FBI VS Jewish Defense League
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been in operation as a major criminal investigation bureau in the US. This national crime-fighting agency of security goal is to protect America and the larger international community from criminal dangers that affect the world today (US Department of Justice, 2011). It was started in 1908 when Theodore Roosevelt was the president of the US by Robert Bonaparte (Weiner, 2013). Robert Bonaparte was the then attorney general of the US. It started as a task force of special agents, whose work was to track the major crimes that were happening in various American cities. The bureau was formerly known as the Bureau of Investigation, but later called the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935 (Weiner, 2013). After the industrial revolution in the US, many of the cities advanced greatly technology-wise. This also resulted in increased criminal rates in the country, ranging from torts to federal crimes. Attention to these crimes was necessary and it was important to do everything possible to put these crimes at bay.
Upon its establishment, the bureau chose those with former experience on matters of law enforcement to form its membership (Weiner, 2013). It paid due attention to the individual’s history in the law enforcement. He had to show deeper and special knowledge in handling crimes. The selection of these people was based on a random selection process with no prejudice. At this time, most of the crimes in the US were not federal crimes (US Department of Justice, 2011). The common crimes were torts and others like bank fraud, enslavement, and extortions among the citizens. The bureau experienced great expansion between 1912 and 1914. Bruce Bielaski, who was formerly a special examiner, was the chief of the Bureau (US Department of Justice, 2011). About three hundred special agents were recruited into the Bureau (Weiner, 2013). The duties were to handle various federal crimes that were happening in the country then. Over 300 other office personnel were also recruited to help them in matters of logistics and support as they are in the field (Weiner, 2013). These special agents were recruited to the major US cities, and each field operation had a special agent. The special agent was in direct link with the headquarters in Washington D.C. (US Department of Justice, 2011). Many other places in the US saw a rise in crime, and thus there was the need to extend the FBI services to other parts including the borders. The Mexican border is an example of such other place that was considered (Weiner, 2013). The Bureau, therefore, had a greater area of jurisdiction and the number of special agents also increased to meet the demand.
The rise of the FBI brought with it other challenges, especially with the public. The public viewed the bureau as a force to control them; something that they were not familiar with. They, therefore, revolted and the Bureau found itself frequently at odd with the people. This was between 1921 and 1933 (Weiner, 2013). The years before the rise of the bureau were considered as ‘lawless years’ in the US and the public the rise of the bureau as a threat to them. The treasury department in the country was in charge of any crimes on intoxicating liquor (Kessler, 2003). The department of justice had no control as far as intoxicating beverages were concerned. The bureau stepped up and could raid night clubs dealing in these beverages which were a hub for several crimes. This also caused discord.
Edgar J. Hoover became the bureau’s director on May 10, 1924. He was 26 years old at the time he became the director (Kesser, 2003). In his reign, the bureau saw a lot of advancement. He led into the reorganization of the bureau’s policies which was needful at that time. He established a Special agent training academy (Kessler, 2003). The academy had a minimum entry requirement of the age between 25 and 35 years (Weiner, 2013). The academy was important in equipping the special agents with the necessary skills and knowledge that they needed to handle federal crimes. On November 24, 1932, Hoover also opened the FBI Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory (Weiner, 2013). This was the first of its kind in the whole world, and it was central to the operations of the bureau. It deals with fingerprint examinations, and crime searches among other roles (Kessler, 2003). The laboratory also acts a training center for other law enforcement personnel from all parts of the US. These advancements contributed to the reduction in the cases of crime in the US.
The 1940s were a great milestone for the bureau. They tacked various major crimes that had been organized against the US. A major example was the Nazi that had planned terrorism in different parts of the US soil (Kessler, 2003). The FBI agents managed to get eight of these Nazi agents that were part of these terrorist events (Kessler, 2003). The National Security Act of 1947 enabled the bureau to do counter-intelligence operations (Weiner, 2013). These ensured that delicate and highly sensitive state information did not reach the hands of the enemy. The bureau was able to collect diverse information, political and military, and was also able to intercept various criminal events (Kessler, 2003). The counter-vigilance programs became more common in the 1950s (Kessler, 2003). The level of control of criminal events in the country grew to a large degree. Hoover’s reign saw a lot of advancements in the history of America’s Department of Justice. However, despite being very pivotal in all these advancements, Hoover spent a lot of resources in investigations that were not important. The use of the country’s resources to investigate innocent socialists was a great waste.
After Hoover’s reign, even though organized crimes still continued they still felt the pressure of the bureau upon them. The bureau continued relentlessly in its efforts to reduce crimes in the country. Sam Giancana and John Cotti were at the center of several organization crimes in the country (Kessler, 2003). It was believed that Giancana was hired by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to assassinate Fidel Castro; the president of Cuba. The FBI through its surveillance operations was able to track them. Giancana was arrested in Illinois after returning from exile in 1975 (Weiner, 2013). The FBI also played a major role in the hostage problem of 1993 commonly known as the ‘Waco siege’ (Kessler, 2003). This lasted for 51 days in a stand-off outside Waco, Texas. The FBI, ATF and Texas Rangers surrounded the compound in a bid to free Davidians who were thought to be held captive. Janet Reno, the attorney general, authorized the use of the gas chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (Kessler, 2003). This was to neutralize the defenders who were in the compound. The result was far much more than expected; all of Koresh followers who were being saved died apart from ten. The FBI was then viewed to have applied excessive force in what was a rescue operation (Weiner, 2013). Instead of saving lives, several were lost in this operation. This was a drawback, and the bureau had to review its tactics in handling crimes.
The bureau was not immune to the problems of betrayal by its people. There are several instances in which some of the special agents spied against the bureau. For example, in February 2001 Robert Philip Hanssen was found to have worked with the Soviet Union, the country’s enemy, for over 15 years (US Department of Justice, 2011). He also spied for the Russian intelligence services against the US (Weiner, 2013). Hanseen was arrested in February 2001 and is currently serving the life sentence at Adix Florence in Colorado. John Walker was an American Navy chief. He helped the Soviet government to interpret several encrypted naval messages (Hunter and Lynn, 1999). His circle of spies included his son, brother and his best friend.
The FBI had several other successes in combating crime. One such major accomplishment was at Connecticut. A team of 7 FBI agents working together with other people of the task force committed themselves to investigate criminal activities by a group that was known as the ‘Almighty Latin Queen/Queen Nation (ALKQN)’ and another known as the ‘Los Solidos (LS) street gangs’ (Kessler, 2003). These groups were at the heart of organizing and performing major criminal events in Bridgeport and Hartfort. “Court-approved electronic surveillance’ was used to investigate the leaders of these two gangs. The investigations led to the arrest of “over 50 ALKQN and 52 LS members and associates.” Incineration of the gang members was done (Kessler, 2003). This had an impact in helping to curb and reduce the violent criminal activities that had been reported by the police.
The bureau has helped curb several traditional organized crimes in the US. In 1994, there was a four investigation that was known as the ‘Hardcrust operation’ (Kessler, 2003). The investigation was as a result of the several crimes that had been reported from the gaming industry. The gambling industry had flourished and many had made exorbitant profits in it but with it was a rise in several crimes. The FBI special agents were recruited into this investigation that led to the conviction of organized crime bosses. In another instance, the FBI played a major role in controlling an anthrax attack that was masterminded by Dr. Bruce Irvins (US Department of Justice, 2011). The anthrax attack killed five people and left seventeen others sick. The FBI worked in collaboration with the US Justice Department in combating this deadliest bio-weapon in American history. The investigation was concluded in 2010 (US Department of Justice, 2011). This was a great contribution in combating crime given the deadly nature of anthrax.
In 1986, Rabbi Kahane established the Jewish defense league (Newton, 2014). It is “a radical organization that preaches a violent form of anti-Arab, Jewish nationalism.” It was formed based on the ideology that the Jews were facing several atrocities and inequalities both abroad and within their states (Newton, 2014). The group has organized several terrorist events in the US and has also seen the killing of several US diplomats deployed in their states. The league viewed the FBI to be fighting a racist battle and that it was against the Jews. They, therefore, set to fight back against the FBI. They viewed that the use of counter-intelligence by the FBI against the ‘White-hate groups’ was a racial fight targeted to eliminate Muslims.
According to the FBI, the organization has been involved in planning and executing various terrorists’ events in the US, and it was classified as a terrorist group. The organization has been at war with the US government since its inception (Glick, 1989). The FBI has carried investigations severally in the organization’s activities. The league claims to protect the Jews from anti-Semitism by whatever means necessary (Newton, 2014). FBI records show that 18 acts of domestic terrorism were committed by the Jewish defense league and 18 incidents that were done by the Jews between 1980 and 1985. All of these acts of domestic terrorism apart from three involved the league members. In December 1885, William H. Webster-an FBI director warned the people that the Arab Americans had encroached danger zone (Glick, 1989). He said that they were targets of an unnamed group that sought to harm anyone they considered as an enemy of Israel. This group was the league. The FBI had to step in against the league to protect the Arab Americans.
A report from the US Energy Department in 1986 said that the league has been ‘one of the most active terrorist groups in the United States’ for more than a decade (Newton, 2014). The operations of the league since 1968 led to the deaths of 7 people and injury to more than 22 people (Newton, 2014). In 1991, FBI agents carried out an investigation into a conspiracy to bomb New York’s world trading centers and a plot to ‘liberate Nosair from prison’ (Newton, 2014). Nosair was an Egyptian-born American citizen. He was convicted of the 1993 New York’s world trade center bombing and was acquitted for assassinating Meir Kahane, the founder of the league. Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman and others who were acquaintances in these acts were also arrested by the FBI agents.
Another step against the league was the publication of the book ‘A false prophet’ by an FBI informant (Friedman, 1990). The book exposes Meir Kahane and the league and its operations. At one point it talks about how they acquired ‘two hundred Karl Gustav machine guns’ in the name of protecting the Muslims. The guns were used in the criminal activities conducted by the league. Many had seen him as a ‘light’ to the Jewish people, but they were blind to the many atrocities done by the league.
The FBI connected the murder of the rapper Tupac to the Jewish Defense League (US Department of Justice, 2011). According to their reports, the league had threatened the musician on diverse occasions. The FBI revealed that the league was extorting cash from rap artists with the threat of death in failure to comply with their conditions. The victims were assured of safety only after remitting the required amounts. It is believed that this was the reason for the murder of Tupac in 1996. The FBI did not link the murder of Shakur to the league, but believes that they played a great role in the crime.
The FBI is playing a great role in combating federal crimes. Despite all the challenges faced and the crime increased rates, it is still committed to its goal of reducing cases of crime. Technological advancement plays a role in increased crimes, and the FBI has also adopted the current technology in its operations. The Jewish Defense League and other such groups threaten the peace and justice but the FBI is also relentless in its efforts to curb crimes.
References
Friedman R.I. (1990): The False Prophet: Rabbi Meir Kahane-From FBI Informant to Knesset Member. Hill
Glick B. (1989): War at Home: Covert Action Against U.S. Activists and What We Can Do about it. South End Press
Hunter R.W. and Hunter L.D. (1999): Spy Hunter: Inside the FBI Investigation of the Walker Espionage case. Naval Institute Press
International Business Publications (2011): The Federal Bureau of Intelligence Academy Handbook.
Kessler R. (2003): The Bureau: The Secret History of the FBI. St. Martin Press
Newton M. (2014): Famous Assassinations in World History: An Encyclopedia. Vol I, ABC-CLIO, LLC
U.S. Department of Justice: The FBI: A Centennial History, 1908-2008
Weiner T. (2013): Enemies: A History of the FBI. Random house publisher
