Paramilitary Police State & Private Prisons

National Guard to Patrol Pittsburgh Neighborhoods

February 8, 2010

KDKA, Pittsburgh –In the aftermath of the weekend’s storm, hundreds of National Guard members have been helping Pittsburgh’s emergency personnel respond to residents’ needs; and beginning tonight, they’re also going to be patrolling some city streets.

“We will also begin to have the National Guard patrol our neighborhoods to deal with any issues that come up,” Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced at an afternoon news conference. “So city residents,” he added, “be advised that you will begin to see National Guard Humvees in some of your neighborhoods beginning this evening.”

The mayor praised the efforts of the 300 Guard members who have been helping the city.

“The National Guard… has assisted police with roughly 75 calls. They’ve assisted EMS with roughly 40 calls. That process is working really, really well.”

“Talking with our public safety folks,” the mayor added, “they can give examples of times where the Humvees and the National Guard have assisted them in getting into areas that they otherwise would not have been able to get to.”

In addition, Ravenstahl says they will be helping to ensure that the city can respond to residents’ urgent needs.

“The National Guard will also be available for emergency-type situations for individuals that may have had to stay in their house the last three or four days; so if you have dialysis or insulin needs or you have some sort of pills that you need to get, you can call our 311 line; we’ll prioritize and we’ll attempt to get the National Guard out to help you with anything that you need,” Ravenstahl said.

With crews working around the clock to clear the city’s streets before another snowstorm moves into the area, Ravenstahl asked people to stay home if they are able to do so.

“We’re still encouraging everybody to not be out if they can avoid being out, we’re encouraging them to stay home. Don’t be out if you don’t have to,” Ravenstahl said.

License to Kill? Intelligence Chief Says U.S. Can Target Citizens Presenting a Terrorist Threat

Director of National Intelligence Says Intelligence Community Can Target Citizens Presenting a Terrorist Threat

February 3, 2010

ABC News - The director of national intelligence affirmed rather bluntly today that the U.S. intelligence community has authority to target American citizens for assassination if they present a direct terrorist threat to the United States.

Information gained from the Christmas Day bomber has officials on high alert.

"We take direct actions against terrorists in the intelligence community; if … we think that direct action will involve killing an American, we get specific permission to do that," Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair told the House Intelligence Committee.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra D-Mich., addressed the issue at today's hearing.

"The targeting of Americans -- it's a very sensitive issue, but again there's been more information in the public domain than what has been shared with this committee," he said.

"There is no clarity." Hoekstra said. "What is the legal framework?"

"Whether that American is involved in a group that is trying to attack us, whether that American has -- is a threat to other Americans. Those are the factors involved." Blair explained. "We don't target people for free speech. We target them for taking action that threatens Americans."

According to U.S. officials, only a handful of Americans would be eligible for targeting by U.S. intelligence or military operations. The legal guidance is determined by the National Security Council and the Justice Department.

In the past, the U.S. has killed Americans overseas but they were viewed as "collateral damage." In 2002, the CIA killed American-born Kamal Derwish, a member of the "Lackawanna 6" terror group during a CIA Predator drone strike. Derwish was driving in a car with other members of al Qaeda, the government said ...

The DNI said that Internet and social media sites have become critical to terrorism recruitment efforts. Speaking about the Hasan case and his alleged Internet communications with al Awlaki, Blair said:

"The homegrown radicalization of people in the United States…is a relatively new thing."

Blair said U.S. intelligence was rapidly working to counter the emerging problem.

"There are some technical things, which are making it more difficult, with the use of social networking as opposed to simply looking at a Web site and responding by e-mail."

Blair said this is "a threat, which may be increasing. We're taking it more and more seriously, and this is a -- this is something that is very -- is potentially very dangerous to us because of all of the -- for all of the reasons of the rights that American citizens have.

"We may be shooting behind the rabbit here and it's moving faster than we thought and we're spending a lot of additional effort on that, to try and understand it." Blair said.