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From: crphilli@hound.dazixca.ingr.com (Ron Phillips)
Subject: Waco Questions
Message-ID: <1993Apr23.225411.7394@dazixco.ingr.com>
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Reply-To: crphilli@hound.dazixca.ingr.com
Organization: "Intergraph Electronics, Mountain View, CA"
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 22:54:11 GMT
Lines: 137


Folks,

It's time to start building some precise questions to send to our
federal elected officials and to investigative reporters in our
local TV, radio and newprint media.  Ideally, these questions could be
asked at any investigation into the BATF's and FBI's participation
at the WACO fiasco in hopes of being resolved and, hopefully, wake
up the local news media that they are not getting the entire truth
from the BATF and FBI.  My list is up to 13 that are really nagging 
at my gut.  The list will probably grow. 

1.   What were the contents of the original warrant, now sealed, that
     the BATF obtained?

2.   It is reasonable to believe that illegal firearms and/or ammunition
     could not be flushed down the toilet.  Therefore, a "no-knock"
     raid could be ruled out.  Prior to the initial assault on the 
     complex, did a single BATF agent and accompanying witness (without 
     a contingent of assault and news media personnel) attempt to knock 
     on the door of the Branch Davidian's complex and serve the warrant 
     in a manner prescribed by law?

3.   On the day of the initial assault on the complex, BATF agents
     were aware that several small children were inside the buildings.
     In the ensueing gun battle, BATF agents fired into a building
     known to contain children, killing at least one two-year old child.
     Knowing children were present, why didn't the BATF have an
     alternate plan and immediately retreat from the area close to
     the complex and implement the alternate plan rather than opening
     fire and jeopardizing the lives of the children in the building? 

4.   The FBI spokesman states that paper evidence indicates that
     David Koresh and members of the Branch Davidians possessed over
     $200,000 in firearms and ammunition.  Did David Koresh and the
     members of the Branch Davidians have a valid Federal Firearms
     License, were they actively participating in the legal business
     of selling/buying firearms and ammunition, and were any of the
     weapons they had illegally possessed?  Does this paper evidence
     consist only of weapons purchased or does it include legally
     dispossessed weapons.

5.   After the original assault on the compound tragically failed,
     a BATF spokeswoman stated "We were outgunned!".  Yet, TV newscasts
     of video tape filmed at the time of the incident show BATF agents
     armed with MP-5 and AR-15/M16 rifles.  Although unclear on the
     video tape because of obstruction from full view by agent's
     bodies, they also may have had AK-47 and SKS rifles.  What type(s)
     of firearms did the BATF agents have immediate access to at the 
     scene of the original assault on the complex?

6.   Since there is no evidence to confirm anyone was inside the
     complex involuntarily, why did the FBI treat it as a "hostage"
     situation? 

7.   Along the same lines, why did the FBI use "psychological warfare"
     techniques, including sensory overload, sleep deprivation, and
     other disruptive techniques that would test the sanity of any 
     normal person rather than using techniques aimed at placing the 
     complex occupants into a calmer frame of mind?

8.   Reports indicate several of the children inside the complex
     were accompanied by their mothers.  Since it is reasonable
     to expect these mothers would have their children taken away
     from them if they came out, why did the FBI expect the mothers
     to just walk out and surrender themselves to the authorities?

9.   Agents at the scene claim to have seen members of the Branch
     Davidians setting fire to the complex.  Branch Davidian members
     who survived the inferno claim the fire was started when an 
     armored vehicle punched through the wall and knocked over a 
     lantern which was setting on a table.  Video tape of the incident 
     does show an armored vehicle punching a hole in the wall and the 
     fire erupted almost immediately from the same general location.  
     Was the source of the fire the same room where the armored vehicle 
     penetrated?

10.  FBI spokesmen are voicing the opinion that the David Koresh and
     the members of the Branch Davidians committed mass suicide.  Yet,
     bodies are being discovered throughout the house and other areas
     within the building complex.  This seems to be counter to any
     known mass suicides through history.  What evidence does the FBI
     have that a mass suicide pact existed?

11.  FBI Director Sessions stated that the massive fireball shown on
     the video tape was caused by the Branch Davidian's ammunition
     and/or powder cache exploding.  Yet, the fireball seems to be
     more characteristic of the type created when compressed gas
     or other highly volatile fuel source explodes.  Was any evidence 
     found which would indicate the Branch Davidians had an ammunition 
     and/or powder cache which exploded to create this fireball?  If so,
     and if David Koresh and members of the Branch Davidians were 
     engaged in the legal business of selling/buying firearms, was the
     amount determined to be excessively greater than one would expect
     for someone engaged in such a legal business?

12.  It is rumored that one FBI agent was extremely upset about critical
     news media coverage and intentionally used an armored vehicle to
     crush a reporter's car which had been left at the compound.  Is 
     there any factual basis to this rumor and, if so, what charges will 
     be brought against the FBI agent who performed the act?

13.  FBI Director Sessions states that, during the final assault on the
     complex, "over 80 shots were fired at the vehicles."  On the video
     tape of the incident, you can hear the drone of the armored vehicles
     engines.  Yet, there is no sound of the sharp reports that one
     would expect to hear if shots were fired.  Also, there are no 
     indications of smoke and/or muzzle flashes appearing from the windows,
     buildings or other structures in the video.  Surely, these should be 
     evident if the Branch Davidians had fired on the armored vehicles.  
     Finally, the video tape does not show any indication of paint splatter, 
     sparks or other characteristic spray of material which should be 
     apparent if the Branch Davidians had fired upon the vehicles.  Do 
     any of the armored vehicles which were brought in to pump tear gas 
     into the compound show evidence of fresh damage due to being hit by 
     shots from high-power rifles?

14.  CS gas is considered to be a chemical warfare agent.  The United
     States has signed international treaties which prevent the use
     of CS gas in warfare.  If the United States could not morally use
     CS gas against Saddam Hussein and his troops, why is it morally
     acceptable to use the same agent against citizens of our own land?

15.  On April 21, FBI spokesmen state that at least 3 bodies discovered
     in the complex had bullet wounds to the head indicating they had
     been murdered or had committed suicide.  On April 22, the county
     coroner claims he knows nothing about any bodies found with bullet
     wounds to the head.  Were any of the victims bodies found within
     the burned out complex have bullet wounds to the head?
-- 
**************************************************************
* Ron Phillips               crphilli@hound.dazixca.ingr.com *
* Senior Customer Engineer                                   *
* Intergraph Electronics                                     *
* 381 East Evelyn Avenue               VOICE: (415) 691-6473 *
* Mountain View, CA 94041              FAX:   (415) 691-0350 *
**************************************************************
