One arrested plotter, Baxter, was among Occupy members arrested at March 2012 Occupy protest; 3 arrested plotters said on their Facebook page they worked at Occupy Cleveland; an Occupy member said he saw all 5 of them at a 4/30 Occupy rally and 'considered 3 of them friends.' (item nr. end of article); Occupy Cleveland acknowledged the 5 were associated with their group. 5/1/12 BBC article.
5/1/12, "Five arrested in alleged Cleveland plot to blow up bridge," Reuters
"Authorities arrested five self-described anarchists in the Cleveland area for allegedly plotting to blow up a four-lane highway bridge...
The suspects, ranging in ages from 20 to 37, placed what they believed were bombs on the bridge last night and tried to detonate them by calling and sending text messages to cell phones attached to the explosives, authorities said....
The FBI said the five arrested suspects, identified as Douglas Wright, Brandon Baxter, Anthony Hayne, Connor Stevens and Joshua Stafford, were under continuous watch as part of an undercover operation and that the explosives, supplied by an undercover FBI agent, were inert....
The case began to develop when the FBI learned that some self-described anarchists planned to attend an October 21, 2011, Occupy Cleveland protest, according to court documents and members of the organization.
An FBI informant saw four of the men going through the crowd expressing displeasure at demonstrators' unwillingness to engage in violent acts. The men wore masks and carried walkie-talkies, according to the FBI affidavit filed with the court....
Alleged plotters linked to Occupy movement
The Occupy Cleveland group acknowledged in a statement posted on Facebook that the men arrested were associated with the movement. "They were in no way representing or acting on behalf of Occupy Cleveland," the organization said, adding the group was committed to non-violent protest.
"These were self-described anarchists who formed their own group," said one U.S. law enforcement official. "During the investigation, several of them repeatedly complained that the Occupy movement was too peaceful and would not endorse their violent activities."
Over the next several months, the five men considered a variety of targets for attacks, including this month's Group of 8 leaders' meeting, originally scheduled for Chicago, and this summer's Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, according to the FBI affidavit.
Wright allegedly told the FBI informant that he and others recruited had discussed violent attacks "to send a message to corporations and the United States government," the FBI affidavit said."...
--------------------------------------
5/1/12, "Occupy Cleveland cancels 'May Day' rally, says bomb suspects involved with movement," newsnet5.com, C. Kiesel
Three of the suspects had references to Occupy Cleveland on what appeared to be their Facebook pages. Brandon Baxter , Joshua Stafford and Tony Hayne all said on Facebook that they worked at #OccupyCleveland and live in Cleveland, Ohio .
Occupy movements through the U.S. planned May Day protests Tuesday targeting U.S. financial policies. Reports said they hoped it would be a day that would help revitalize the movement....
According to the FBI, the suspects showed interest in causing financial damage through attacks."...
---------------------------------------
Occupy member and Ohio bomb plotter Brandon Baxter at March 2012 Occupy foreclosure protest:
3/5/12, "Occupy Cleveland disrupts sheriff's sale of foreclosed properties (video)," cleveland.com, O. Perkins
"Five members of Occupy Cleveland were arrested Monday after they protested property foreclosures by interrupting a sheriff's sale.
The sale, to auction off foreclosed homes, began about 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Justice Center. The protesters quickly stood up, and one began to shout:
"We are calling on the judicial system to institute an immediate moratorium on all foreclosures until a fair system of home loans is put into place," said Peter Schanz of Cleveland, an organizer of the group's foreclosure committee. ...
Brandon Baxter of Lakewood said he had no regrets for making sure people heard the message.
"I took the risk of getting arrested because I feel the powers that be, whoever they might be -- on all levels of government and those who hold corporate power -- are not listening because not enough people are actually taking a stance" against foreclosures, he said. "I was hoping that this would be a great way to get Cleveland more involved by showing the potential that a small group of dedicated people can have in making an impact. Even though we are not in any government position or in Congress, we do have the power."...
Outside the window of the room in which the auction took place, about 35 Occupy Cleveland members rallied for nearly two hours. Some beat the bottoms of big plastic buckets rhythmically like drums. "The people united will never be defeated!" they chanted.
One-by-one, as the protesters were released after being charged, they joined the rally.
Each was met by cheers and hugs."
======================
The BBC failed to mention Occupy connection that even Reuters reported. They included a quote that 'ideology' was behind the attempted 'violence.' The BBC wants you to know there are violent ideologues in the US but wants you to imagine they might be someone other than radical leftists.
5/1/12, "Five arrested over 'plot to blow up Ohio bridge," BBC
""The individuals charged in this plot were intent on using violence to express their ideological views," said Special Agent Stephen Anthony, of the FBI's Cleveland division, in a statement."...
via gwp, wz
No comments:
Post a Comment