Feds Raid Blackwater's Armory In Firearms Probe

Aye, and folks with the sort of hardware BW have never stay 'unemployed' for long.

This looks and smells like a complete red herring or an incredibly stupid "my bad" on the part of BATF.

ATF completed an audit and facility inspection in 2005 while these weapons were stored there.

There are many Blackwater employees with much more training, law enforcement and combat experience, and higher security ratings than the majority of BATF field agents. I predict either an OOPs from ATF or a spin worthy of your fav rap scratcher.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


You people keep posting this crap about BW and do any of you know a person employed by them???? I happen to know a couple, and I can tell you that most everything you think is wrong or waaaaaaaaaaaay overblown. Check MPRI and L3 Communications. That is where you will strike conspiracy gold.

Th initial report I read a couple of days back stated that Blackwater had purchased a number of AK-47's and Bushmasters (all full auto) and was storing them at the local Sheriffs armoury. This was being done to get round the fact that they DID NOT have the necessary licensing for full-auto weapons.

So, if they don't have licenses then that would surely trigger a raid and weapons seizure?
Of course, I'd expect them to get retroactive immunity - much like the telecoms companies - with the friends they have in high places.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


If they look too hard, they're going to find pallets of heroin, too.

reply to post by TXMACHINEGUNDLR


lmao, so what? Are you disputing the fact that the BATF raided a Blackwater armory? Because... uhh... that's what we're talking about.

That's really neato that you know people that work for Blackwater. That really clears a lot of things up, because that surely also means you know the ins and outs of BW's operations. I mean, obviously, just knowing an employee of theirs ensures that you know more about the company and their dealings than even the employee you know. This should also mean you should be able to tell us why the ATF raided them, and exactly what the relationship with the sheriff's department is.

C'mon people, TXMACHINEGUNDLR knows a couple of Blackwater employees... so now we can put any current and future conspiracy theories involving Blackwater to bed right now, because he vouches for them.

reply to post by Unit541
That is definately worth a star. I have friends in the marine corps, doesn't mean i know everything about their op's.

It makes you wonder which side is going to defend and protect the American citizen when all hell breaks loose and full Martial Law is enforced.

Or perhaps they are now competing for the task of doing the round ups.

Either way, we will know soon enough.

I never liked Blackwater, I like them even less than the Fed's and that's not saying much

Originally posted by Anuubis
reply to post by Unit541

 

That is definately worth a star. I have friends in the marine corps, doesn't mean i know everything about their op's.

... or even that they know everything about their ops. Too many people think that one must know WHY a job is being done in order to perform that job. I guarantee that not even blackwater employees know everything about what, why and how their employer does the things it does. Just like we can't blame our soldiers for the cluster # that is Iraq, they "just work here".

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


I agree D.D.

That's actually the first thing that came to my mind.
What's Blackwater doing storing weapons for a sheriff's dept?
In other words - What's a private company doing assisting a city or state police force? First the military, now the police? While it does say that they've had a long-standing arrangement, I wonder just what kind of an arrangement it is/and/or could develop into eventually. Gotta keep your eyes on those BW guys, they're litterally into everything now. They've got more activity contracted out in intelligence then the CIA.

[edit on 27-6-2008 by Area_X]

This sounds like a total show raid to me,y'all wolud GW really let the ATF hit a major campaign contutributer like Blackwater?

Originally posted by Area_X
reply to post by DimensionalDetective

 

I agree D.D.

That's actually the first thing that came to my mind.
What's Blackwater doing storing weapons for a sheriff's dept?
In other words - What's a private company doing assisting a city or state police force? First the military, now the police? While it does say that they've had a long-standing arrangement, I wonder just what kind of an arrangement it is/and/or could develop into eventually. Gotta keep your eyes on those BW guys, they're litterally into everything now. They've got more activity contracted out in intelligence then the CIA.

[edit on 27-6-2008 by Area_X]

Looks like BW is getting their fingers into everything. It points to them wanting to do their own C&C when TSHTF. Regardless of what the gov. wants.

[edit on 28-6-2008 by Anuubis]

reply to post by Unit541


You are absolutely right, Unit541. It's obvious that a reporter from rawstory is to be believed above all else.

Originally posted by Unit541
So I guess we have to wait and see if they found anything other than the Sheriffs department weapons. this is a situation that's hard to look at from a neutral perspective.

Later news articles revealed that the Feds found nada. Zip. Zero.

ap.google.com...

Originally posted by Unit541

If you're a supporter of BW, than it seems that they're just doing a favor to the Sheriffs dept, by letting them store their "high powered assault rifles" there. A BW critic however, would first ask why the hell the Sheriffs dept. needs to store their weaponry in a Blackwater facility.

Maybe they just wanted to be good corporate neighbors? Maybe they were just exercising good civic duty?

Maybe it had to do with security and training?

Maybe they don't need to give you a reason at all.

Originally posted by Unit541
Which, is precisely my question (can you tell I'm a critic?).

I can't help but believe that your tone and attitude would be much different if it were someone else being investigated. Then you'd be hollering "Police state! Invasion of privacy!" at the top of your lungs.

You know you would. But that's OK.

You just go on believing what rawstory tells you to believe, Unit541.

I wonder if this news story is ALSO connected to Senator Webb?

A story is running in 'Human Events' that US Senator James Webb is miffed at the Secretary of Defense for not allowing his wife and daughter to fly at government expense to and from Vietnam (Mrs. Webb is Vietnamese). Free travel for non-government employees would be a violation of federal law and the Secretary of Defense has informed Webb that DoD cannot allow the wife and daughter to fly at government expense. This news has apparently caused Senator Webb's HOT TEMPER to FLARE UP and the Senator has held up four DoD nominations and is also causing Senator Webb to hold up approval on some Blackwater contracts. I wonder if this story is ALSO somehow connected to Senator Webb?

Senator Webb was also a writer and journalist and the ATF raid followed an article in a North Carolina newspaper that was critical of Blackwater storing the Camden Sheriff Department firearms. I wonder is Senator Webb pulled some strings at the NC paper and at the ATF?

First thank God for those that are still willing to fight for our freedoms and The Constitution as a whole. As a retired Freedom Fighter it must be known that if the liberals such as the Clinton administration had not destroyed the US MIlitary's strength and our ell developed intelligence community we would not be hiring as many ofthe contractors that are complained about. As far as the weapons go a licensed facility can store weopons such as these for any department or individual under a written agreement. The BATFE states that these weopons "must be secured".
For a final statement where were the complaints when these personell were helping to save our troops lives and assist in the capture of the terrorists? Do the liberals only want to condemn those that follow the law and march to a different drum when it is convenient. wake up and admit that they followed the law and remember that the liberals that changed our path of military and security are responsible for the programs that are condemned. Also remeber that the articles do not post all of the pertinent information. They only post that which creates the great "what ifs and blame games" for their own journalistic acknowledgment not for the complete facts and a total understanding. I have been on the other side of that fence. What is not stated is more important than what is stated.