Dave Del Torto wrote:
FBI School Teaches New Tricks to Old Enemies ... In matching navy blue polo shirts, the students sat transfixed as they watched slides showing the destruction of the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings.
"God forbid you should ever have anything like this happen over here," American instructor Ed Burwitz told his Central European class, outfitted with headphones for simultaneous translation of the lecture. "It is a tough task for any freedom-loving country to prevent terrorism," he added. ... The United States fronted $2.5 million to renovate the campus, which includes a brand-new gym, classrooms, dormitories and one of Hungary's few indoor tennis courts. The Hungarian government contributed $500,000 to renovate the facility, but the U.S. will pay the $3.5 million yearly cost to operate the center, which is modeled after the law enforcement training center in Quantico, Va.
Students from Hungary, Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic and other Central and Eastern European nations attend ILEA's 8-week sessions, the first of which began in April.
The idea is to help the Eastern Europeans with their burgeoning crimes problems, as well as to foster cooperation on international crime problems.
This sounds like a capital idea. I'm certain that the FBI and other law-enforcement officials might also learn by living in a city where the East truly meets the West. Budapest is a beautiful old city of bridges, not just literally but figuratively. It's where anyone in the world can find comfort. Americans, French, German, Syrian ... all can use it for transit. And the annual Grand Prix is one heck of a car race as well. An international grand-luxe congregation opportunity. Burwitz probably doesn't consider Budapest a hardship post. Especially if he found himself a shack up in the hills of Buda on Rose Hill.
"I'm amazed at the freedom of travel that is possible" after the opening up of the Eastern nations, Burwitz said. But "that means criminals can travel as well," he said, allowing them to traffic drugs and contraband. "The more interaction we have with these countries in law enforcement, the better it will be for emerging democracies," Kaciban said.
If Burwitz is concerned with emerging democracies, he might profit from reading some briefing papers, and leaving some of his pre-conceptions at the door. Especially, if he plans on getting full value from his visit. True bang for the buck, as it were. Hungary has always been open to "free travel". That's why they had a Hilton and an Inter-Continental in Budapest. In fact, the "collapse" of the Berlin Wall -- which was missed by most intelligence agencies -- was a direct result of free travel on the far side of the "Iron Curtain". There was always travel freedom within COMECON. There had to be. Truckers as an example traveled throughout the East. And there were always family vacations as well. What was missing was a way to have large population movements from East to West. Migration. Hungary solved that problem when it opened its border with its historic ally-cum-subjugator, Austria. Hungary's boldness allowed East Germans -- skilled East Germans -- to exit in large number to Austria during their ostensible "vacations" to Hungarian resorts. They transited Austria to West Germany where they had guaranteed citizenship, and were assured employment because of their skill-set. This massive population flow of skilled workers is what ultimately lead to East German collapse and the subsequent German re-unification. It was Hungarian and Austrian policy co-operation that allowed Germany to re-join its two halves. A co-operation that flowed from an extended period of Austrian investment in Hungarian enterprise. (I guess Germany owes Hungary one for that.) But the "unification" does lead to some interesting problems, as the non-migratory East German population -- the ones whose skills were not as marketable; or alternatively, those who had valuable skills but were philosophically aligned with the old regime -- are absorbed into the Western EU fabric. Assimilation can be a very difficult process when attempts are made to integrate into the German economy those who choose _not_ to migrate especially if they are either unfit for, or opposed to their Liberators. Eliminating communism did not eliminate the communists. If Burwitz gets briefed on some history, I'm sure that many things will fall into context for him, and there will be a greater understanding of the enemy that he's teaching people to fight. It's always good to understand the scope of a problem before you attack it. That can only help with gaol achievement.
Organized crime is doubly damaging to the emerging nations, because it undermines their economies, Kaciban said. Investors are naturally reluctant to dump money into a nation if they believe there is rampant corruption.
I don't think that "investors" are ever reticent about exploiting opportunities -- if they are in fact welcome to, and not locked out. Unfortunately many opportunities are only extended by invitation to a select group of friends and not to an open field. This is true in Europe as well as anywhere in the world. Politicians as an example get access to certain opportunities -- Hillary Clinton's futures investments, or the Canadian equivalent, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's wife's investment in Multi-Corp, as an example. At it's extreme, Kaciban is correct, this can lead to rampant corruption, something which is best prevented. But that is not the situation we are faced with in the East. In the East, there is an understanding that business is about relationships and understandings. Working relationships. Anyone that a firm would expect to have a contract with, isn't probably someone you should be sharing a bed with -- as they say -- in the first place.
Some teachings do not translate for the European students. For example, there is no Russian RICO - the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act that is one of the strongest American legal tools against organized crime.
Some teachings also probably don't translate well for the American instructors. Cultural differences and expectations, as an example, which are born out of history. While the idea of a Russian RICO is interesting, it's not overly realistic. RICO is meant for a region that has established rules of engagement -- the breach of which calls for quick "rubber-hose" justice to ensure the system continues to function. RICO is best reserved, in that sense for a litigious America, to make sure that everyone remembers where their allegiance should lie. It has very little applicability in a chaotic system. Not only is there nothing to "preserve" -- but it truly begs the question of who'd administer a Russian RICO? You can't expect someone who's earning the equivalent of $50/month not to supplement their official "pay".
Eastern European crime syndicates tend not to be based in crime families, instructors said. And organized crime in Russia and Ukraine is so much a part of the society, that it's hard to stop it, said Amy O'Neil, a State Department official not involved in the ILEA.
Yep. This is a very serious problem. Some circles have suggested that the Russian nationalist Zhirinovsky is involved in some fashion in these syndicates; they've drawn a parallel to Sinn Fein. Others think that there is a utilization of KGB remnants (including those former communists which have now been _absorbed_ into the "unified" Germany, and continue to hold positions of power there). They believe that these sympathizers wish to restore and rebuild Mother Russia and the old social state. Some believe that these elements -- those that have a political / nationalistic allegiance -- are very friendly with the Eastern European crime syndicates. A reciprocal arrangement, if you will. One thing is clear. Whether or not any of the foregoing hold, or whether or not this syndicate's motivations are capitalistic or nationalistic -- their tentacles extend worldwide. Not only through a Moscow - St.Petersberg - Frankfurt - Brussels backbone, but even into the heartland of the United States. Hard to believe?? The FBI (I think) has identified about 220 "Eurasian" (mostly Russian) gangs operating in 17 U.S. cities in 14 states. And I believe they've identified 5,700 crime gangs in the former Soviet Union (which is up _significantly_ from the 785 identified in 1991). The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has estimated that gangs in the former USSR employ about 100,000 _full-time_ members and an estimated 3,000,000 part-timers. These gangs' tentacles even by FBI estimates extend worldwide. The FBI (again) said that Russian gangs are entrenched in 29 foreign countries and maintain contacts with nearly 100,000 criminal enterprises worldwide ranging from illegal alien smuggling rings, and drug gangs, through the child prostitution trade in China and Southeast Asia. If these enterprises are even somewhat loosely organized -- as Sinn Fein was -- then they probably have access to good crypto. Very good crypto. There can be no question of that. The belief that this syndicate is composed solely of thugs is actually contra-indicated. The ISSA (Information Systems Security Association) has suggested that these transnational gangs employ out of work or underemployed Russian scientists, mathematicians and computer experts, who earn as _little_ as $50 to $100 a month in their legitimate jobs because of inflation of Russia's currency. The ISSA, has written that these specialist scientists penetrate the Internet's global web of more than 60,000 computer networks. Radicals even suggest that this group is unique in having access to their own constellations and communications systems -- but I personally think that could only be civilian speculation. This group is well organized, well financed and has a breadth and depth of manpower that has never before been confronted. The idea that those Russians who now winter at St. Tropez and who have joined Monte Carlo cafe society must simply be very effective "capitalists" doesn't float. They are true natural talents who understand the financial system and its networks -- personal networks, financial networks, and silicon networks. The former Russian bankers who managed the countries Gold & Oil Sales, the ones who achieved understandings with De Beer's, the ones who managed Soviet international FOREX operations, and the ones who visited with Armand Hammer, and learned from him personally, probably had some sophistication in these matters. They've "dirtied" their hands with matters of Western finance, before. If they or their lieutenants have donated their talents to these enterprises, then Burwitz truly has his work cut out for him in educating and training at the new FBI School. He's not just facing some Caspian caviar smugglers. He's up against some of the finest talent available.
Both students and teachers said there was a remarkable similarity, however, in the use of evidence and investigatory tools among the countries. Eastern Europeans are very familiar with the use of DNA testing, for example, to identify suspects, although they don't always have the money to do it, Burwitzsaid."There are different orders of laws between the U.S. and here," said a Czech student who would identify himself only as Milan. "But essentially, we have the same methods of investigation."
A far worse scenario can come forward than Milan's. Let's suppose that the other side not only has complete familiarity with your arsenal of investigatory and evidentiary tools, but also has a superior knowledge of your own systems and their vulnerabilities, -- a knowledge that is superior to that you yourself possess. Let's assume that while you were building your systems, hard and soft systems, the other side has been studying them -- looking for holes and vulnerabilities, and quietly documenting them. Taking an action, no different than your very own study of their systems, actually. Now lets suppose that you destroy the other side's system, and cause economic collapse, social chaos, and national humiliation, while preserving your own system. An attempt at supremacy through "other means". Have you not invited a retaliatory attack? Some might suggest that you have ... Not that Eastern syndicate elements might wish to see the disease which has effected post-Soviet Russia propagate. A share in the taste of it. They're too busy tasting what was promised to them by the Voice of America and living the life of a model capitalist -- one of the characters from Dynasty. Groups such as the Congress of Russian Communities, and the decorated Afghan war hero, Gen. Alexander Lebed -- who Yeltsin asked to resign as commander of the 14th Russian Army following Lebed's criticism of the Kremlin -- certainly would have nothing to gain by retaliating in kind to the disease introduced into the Motherland. Striking at the state's head, clearly didn't solve this problem. The essential "talent" has simply re-organized into a new structure, one which is not under any central command or control hierarchy or authority. Simple chaotic self-interests organizing and emerging. Certainly upcoming Presidential Elections in June and November won't play a part in this. "I treat the word democracy with respect," fourty-five year-old Lebed told the newspaper Segodya recently. "But I am sure democracy will not be established within my lifetime. Our country is such that democracy will have to be built by authoritarian methods." Luckily, for all of us, President Boris Yeltsin is firmly in control. He has little to fear. Some people might be looking for a parallel to MacArthur / Truman, in this instance. But I personally wouldn't hang my hat on that hope. Lebed certainly wouldn't subscribe to Douglas MacArthur's statement after he was relieved of command in the Far East, in 1951, when he said, "I find in existence a new and heretofore unknown and dangerous concept that the members of our armed forces owe primary allegiance or loyalty to those who temporarily exercise the authority of the Executive Branch of the Government rather than to the country and its constitution which they swore to defend. No proposition could be more dangerous." The April/May ISSA Password had this to say. "Unless something is done by law enforcement and private security agencies on a global scale to deter these Russian criminals, they will be looting banks, corporations, and government agencies of billions of dollars -- without using guns or the traditional methods. Their modus operandi will be to rely solely on computer keyboards and the Internet. In an article published in the February 6, 1995, issue of the "Washington Times," international security expert and former Times editor-in-chief Arnaud de Borchgrave said: (sic) "Cyberspace detectives" report that financial thefts by Russian organized crime hackers on the Internet last year exceeded an estimated $5 Billion in the United States alone. Furthermore, he reports that about $300 million in untraceable computer transfers have vanished during the past two months (Jan/Feb 95) from banks and securities firms based on the East and West coasts of the U.S. I think in February (1995), the CIA and the National Security Agency (NSA) warned in a joint security report that, "The security of information systems and networks is the major security challenge of this decade and possibly the next century." Burwitz faces a challenge. If you face talent, information, money, and organization, while you can't even get your ducks lined up, if you can't maintain team discipline, then you might pretty well surrender. You've already ceded much of the high ground, as Burwitz can probably attest. To prevent the accusation of being a "red-baiter" perhaps, I might say that Mao Tse Tung, himself once noted: "Some people are intelligent in knowing themselves but stupid in knowing their opponents, and others the other way round; neither kind can solve the problem of learning and applying the laws of war." And to close, a return to de Borchgrave, who according to ISSA Password, wrote: "And it's not juvenile hackers who are committing these crimes. "Those doing it for the sheer pleasure of causing chaos on the net -- usually very young super-hackers -- have rapidly become the minority," one cyber detective told de Borchgrave. "Transnational crime gangs operating on several continents at almost the speed of light are now the main problems." Alice de 'nonymous ... <an455120@anon.penet.fi> ...just another one of those... P.S. This post is in the public domain. C. S. U. M. O. C. L. U. N. E.