Thread: Help needed collecting article and sources for the show

Mercenary Firm Offers to 'Detain Troublemakers' on Election Day (Updated)

By Nathan Hodge EmailNovember 03, 2008 | 11:39:00 AMCategories: Mercs, Secret Squirrel

Ss_212x CIA-linked private military contractor Evergreen Defense & Security Services offered to post sentries at Oregon election offices on Tuesday, "detaining troublemakers" and making sure voters "do not get out of control."

In an e-mail to local election supervisors, obtained by the McMinnville, Oregon News Register, Evergreen president Tom Wiggins said he "recognized the potential conflict" that could occur on November 4th. "Never has there been a more heated battle in the race for president."

The company, he said, 'proposes to post sentries at each voting center on November 4th to assure that disputes amongst citizens do not get out of control. All guards will be unarmed, but capable of stopping any violence that may occur and detaining troublemakers until law enforcement arrives.'

Evergreen's website describes its security arm as having "nearly five decades of experience working with the U.S. Armed Forces, the Department of Defense, the Department of Interior, the United Nations, NASA, and the U.S. Air Mobility Command. Many of our contracts include highly sensitive work-scope, and take place in locations ranging from the deserts of the Middle East to the jungles of South America to the highest peaks of Mt. McKinley in Alaska."

According to the News Register, Evergreen "exudes the gung-ho patriotism that is associated with the company founder, a political conservative who enjoys close ties with the federal government and military."

No kidding. Back in the late '80s, the company "acknowledged one agreement under which his companies provide occasional jobs and cover to foreign nationals the CIA wants taken out of other countries or brought into the United States." More recently, Evergreen's parent company flew Bill O'Reilly into Kuwait in 2006, according to SourceWatch.

But rest easy: The Oregonian reports that the company struck out with its sales pitch.

UPDATE: As several commenters have pointed out, Evergreen's offer is particularly weird, since the state does its voting by mail. Voters get ballots sent to them, and can then return them to county election offices by 8pm on Tuesday. Perhaps that's where Evergreen was looking to keep the peace.

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/11/s ... fense.html

Gangs Could Spoil Obama's Party

0:41am UK, Monday November 03, 2008

Jon Gripton, Chicago
Gang violence and looting could ruin Barack Obama's party in Chicago if he wins the US election.

"I hope to God I'm wrong, but there are 7,000 known gang members in Chicago and they aren't going to miss an opportunity like this," says Paul Huebl, a former police officer in the city and now a respected author and crime blogger.

"Police officers will be gravely outnumbered and outgunned and placed in danger.

"There is no way to protect businesses. Parents and kids are going to think they're going to a party and they're going to end up getting hurt."

More than a million people are said to be planning to celebrate the expected election of the first black President of the United States.

Just 65,000 will be allowed inside a security cordon to see Obama on stage inside the city's scenic Grant Park, which borders the shores of Lake Michigan.

But hundreds of thousands more are expected in the vicinity, and there are fears that whether Obama wins or loses, looting and gun violence will flare.

The Chicago Police Department has cancelled all days off for officers on Election Day.

"Everyone will be working 12-hour shifts," said police spokeswoman Monique Bond.

However, Obama's top strategist, David Axelrod, says: "We expect a good, supportive crowd, and we expect it to be a happy occasion. Whatever the result, we don't expect trouble."

That might be wishful thinking, given Chicago's propensity for violence.

Last summer, Grant Park hosted the 'Taste of Chicago' food festival. Four were shot, one fatally.

In 1992, hundreds of police officers were hurt when riots flared during sporting celebrations for the Chicago Bulls.

A year later, when the Bulls triumphed again, there were more riots - this time four people were killed.

There was another riot in Grant Park when pop band Sly and the Family Stone cancelled a concert.

And a casual glimpse at the city's crime log for the last 48 hours makes grim reading: three people shot and killed, one a boy aged 16; one man stabbed to death; a woman killed in a robbery; seven people leaving a nightclub injured in a drive-by shooting; police shoot and kill a man wielding a knife; three boys aged nine, 11 and 17 shot and injured in separate incidents.

Mayor Richard Daley has been criticised for failing to deter revellers from heading to the city centre without an event ticket, but he is hopeful the night will be peaceful.

"It's going to be surprising, there are going to be a lot of people who want to come down to celebrate, we hope it's a million or more, that's realistic. It's going to be wonderful," he said.

But Kim Brehm, associate editor at the Southtown Star, said: "Whether earned or not, Chicago is known as a rough-and-tumble kind of town where anything can happen.

"Given our history, I hope to God we get it right this time."

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/US-Ele ... _Elections

Toledo Police brace for possible civil unrest

By Aaron Brilbeck
Monday, November 03, 2008 at 4:44 p.m.

TOLEDO, OHIO -- Toledo police are gearing up for possible "Civil unrest" during and after tomorrow's elections.

In an internal memo obtained exclusively by NBC 24 News, officers are ordered to "Have their riot equipment with them Tuesday and Wednesday". Police chief Mike Navarre confirms, officers will have gear similar to the equipment they used during the 2005 race riots. "They have been asked to have their helmets and their gas masks available tomorrow and Wednesday.", Navarre says, "That's the equipment they would not normally carry with them on a normal day".

Navarre also says, officers will not be stationed at individual polling stations. But the memo says otherwise. It reads, "On Tuesday, units shall be directed to patrol the polling locations".

http://www.wnwo.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=216464

Obama supporter on overpass with gun shuts down freeway (is what the title on this article should be)


Flag-waving gunman closes Calif. highway for hours

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Erica Werner, Associated Press Writer – Mon Nov 3, 4:07 pm ET

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A masked gunman waving an American flag and a handgun on a freeway overpass surrendered to police Monday after forcing a traffic shutdown for hours.

The man gave himself up at midmorning west of downtown Santa Barbara at Highway 101, a major route along the California coast. No shots were fired. Traffic was backed at least three miles in each direction.

The man agreed to give up after he was allowed to attach a Barack Obama campaign sign and the flag to the overpass railing, said police Sgt. Jim Pfleging.

Police were continuing to investigate a duffel bag and the man's car at the scene but "we have no credible threats or any threats of explosives," Pfleging said.

Police identified the man as 28-year-old Eddie Van Tassel. Pfleging said the man is believed to be a service veteran and will receive a mental health evaluation.

The man, wearing a ski mask and brown fatigues, had the flag in one hand and the gun in the other when officers arrived on the highway's La Cumbre Avenue overpass just after 7:10 a.m., said police Sgt. Lorenzo Duarte.

A police special weapons and tactics team and a crisis negotiation team used a bullhorn to communicate with him. After nearly three hours, he put the handgun on the ground and walked backward to police officers.

As for the man's motive, Duarte said, "The reason appears to be anti-war, but I don't know the specifics."

Santa Barbara is 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

"The reason appears to be anti-war, but I don't know the specifics."

Why would an anti war protester have a gun?