(Fair Use, etc.) Troops sent to Seattle as part of terrorism contingency plan
December 2, 1999
CNN.COM Web posted at: 7:21 p.m. EST (0021 GMT)
In this story:
Protesters get police motorcycle escort
Protesters: Police violated pact
Chief: Officers did 'heroic job'
Mayor: Time to start healing city
SEATTLE (CNN) -- In addition to hundreds of very visible Army National
Guard troops called-up because of the civil disturbances in Seattle, more
than 160 active duty military personnel, including a small number of Special
Forces troops, were sent to Seattle by the Defense Department for the
meeting of the World Trade Organization.
The military mission, according to the
Pentagon, is to "provide support" to the FBI,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), U.S. Secret Service and other
government agencies responsible for security
there. The military specialists are in place
largely to provide expertise and assist in
coordinating a federal response in the event of
a terrorist attack during such a high-profile
event.
According to Defense Department documents
obtained by CNN, 131 U.S. Army, 27 U.S.
Air Force, and eight U.S. Navy personnel
were sent to Seattle to perform roles from
ordnance disposal to standing by for possible
chemical or biological attack by terrorist
groups.
Four special forces troops from the Joint
Special Operations Task Force were deployed
to Seattle to be on hand to advise FBI "crisis
support" agents in the event of a catastrophic
terrorist event involving chemical or biological
weapons or hostage taking. Two of the four
special operations experts have since left the
city, according to an informed Pentagon official
who spoke on the condition that he not be
named.
Fifty-five military Explosive Ordnance Disposal
(EOD) teams, along with 25
explosive-detecting dogs and their handlers,
were sent. The soldiers are "operating in
civilian attire -- keeping a low presence," the
Defense Department documents say.
Troops there are from various military fiefdoms
including the U.S. Special Operations
Command, the U.S. Forces Command, the
U.S. Army Biological-Chemical Command, the
U.S. Air Force Security Forces Command and
the U.S. Joint Forces Command.
Eight divers, making up two Navy dive teams,
were sent to provide support to the Secret
Service for President Clinton's visit, which
ended Thursday. The action is not unusual for
presidential security.
The Department of Health and Human
Services and FEMA have set up a "staging
area" for their operations at the U.S. Naval
Reserve Center-Lake Union in Seattle. Eight
military personnel are assigned to that site. The
HHS-FEMA site is PRE-POSITIONED to respond
to major health catastrophes such as a
biological agent attack, according to a
well-informed source.
The "Domestic Military Support," or "DOMS"
as it is known at the Pentagon, is provided
through the Office of the Secretary of Defense
and the Office of the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff at the request of other federal
agencies.
Protesters get police motorcycle escort
Meanwhile, Seattle Mayor Paul Schell said
Thursday there is no "battle in Seattle," and
police motorcycle officers escorted
approximately 400 demonstrators on a march
toward the "no protest" zone near the WTO conference.
The marchers held hands, sang and carried signs.
It was a turnabout of tactics by police, who had clashed with demonstrators
for the past two nights in the downtown area.
But Schell said the primary goal of authorities was still to "regain and
maintain peace in our city."
"Until we can restore peace, we are still in a state of civil emergency," Schell
said. "This is not business as usual."
The 24-hour-a-day curfew in the 46-block area surrounding WTO meeting
venues remains in effect until midnight Friday, after the conference ends.
However, Schell said protesters with permits will be allowed to
demonstrate.
"If you are protesting lawfully, the police will allow you to do so," he said.
The curfews imposed this week apparently are the first in Seattle since the
Army ordered Japanese citizens off the streets in World War II.
The mayor said nearly all of the 30,000 protesters demonstrated peacefully.
But he said when the few troublemakers acted up, authorities had to react to
protect lives.
"We are a city that holds the right to free speech in a very high regard,"
Schell said. He urged all demonstrators to cooperate with police.
Protesters: Police violated pact
Thursday's march was organized by Direct Action, one of a number of
protest groups. Long-time activist Tom Hayden was among the marchers.
At a news conference held at Seattle
Central Community College, where the
marchers began their demonstration,
members of several groups, including the
Ruckus Society, the Rainforest Action
Network, the Committee to Free Tibet,
and Direct Action vowed to continue
demonstrations.
John Goodman of the United Steelworkers
of America -- one of the groups that has
participated in peaceful demonstrations - -
said police fired tear gas without
provocation. "I've witnessed things in the
last four days that I didn't believe could
happen in America," he said.
Han Shan of the Ruckus Society said Seattle police had violated an
agreement, reached through weeks of negotiation with his group, to
"peacefully arrest" peaceful demonstrators.
"The commitment by the Seattle Police Department to undertake peaceful
arrests of peaceful protesters ... has been violated," said Shan.
Chief: Officers did 'heroic job'
Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper praised his officers for doing a "heroic
job -- against all odds." He said they were working in chaotic conditions
while trying to maintain public safety. The chief said safety was the reason
officers would give orders for protesters to disperse.
Stamper acknowledged that to enforce those orders, police used pepper
spray, tear gas and rubber bullets. About 500 people have been arrested
since protests turned violent on Tuesday, police said.
Both the chief and the mayor insist it would have been a mistake to have
called in the National Guard before trouble erupted. They said it would have
turned the city into an "armed camp," required many more military personnel
and set the wrong tone.
Mayor: Time to start healing city
Schell acknowledged that many residents were upset by the clashes in the
city.
"It's time for us to start the healing process," he said.
"There are a lot of angry people in our city today. There are angry people
who have been in protest and felt they've not had a chance to be heard, or
were denied a place to protest. There are angry people who've sniffed gas
or have been pepper sprayed -- a lot of them innocent. And for them I
apologize," the mayor said.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Downtown Seattle Association said this
week's disturbances will cost some 2,500 city merchants and property
owners "in the millions range."
Association marketing director Lucinda Payne added: "That's just the
physical damage -- the broken display windows, spot looting, and the
horrific graffiti."
Payne said later that lost sales were estimated at $7 million.
Clinton on Wednesday condemned violent protesters but said demonstrators
who came peacefully should be allowed to make their point.
The president later called on the WTO to open its deliberations to include
the concerns of the demonstrators who have besieged the WTO meeting.
Before leaving the city Thursday, Clinton signed a treaty that bans the worst
forms of child labor. The march began shortly after his plane left for
Philadelphia.
The WTO is an international organization of 135 countries. Its trade
agreements govern most international trade.
The Seattle meeting is intended to set an agenda for the "Seattle Round" of
trade talks toward a new international trade agreement.
National Security Producer Chris Plante, Correspondent Rusty Dornin, The Associated
Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Glad at least one blimey SI Cannuck's paying attention here!!!
Ole sickened at the whole fuckin'Seattle=Y2K Practice Drill mess 49r
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