559 00:44:44,790 --> 00:44:43,599 guy greg and 1560 00:44:46,470 --> 00:44:44,800 he's interested in committing an act of 1561 00:44:47,910 --> 00:44:46,480 terrorism and then they that's enough 1562 00:44:48,150 --> 00:44:47,920 for them to look at you you know that's 1563 00:44:49,109 --> 00:44:48,160 it 1564 00:44:51,349 --> 00:44:49,119 you know that isn't enough for a 1565 00:44:53,589 --> 00:44:51,359 predicate but it's not that's not good 1566 00:44:54,950 --> 00:44:53,599 yeah exactly but you know now that 1567 00:44:57,750 --> 00:44:54,960 anti-terrorism has 1568 00:44:59,430 --> 00:44:57,760 become such an explosive economic market 1569 00:45:02,309 --> 00:44:59,440 do you think we'll ever see 1570 00:45:03,910 --> 00:45:02,319 a post post 911 world or do you suspect 1571 00:45:05,109 --> 00:45:03,920 that whenever people start requesting 1572 00:45:07,109 --> 00:45:05,119 rights back we're just going to see 1573 00:45:08,870 --> 00:45:07,119 some government made narrowly escaped 1574 00:45:11,510 --> 00:45:08,880 terror plot paraded across the media to 1575 00:45:13,510 --> 00:45:11,520 remind us to sit down and shut up 1576 00:45:15,109 --> 00:45:13,520 it's hard to know you know i quote art 1577 00:45:16,470 --> 00:45:15,119 cummings who is the former fbi assistant 1578 00:45:17,910 --> 00:45:16,480 director who created the 1579 00:45:19,589 --> 00:45:17,920 you know it was one of the architects of 1580 00:45:20,710 --> 00:45:19,599 the sting programs and you know and i 1581 00:45:22,390 --> 00:45:20,720 asked him about you know 1582 00:45:23,910 --> 00:45:22,400 this kind of war on terrorism how long 1583 00:45:26,309 --> 00:45:23,920 can this go and 1584 00:45:28,230 --> 00:45:26,319 what the fbi believes is that you know 1585 00:45:29,349 --> 00:45:28,240 we're not so much at war with al qaeda 1586 00:45:31,510 --> 00:45:29,359 as we are with what they term 1587 00:45:32,309 --> 00:45:31,520 al-qaeda-ism the kind of idea of al 1588 00:45:34,150 --> 00:45:32,319 qaeda 1589 00:45:35,670 --> 00:45:34,160 and i said to him you know well if it's 1590 00:45:36,710 --> 00:45:35,680 an idea you know you can't really kill 1591 00:45:38,470 --> 00:45:36,720 an idea how can you be 1592 00:45:39,750 --> 00:45:38,480 at war with an idea of course and he 1593 00:45:42,309 --> 00:45:39,760 said that's right it's 1594 00:45:42,790 --> 00:45:42,319 this indefinite war and i think the fbi 1595 00:45:45,030 --> 00:45:42,800 really 1596 00:45:45,990 --> 00:45:45,040 believes this is generational if not 1597 00:45:47,750 --> 00:45:46,000 longer that 1598 00:45:49,910 --> 00:45:47,760 you know this is this is a threat to us 1599 00:45:50,870 --> 00:45:49,920 the fear that lone wolves in the united 1600 00:45:52,630 --> 00:45:50,880 states will 1601 00:45:54,470 --> 00:45:52,640 become inspired by al qaeda and commit 1602 00:45:56,630 --> 00:45:54,480 some sort of act of terrorism and so 1603 00:45:57,910 --> 00:45:56,640 they need to be on guard for that but 1604 00:45:59,030 --> 00:45:57,920 the question i raised in the book i 1605 00:46:00,550 --> 00:45:59,040 think is 1606 00:46:02,870 --> 00:46:00,560 you know how much have we missed as a 1607 00:46:04,630 --> 00:46:02,880 result of this focus on 1608 00:46:06,630 --> 00:46:04,640 uncounter terrorism you know if you look 1609 00:46:06,950 --> 00:46:06,640 at the mortgage fraud that went on in 1610 00:46:10,309 --> 00:46:06,960 the 1611 00:46:13,109 --> 00:46:10,319 fraud was an 1612 00:46:13,990 --> 00:46:13,119 area that the fbi prior to 911 was was 1613 00:46:15,910 --> 00:46:14,000 was cracking down 1614 00:46:17,750 --> 00:46:15,920 on was a big part of their business and 1615 00:46:19,430 --> 00:46:17,760 you know if they weren't so focused on 1616 00:46:20,950 --> 00:46:19,440 on counterterrorism could we have caught 1617 00:46:22,470 --> 00:46:20,960 some of these issues that became 1618 00:46:24,230 --> 00:46:22,480 financial contagions in the middle of 1619 00:46:25,589 --> 00:46:24,240 the last decade you know i think that's 1620 00:46:26,870 --> 00:46:25,599 a real question and i think that's what 1621 00:46:28,470 --> 00:46:26,880 more people should be asking 1622 00:46:30,069 --> 00:46:28,480 i i don't i don't make the case and i 1623 00:46:31,190 --> 00:46:30,079 would never make the case that terrorism 1624 00:46:31,829 --> 00:46:31,200 isn't a threat and that the fbi 1625 00:46:33,510 --> 00:46:31,839 shouldn't be 1626 00:46:36,309 --> 00:46:33,520 interested in terrorism it should what i 1627 00:46:37,829 --> 00:46:36,319 do make the case for i think is that 1628 00:46:39,430 --> 00:46:37,839 the priorities need to shift and i think 1629 00:46:40,309 --> 00:46:39,440 they need to shift back to organized 1630 00:46:42,150 --> 00:46:40,319 crime and 1631 00:46:43,910 --> 00:46:42,160 financial fraud and you know the the 1632 00:46:45,190 --> 00:46:43,920 typical things that the fbi was focused 1633 00:46:47,430 --> 00:46:45,200 on prior to 911 1634 00:46:49,349 --> 00:46:47,440 yeah 100 agree on financial fraud i 1635 00:46:52,950 --> 00:46:49,359 think that is the real enemy 1636 00:46:55,109 --> 00:46:52,960 of today it is just so unfortunate 1637 00:46:56,550 --> 00:46:55,119 and it's hard for people to really 1638 00:46:58,630 --> 00:46:56,560 understand 1639 00:47:00,630 --> 00:46:58,640 to what degree terrorism is a danger 1640 00:47:02,470 --> 00:47:00,640 with all the manufactured 1641 00:47:03,750 --> 00:47:02,480 stories coming out like it's it's just 1642 00:47:06,710 --> 00:47:03,760 hard to know 1643 00:47:07,430 --> 00:47:06,720 of course there is some guy somewhere 1644 00:47:09,829 --> 00:47:07,440 who 1645 00:47:11,270 --> 00:47:09,839 will want to bomb something but i mean 1646 00:47:13,510 --> 00:47:11,280 do we really need 1647 00:47:14,630 --> 00:47:13,520 to grope everyone who goes through an 1648 00:47:16,950 --> 00:47:14,640 airport 1649 00:47:17,829 --> 00:47:16,960 because that could happen sometime 1650 00:47:19,430 --> 00:47:17,839 somewhere i mean 1651 00:47:21,349 --> 00:47:19,440 you're more likely to get in a car 1652 00:47:23,910 --> 00:47:21,359 accident on the way to the airport 1653 00:47:25,750 --> 00:47:23,920 you know yeah i mean in so many ways our 1654 00:47:27,430 --> 00:47:25,760 counterterrorism policy that security 1655 00:47:28,870 --> 00:47:27,440 measures have really just been 1656 00:47:30,069 --> 00:47:28,880 reactionary right you know after the 1657 00:47:31,109 --> 00:47:30,079 shoe bomber everybody had to take off 1658 00:47:32,549 --> 00:47:31,119 their shoes and 1659 00:47:34,069 --> 00:47:32,559 after the underwear bomber we limited 1660 00:47:35,270 --> 00:47:34,079 the amount of uh liquids that could be 1661 00:47:37,430 --> 00:47:35,280 brought onto 1662 00:47:38,390 --> 00:47:37,440 an airplane and how much of that is 1663 00:47:40,870 --> 00:47:38,400 really effective 1664 00:47:42,790 --> 00:47:40,880 you know i i don't know i mean i think i 1665 00:47:44,470 --> 00:47:42,800 i think that is that's a real question 1666 00:47:45,990 --> 00:47:44,480 and but i also think the fbi has been 1667 00:47:48,069 --> 00:47:46,000 very good at 1668 00:47:50,150 --> 00:47:48,079 you know dialing up the fear novel 1669 00:47:51,910 --> 00:47:50,160 they're dialing up the fear a little bit 1670 00:47:53,349 --> 00:47:51,920 yeah the way it works these sting 1671 00:47:54,950 --> 00:47:53,359 operations you know when it works a 1672 00:47:57,750 --> 00:47:54,960 sting operation it could go for 1673 00:47:58,790 --> 00:47:57,760 a a not very ambitious plot you know 1674 00:48:00,950 --> 00:47:58,800 something simple 1675 00:48:02,710 --> 00:48:00,960 um instead they have you know their 1676 00:48:04,150 --> 00:48:02,720 targets go for extraordinary plots like 1677 00:48:06,069 --> 00:48:04,160 bombing skyscrapers or 1678 00:48:07,829 --> 00:48:06,079 bombing transit systems you know things 1679 00:48:10,069 --> 00:48:07,839 that are are horrific and 1680 00:48:11,510 --> 00:48:10,079 awful if they were to really occur um 1681 00:48:12,549 --> 00:48:11,520 but i also think it's worth pointing out 1682 00:48:14,309 --> 00:48:12,559 that 1683 00:48:15,670 --> 00:48:14,319 you know just it's actually quite easy 1684 00:48:17,030 --> 00:48:15,680 to commit an act of terrorism in the 1685 00:48:18,150 --> 00:48:17,040 united states you know i mean if you 1686 00:48:18,470 --> 00:48:18,160 wanted to commit something horrific i 1687 00:48:20,230 --> 00:48:18,480 mean 1688 00:48:21,829 --> 00:48:20,240 look at newtown connecticut right this 1689 00:48:23,589 --> 00:48:21,839 it's one guy with a 1690 00:48:25,190 --> 00:48:23,599 gun an assault rifle and some 1691 00:48:27,190 --> 00:48:25,200 high-capacity magazines and 1692 00:48:28,710 --> 00:48:27,200 he commits a horrific crime he kills 20 1693 00:48:30,309 --> 00:48:28,720 school children but 1694 00:48:32,069 --> 00:48:30,319 you know the truth is in the last decade 1695 00:48:33,910 --> 00:48:32,079 we've seen more people killed through 1696 00:48:35,270 --> 00:48:33,920 that alone gunman with that kind of gun 1697 00:48:37,510 --> 00:48:35,280 violence than we have 1698 00:48:39,030 --> 00:48:37,520 through you know so-called lone wolves 1699 00:48:40,309 --> 00:48:39,040 with al-qaeda sympathies you know the 1700 00:48:42,390 --> 00:48:40,319 truth is that we're not seeing 1701 00:48:43,990 --> 00:48:42,400 the death toll with you know these 1702 00:48:45,430 --> 00:48:44,000 so-called al-qaeda terrorists and the 1703 00:48:48,150 --> 00:48:45,440 wolves that we're seeing with just you 1704 00:48:50,630 --> 00:48:48,160 know random gunmen who pick up arms 1705 00:48:51,589 --> 00:48:50,640 right i mean we're kind of getting down 1706 00:48:53,349 --> 00:48:51,599 to uh 1707 00:48:54,870 --> 00:48:53,359 the end of the show now but you know you 1708 00:48:55,510 --> 00:48:54,880 bring up sandy hook and my opinion of 1709 00:48:57,270 --> 00:48:55,520 government 1710 00:48:59,670 --> 00:48:57,280 is that the conspiracy and the outright 1711 00:49:02,390 --> 00:48:59,680 criminality they go far deeper than 1712 00:49:04,630 --> 00:49:02,400 even your work but at times it's it 1713 00:49:06,549 --> 00:49:04,640 often hinges on anecdotal evidence or 1714 00:49:08,309 --> 00:49:06,559 sketchy witness testimony so 1715 00:49:10,150 --> 00:49:08,319 it is good to step out of that once in a 1716 00:49:10,950 --> 00:49:10,160 while and focus on some good 1717 00:49:13,190 --> 00:49:10,960 old-fashioned 1718 00:49:14,870 --> 00:49:13,200 obvious and well-researched corruption i 1719 00:49:16,230 --> 00:49:14,880 i love the book i thought the stories in 1720 00:49:17,670 --> 00:49:16,240 it were fascinating 1721 00:49:19,589 --> 00:49:17,680 thanks very much i appreciate it of 1722 00:49:21,270 --> 00:49:19,599 course well trevor anderson thanks so 1723 00:49:23,030 --> 00:49:21,280 much for being on the show this is such 1724 00:49:24,390 --> 00:49:23,040 important information to get out there 1725 00:49:26,390 --> 00:49:24,400 it's great that you've been brave and 1726 00:49:28,710 --> 00:49:26,400 dedicated enough to do it 1727 00:49:30,230 --> 00:49:28,720 um is there any new or deeper direction 1728 00:49:33,030 --> 00:49:30,240 your research is going to 1729 00:49:34,150 --> 00:49:33,040 be taking you next no actually we kind 1730 00:49:35,990 --> 00:49:34,160 of hinted on that i mean 1731 00:49:37,589 --> 00:49:36,000 the next project i'd like to do if i can 1732 00:49:39,349 --> 00:49:37,599 if i can turn it into a book is to 1733 00:49:41,589 --> 00:49:39,359 to look at how a lot of this money 1734 00:49:43,270 --> 00:49:41,599 that's been spent on counterterrorism 1735 00:49:44,950 --> 00:49:43,280 and surveillance for counter-terrorism 1736 00:49:45,829 --> 00:49:44,960 efforts is is really being turned 1737 00:49:47,510 --> 00:49:45,839 against people 1738 00:49:49,270 --> 00:49:47,520 and invading their privacy you know i 1739 00:49:49,750 --> 00:49:49,280 think this is the next question for us 1740 00:49:51,430 --> 00:49:49,760 like 1741 00:49:52,790 --> 00:49:51,440 what what is the future of privacy in an 1742 00:49:53,910 --> 00:49:52,800 age of terrorism and i think that's 1743 00:49:54,710 --> 00:49:53,920 really something i'd like to look at 1744 00:49:56,870 --> 00:49:54,720 right 1745 00:49:58,069 --> 00:49:56,880 i mean that's a real concern because it 1746 00:49:59,910 --> 00:49:58,079 just seems like 1747 00:50:01,589 --> 00:49:59,920 problems we have like can't you know 1748 00:50:02,870 --> 00:50:01,599 liquids on airplanes and taking your 1749 00:50:04,790 --> 00:50:02,880 shoes off 1750 00:50:06,710 --> 00:50:04,800 when do these go away these happen 1751 00:50:07,510 --> 00:50:06,720 because one guy over the course of all 1752 00:50:09,510 --> 00:50:07,520 history 1753 00:50:11,030 --> 00:50:09,520 tried to do something and didn't get it 1754 00:50:13,109 --> 00:50:11,040 done you know 1755 00:50:14,230 --> 00:50:13,119 it does seem a little ridiculous right 1756 00:50:15,670 --> 00:50:14,240 yeah there's definitely i think so much 1757 00:50:17,349 --> 00:50:15,680 of the policy we've seen 1758 00:50:18,710 --> 00:50:17,359 for counter-terrorism and so much of the 1759 00:50:21,030 --> 00:50:18,720 policy that ultimately 1760 00:50:22,950 --> 00:50:21,040 creates programs that invade our privacy 1761 00:50:24,549 --> 00:50:22,960 um are just reactionary it's kind of a 1762 00:50:26,230 --> 00:50:24,559 knee-jerk reaction to 1763 00:50:28,069 --> 00:50:26,240 uh some kind of threat as opposed to 1764 00:50:30,150 --> 00:50:28,079 being a really reason to look at 1765 00:50:32,150 --> 00:50:30,160 what would keep us safer and how can we 1766 00:50:33,990 --> 00:50:32,160 balance civil liberties with concerns 1767 00:50:35,910 --> 00:50:34,000 about national security 1768 00:50:37,190 --> 00:50:35,920 well trevor where can people keep up 1769 00:50:38,230 --> 00:50:37,200 with you um do you want to give them 1770 00:50:40,630 --> 00:50:38,240 your website 1771 00:50:42,549 --> 00:50:40,640 yeah my website is trevor aaronson.com 1772 00:50:43,109 --> 00:50:42,559 and my last name is spelled with two a's 1773 00:50:46,870 --> 00:50:43,119 so it's 1774 00:50:47,270 --> 00:50:46,880 trevor t r e v o r aronson a a r o n s o 1775 00:50:50,870 --> 00:50:47,280 n 1776 00:50:52,230 --> 00:50:50,880 with the episode too 1777 00:50:54,069 --> 00:50:52,240 uh well that does it for me you know 1778 00:50:55,589 --> 00:50:54,079 thanks again the book is terror factory 1779 00:50:57,589 --> 00:50:55,599 pick it up and learn something 1780 00:50:59,349 --> 00:50:57,599 keep up the good work man great thanks 1781 00:51:00,470 --> 00:50:59,359 so much for having me anytime have a 1782 00:51:03,990 --> 00:51:00,480 good day 1783 00:51:05,670 --> 00:51:04,000 bye well there it is another 1784 00:51:07,750 --> 00:51:05,680 higher side chats in the bank i 1785 00:51:08,069 --> 00:51:07,760 personally see terrafactory as a great 1786 00:51:10,870 --> 00:51:08,079 way 1787 00:51:13,589 --> 00:51:10,880 to reach someone who won't or can't go 1788 00:51:15,030 --> 00:51:13,599 quite as deep as we usually do on thc 1789 00:51:16,790 --> 00:51:15,040 you really don't have to look that far 1790 00:51:18,710 --> 00:51:16,800 to see there's a real [\h__\h] problem 1791 00:51:20,230 --> 00:51:18,720 and that really is the point i think 1792 00:51:22,390 --> 00:51:20,240 terrafactory is just 1793 00:51:23,990 --> 00:51:22,400 perfect imagery to describe what we have 1794 00:51:25,349 --> 00:51:24,000 going on in our government 1795 00:51:27,670 --> 00:51:25,359 and with that said thank you for 1796 00:51:29,109 --> 00:51:27,680 allowing me such an intimate place in 1797 00:51:31,190 --> 00:51:29,119 your life for the past hour 1798 00:51:32,950 --> 00:51:31,200 hope we can do it again please continue 1799 00:51:34,309 --> 00:51:32,960 to share the show leave me reviews 1800 00:51:35,990 --> 00:51:34,319 donate if you can 1801 00:51:37,990 --> 00:51:36,000 read some of the blogs by my upcoming 1802 00:51:38,790 --> 00:51:38,000 co-host and myself that will be dropping 1803 00:51:41,270 --> 00:51:38,800 this week 1804 00:51:43,430 --> 00:51:41,280 and check out the high quality and bold 1805 00:51:43,829 --> 00:51:43,440 t-shirt designs i've come up with thus 1806 00:51:46,790 --> 00:51:43,839 far 1807 00:51:48,950 --> 00:51:46,800 at conspiratees.net here's a little dose 1808 00:51:49,589 --> 00:51:48,960 of anti-flag to get the blood flowing 1809 00:51:51,430 --> 00:51:49,599 again 1810 00:51:53,990 --> 00:51:51,440 and i'll see you on the sabbath people 1811 00:51:54,950 --> 00:51:54,000 you're gonna die gonna die gotta die for 1812 00:51:57,589 --> 00:51:54,960 your government 1813 00:52:00,230 --> 00:51:57,599 die for your country that [\h__\h] you're 1814 00:52:00,950 --> 00:52:00,240 gonna die gonna die gonna die for your 1815 00:52:44,829 --> 00:52:00,960 government 1816 00:52:44,839 --> 00:53:12,829 sickness 1817 00:53:12,839 --> 00:53:26,829 [\h__\h] 1818 00:53:26,839 --> 00:53:36,829 slaughtered 1819 00:53:36,839 --> 00:54:07,270 radiation agent orange 1820 00:54:07,280 --> 00:54:23,190 tell me what to do 1821 00:54:28,309 --> 00:54:25,910 gonna die gonna die for your government 1822 00:54:31,109 --> 00:54:28,319 die for your country that [\h__\h] 1823 00:54:32,069 --> 00:54:31,119 you're gonna die gonna die gonna die for 1824 00:54:34,790 --> 00:54:32,079 your government 1825 00:55:04,829 --> 00:54:34,800 die for your country that [\h__\h] you're