Did The FBI Get Confused And Arrest One Of Its Own Informants For Helping Create One Of Its Own Plots?
from the wtf? dept
For a few years now, we've been writing about how the FBI has been arresting a ton of people for "terrorism" who were really guilty of little more than being gullible and naive and pushed by FBI undercover agents and informants into taking part in a plot that wouldn't exist but for the FBI itself. These so-called own plots seem to be a huge part of what the FBI does these days. Somewhat ridiculously, courts have (mostly) allowed these, claiming that if, eventually, the accused person expressed some support for terrorism or terrorist groups, it shouldn't be considered entrapment. But, over and over again, you see cases where it's clearly the FBI doing not just the majority of the plotting, but also pushing and pushing targets to "join" the plot, even when they show sustained resistance. The more details you read about these cases, the more ridiculous they get.However, in just the latest example of this -- the arrest of Erick Hendricks for supposedly trying to recruit people to carry out attacks for ISIS -- there's been something of an odd twist. Hendricks claims he has no idea why he was arrested because he's been an FBI informant for years, helping the FBI find other gullible souls to entrap in these "own plots." As Marcy Wheeler notes, it's possible the FBI lost track of one of its own informants and ended up having him "caught" in one of the plots where he thought he was helping the FBI find possible terrorists. Wouldn't that be something.
Has the FBI simply lost track of who are real and who are the people it is paying to play a role? Or is it possible someone from another agency, claiming to be FBI, recruited Hendricks (don’t laugh! That’s one potential explanation for Anwar al-Awlaki’s curious ties to US law enforcement, a story that wends its way through a related mosque in VA)?Either way, if Hendricks really was an informant, it appears that the "plots" he was engaged in may have been all confidential informants or undercover agents (and possibly one mentally disturbed internet troll).
Sure, maybe Hendricks is making all this up (at the very least, it may necessitate the BoP to protect him in prison since he has now publicly claimed to be a narc). But FBI’s network of informants sure is getting confusing.
This sounds like the plot to a potentially entertaining movie -- but back in the real world, it seems pretty fucked up. And it's yet another reminder of just how stupid these FBI "own plots" really are. It doesn't seem to really be about keeping people safe from attacks. Instead it seems to be about figuring out ways to push gullible and naive people to agree to do something stupid so that the FBI can get headlines for "keeping us safe" from attacks that would never actually happen.
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Filed Under: erick hendricks, fbi, informant, own plot, terrorism, undercover
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I think it is entirely possible that the guy asked for a raise and this was a punishment.
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"Oh, you'd like a little extra for your exemplary service? Yeah, seems you forgot just who's running things, time for a reminder..."
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Yes.
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Since the Own Plots are widely known now, if I were going to be an ISIS recruiter, I'd pose as an FBI handler, and get some patsy to do the actual recruitment.
Seems less believable, but if I were a real enemy of the state, that's the sort of thing I'd be doing: turn the system against itself. Works better than any potential resulting terror acts.
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Sounds more like it should be the next Pink Panther movie.
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It wouldn't be the first time Hollywood accomplished real change with a movie. CFAA (Computer Fraud And Abuse Act) was created because of a Hollywood movie about a hacker causing WW3 by hacking into our nuclear weapon arsenal and firing some of them.
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With a track record like that maybe Hollywood should stay away from the subject, as they'd likely just make it worse(somehow).
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Sycophants deserve what they get
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the agent provocateur that performed his job TOO WELL
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Cue the world's smallest violin
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I mean, we've seen that those investigating Bitcoin weren't above taking a bit for themselves; if the FBI operatives are inciting people to do dangerous things, they could be even more of a threat. Probably worth a few investigations, anyway.
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Sure as hell ain't the FBI or the DOJ or the courts so far.
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Remember, 'See Something Say Nothing
One of the people who went to the mosque thought the guy was acting suspicious, reported him, and in turn was ran through the wringer, with the agency involved using some form or other of extortion in an attempt to force him to turn informant.
The 'good citizen' was hosed for trying to report what he thought was a possible threat, and both government agency and agent came through with little more than a blemish on their already rubbish names, making the message sent abundantly clear: If you see something suspicious, keep your mouth shut lest you draw attention to yourself.
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Happened to THOUSANDS of informants. They get thrown to the wolves the moment they lose their usefulness.
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This would crack me up.
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- FBI probably
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Hanlon's Razor
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Helps to Have Expensive Lawyers
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Re: This sounds like the plot to a potentially entertaining movie
The episode you’re looking for is from season 1, number 16, “Double Agent”, where Max infiltrates a KAOS cell as a double agent, only to discover (at the end, spoiler alert!) that everybody else in the cell is a double agent too.
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Unfounded Fear Feeds the National Security State
FBI isn't angling solely for headlines.
FBI wants more power for the national security state and less Rights for American citizens.
All FBI (government) need do is continue playing the fear/terror charade and ignorant Americans follow along like a 21st century version of the Pied Piper.
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