Topic: FBI Wants Surplus Stores To Spy on Customers
started by: Grinning_Dragon
Posted by Grinning_Dragon on Aug. 11 2011,10:39 pm
FBI Handout Lists Purchase of Preparedness Items as “Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities”An FBI Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force handout being distributed to Colorado military surplus store owners lists the purchase of popular preparedness items and firearms accessories as “suspicious” and “potential indicators of terrorist activities,” instructing store owners to keep records on and report people who:
“Make bulk purchase of items to include:
Weatherproofed ammunition or match containers
Meals Ready to Eat
Night Vision Devices; night flashlights; gas masks
High capacity magazines
Bi-pods or tri-pods for rifles”
The FBI handout, entitled “Communities Against Terrorism: Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities Related to Military Surplus Stores” also instructs surplus store owners to:
“Require valid ID from all new customers.
Keep records of purchases.
Talk to customers, ask questions, and
listen to and observe their responses.
Watch for people and actions that are out of place.
Make note of suspicious statements, people, and /or vehicles.
If something seems wrong, notify law enforcement authorities.”
The handout also instructs surplus store owners to consider as “suspicious” anyone who “demands identity ‘privacy’” or anyone who expresses “extreme religious statements” and those who “make suspicious comments regarding anti-US, [or] radical theology.”
The “Communities Against Terrorism” flyer closes by stating:
Preventing terrorism is a community effort. By learning what to look for, you can make a positive contribution in the fight against terrorism. The partnership between the community and law enforcement is essential to the success of anti -terrorism efforts.
Some of the activities, taken individually, could be innocent and must be examined by law enforcement professionals in a larger context to determine whether there is a basis to investigate. The activities outlined on this handout are by no means all-inclusive but have been compiled from a review of terrorist events over several years.
The handout encourages surplus store owners and employees to provide information on “suspicious” customers by calling the Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force or the Colorado Information Analysis Center. This handout is very nearly identical to one issued by the FBI to gun stores from Connecticut to Utah: PDF
This new handout expands the absurdity by now also targeting customers of military surplus stores, and by specifically targeting the purchasing of very common, and very popular, preparedness items such as Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s) as “potential indicators of terrorist activities.”
While this particular handout is being given to military surplus store owners in Colorado, it is nearly certain that similar versions are being handed out by Joint Terrorism Task Forces in other states.
< Full PDF Handout >
source < http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2011/08/10/7769/ >
Seems our govt has gotten a little
Paranoid and over react much, FEDS?
Wouldn't do much good down here, as 99.99% of the population is always stocking up on survival supplies.
Posted by Stone-Magnon on Aug. 12 2011,1:25 am
They've had banks spy on customers for years. It's all part of the drug war the GOP and DEMS wanted. It's called, "know your customer". And now you know the rest of the story...good day!
Posted by Liberal on Aug. 12 2011,4:52 pm
QUOTE
The handout also instructs surplus store owners to consider as “suspicious” anyone who “demands identity ‘privacy’” or anyone who expresses “extreme religious statements” and those who “make suspicious comments regarding anti-US, [or] radical theology.”
If a guy with a darker complexion is in a military surplus store talking about the evil United States and how great Allah is, and he's buying a boatload of stuff with cash, would you think that he is someone that the DHS should probably know about?
Posted by Botto 82 on Aug. 12 2011,6:55 pm
(Liberal @ Aug. 12 2011,4:52 pm)
QUOTE
QUOTE
The handout also instructs surplus store owners to consider as “suspicious” anyone who “demands identity ‘privacy’” or anyone who expresses “extreme religious statements” and those who “make suspicious comments regarding anti-US, [or] radical theology.”
If a guy with a darker complexion is in a military surplus store talking about the evil United States and how great Allah is, and he's buying a boatload of stuff with cash, would you think that he is someone that the DHS should probably know about?
Do we really need a directive to react correctly to your obviously extreme example?
Posted by Grinning_Dragon on Aug. 12 2011,7:06 pm
Islamist terrorists are not known to hang out in local Army-Navy surplus stores, stocking up on MRE’s, high capacity magazines and bi-pods for their long range rifles. As Brandon Smith, over at Alt-market.com notes, “These are very common purchases, not for terrorists, but for Preppers and Survivalists, who are obviously the targets of the FBI profile, not secret Al-Qaeda agents.” Spot on. Obviously the current crop of FBI “leadership” considers anyone who wants to be self-sufficient and prepared to be a “threat” that should be relentlessly tracked and reported.
Posted by Expatriate on Aug. 12 2011,7:52 pm
Islamic terrorist utilized local flight training centers, why wouldn't they use army/navy surplus stores?
Posted by grassman on Aug. 12 2011,9:01 pm
GD, they just want to know who is doing what, when and where. It is not necessarily Islamic Terrorists, they are keeping their eyes ears and noses at. It might just be good old Americans. 
Posted by Grinning_Dragon on Aug. 12 2011,9:29 pm
(grassman @ Aug. 12 2011,9:01 pm)
QUOTE
GD, they just want to know who is doing what, when and where. It is not necessarily Islamic Terrorists, they are keeping their eyes ears and noses at. It might just be good old Americans.
It is really none of the feds business what an individual does or buys during a legal transaction. Buying things in bulk or buying survival provisions is legal. What is so wrong about being prepared? NOTHING! I just don't understand this implied fear and making everyone suspicious of another person all at the hands of the govt pushing this fear, and the desire to further a false sense of security VS Essential Liberties. I hope anyone who is asked to show ID or is asked invasive questions about their purchases, tells the shop keep to mind their own business. 4TH Amendment anyone?
Does our current govt really hate independent thinkers and those who wish to rely on themselves instead of an overbearing govt?
Have we really become a bunch of tattle tales and wimpy?
Well I'm no snitch and it is really NONE of my business what another buys.
Posted by Wolfie on Aug. 13 2011,1:09 pm
I get asked all the time when I purchase items "what are you going to use that for?", especially when I bring in a part of the item I am working on to match say threads on hardware or spacing on something. My stock answer is "really its none of your business". Sometimes the clerk presses but they get no answers. I live by the idea that a human mind thought it up a human mind can fix it or improve it. So I give it a try, its nobody elses business what I am up to.
Posted by Grinning_Dragon on Aug. 13 2011,1:32 pm
Agreed Wolfie.I get asked that question as well, irritates the hell out of me.
A nice kindly "Mind your fracking business" works just fine.
Also I got to ask. What in the hell is a night flashlight? Is this any different than a day flashlight?
Stupid God damn govt.
Posted by Glad I Left on Aug. 13 2011,5:04 pm
So basically the entire state of Utah is suspicious since Mormon teaching is to always be prepared. It is not uncommon for them to store 1 years worth of food and other supplies.
gov't.
Posted by Botto 82 on Aug. 13 2011,10:44 pm
(Grinning_Dragon @ Aug. 12 2011,9:29 pm)
QUOTE
I just don't understand this implied fear and making everyone suspicious of another person all at the hands of the govt pushing this fear, and the desire to further a false sense of security VS Essential Liberties.
You don't understand? It's really quite simple, sort of like you.
Divide and conquer. If the populace is suspicious of itself enough to monitor and police and be paranoid about itself (Terr'rists!) it won't have time to worry about what the government is doing.
Posted by Liberal on Aug. 14 2011,12:18 am
Oh come on, maybe a couple thousand people would still be alive if someone would have noticed a bunch of Arabs wanting to know how to fly a plane, but not take off, or land a plane.
Posted by Liberal on Aug. 14 2011,12:23 am
And once again I'm wondering why this story isn't in the mainstream media. I can't even find local stories in Colorado about this. Not to mention World Nut Daily is reporting that this right wing nut got his hands on this from a "friend" and he verified the authenticity, but it doesn't say who he verified it with. And why would the FBI only send this to Colorado surplus stores?
Posted by hymiebravo on Aug. 18 2011,7:54 am
(Glad I Left @ Aug. 13 2011,5:04 pm)
QUOTE
So basically the entire state of Utah is suspicious since Mormon teaching is to always be prepared. It is not uncommon for them to store 1 years worth of food and other supplies.
gov't.
gov't.As long as they are wearing their "magic-underwear" they should be safe, right?
Posted by hymiebravo on Aug. 18 2011,8:09 am
(Botto 82 @ Aug. 12 2011,6:55 pm)
QUOTE
(Liberal @ Aug. 12 2011,4:52 pm)
QUOTE
QUOTE
The handout also instructs surplus store owners to consider as “suspicious” anyone who “demands identity ‘privacy’” or anyone who expresses “extreme religious statements” and those who “make suspicious comments regarding anti-US, [or] radical theology.”
If a guy with a darker complexion is in a military surplus store talking about the evil United States and how great Allah is, and he's buying a boatload of stuff with cash, would you think that he is someone that the DHS should probably know about?
Do we really need a directive to react correctly to your obviously extreme example?
Yes you would think that people would be able to take the initiative on themselves.
Maybe we just need an ipad app for that so people can figure that one out.
Also wasn't there a widely publicized story about some government agent from Minnesota reporting suspicious behavior relating to pilot training pre-911?
Posted by hymiebravo on Aug. 18 2011,8:14 am
(Grinning_Dragon @ Aug. 13 2011,1:32 pm)
QUOTE
Agreed Wolfie.
I get asked that question as well, irritates the hell out of me.
A nice kindly "Mind your fracking business" works just fine.
Also I got to ask. What in the hell is a night flashlight? Is this any different than a day flashlight? Stupid God damn govt.
I get asked that question as well, irritates the hell out of me.
A nice kindly "Mind your fracking business" works just fine.
Also I got to ask. What in the hell is a night flashlight? Is this any different than a day flashlight?
Stupid God damn govt. They could just be trying to help. You know the more information you have about a problem the better equipped you are to solve it.
Put yourself in their position.
I would think you two would be acutely aware of that.
But yea maybe you're right. Those high school kids, at the Skyline Mall hardware store, might be secret government agents.