By Richard Serrano Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON – When the ATF made alleged gun trafficker Manuel Fabian Celis-Acosta its primary target in the ill-fated Fast and Furious investigation, it hoped he would lead the agency to two associates who were Mexican drug cartel members. The ATF even questioned and released him knowing that he…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com The number two person at ATF says a key mistake in the controversial Operation Fast and Furious was that “a narcotics based strategy was applied to a firearms trafficking investigation.” Tom Brandon, who stepped in last October as ATF’s deputy director as part of an effort to clean house after…
ATF discusses Napalm found in meth bust: fox10tv.com
By Danny Fenster ticklethewire.com More than 100 people were busted for a host of gun, drug and burglary charges in an operation run by ATF and local Macon, Ga. authorities known as “Operation Smoke Screen”, reports reports WJBF. The federal indictments charged 24 individuals with firearms offenses and another 85 defendants with with burglary, theft,…
By Danny Fenster ticklethewire.com A Wichita federal judge has granted more time for motions related to charges that a federal firearms sting was racially motivated, reports LJWorld.com. Defense lawyers are seeking to drop charges against black defendants charged in the ATF investigation, claiming the charges were racially motivated. At least 43 of 51 defendants in…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com By Bye Blackberry. Daid Saleh Rauf of Politico reports that ATF plans to ditch the Blackberry phone “largely in favor of the iPhone.” “We’re going to delete the BlackBerry from the mix,” Rick Holgate, ATF’s chief information officer, said in an interview, according to Politico. To read more click here.
By Danny Fenster ticklethewire.com Federal authorities have joined in on an investigation into a fire at the construction site of a cemetery and funeral home intended to serve the Islamic community in Las Vegas, reports the Las Vegas Sun. But the leader of the Islamic Society of Nevada does not believe the fire was the result of…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Alabama isn’t exactly considered a hotbed of terrorism activity. But on Friday, an Uzbek national living in the U.S. pleaded in Birmingham, Ala., to providing material support to terrorist activities and threatening to kill President Obama — all as part of a federal sting. Ulugbek Kodirov, 22, of Uzbekistan, becomes…
