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stop hunting sheep
A guide to CreAting sAfer networks
First printed in January, 2011 in Occupied Neutral Territory (Guelph, Ont.)
This zine is about exploring possibilities for countering covert investigative efforts initiated or assisted by police. The objective of countering all aspects of state led intelligence gathering is not inherently to reveal under-cover activity but to create a safer and less penetrable network to operate out of.
This zine offers suggestions on how to start making your networks safer and creating an active security culture within our everyday activities and organizing.
In light of the recent raids in the Pacific Northwest, the subpoenas, and the grand-jury, we’re reprinting this pamphlet.
1
Definitions of terms:
Informant: a person recruited by police to provide information
• Is a member(s), friend(s), or associate(s) of group• Referredtoas‘ConfidentialSource’or‘Confidential
Informant’bypoliceInfiltrator: a person who infiltrates a group by posing as
a genuine member• Maybemilitary,police,intelligence,corporate,private
contractor,patriot’• Maybecitizenfacingimprisonment
Snitch: someone who gives up incriminating evidence to authorities
Snitch Jacket: reputation for being an informant. • Usedinpolicejargonandstreetslang.• Originsinthepoliceinterrogationtacticofthreatening
criminalswhowillnot cooperate. Ironicallypoliceofficershavebeenknowntothreatentopublicizeorhavecorrectionalofficerspublicizethataperpetrator’s“jacket”saystheyareaninformanttogetthemtoinform.
Network: a social structure • made up of individuals (or organizations) which
are linked (connected) by one or more specific types ofinterdependency.
• RadicalNetworksmayhavecomplexlinksbasedonfriendship,sharinglivingspace,commoninterest,commonorganizationalpractice,membershipinorganizations,sharedidentity,sexualrelationshipsandconnectionstoaphysicalspace.
2
5 Basic infiltrator types
• Hang Around: less active, attends meetings, events, collects documents, observes & listens
• Sleeper: low-key at first, more active later• Novice: low political analysis, ‘helper’, builds trust and
credibility over longer term• Super Activist: out of nowhere, now everywhere. Joins
multiple groups or committees, organizer• Ultra-Militant: advocates militant actions & conflict
*Agent Provocateur: incites illegal acts for arrests or to discredit a group or movement
UnDercover Work
• Light Undercover: may have fake ID, more likely to return to family life on weekends, etc.
• Deep Undercover: fake govt-issued ID, employment & renting history, etc. 1)Mayhavejob,apartment,partner,orevenfamilyaspartofundercoverrole2) Lives role 24-hours day for extended time (withperiodicbreaks)
3
part i: an introDUction
Itmustbemadeclearthatifthereisonethingtotakefromthispamphlet,therearenofoolproofmethodsforrouting out undercovers and informants.This pamphletis about exploring possibilities for countering covertinvestigative efforts initiated or assisted by police. Theobjectiveofcounteringallaspectsofstate-ledintelligencegathering is not inherently to reveal undercover activitybuttocreateasaferandlesspenetrablenetworktooperate
“GOD: I own you like I own the caves. THE OCEAN: Not a chance.
No comparison.GOD: I made you. I could tame you.
THE OCEAN: At one time, maybe. But not now.
GOD: I will come to you, freeze you, break you.
THE OCEAN: I will spread myself like wings. I am a billion tiny feathers. You have no idea what’s happened to me.”
-Dave Eggers
4out of.Dialogue about this issueneeds tobe addressedwithabitoffinesseastherearemanydangers,disservices,and fruitless avenues people worried about undercoverinvestigativeoperationscanexplore.
Itisclearthatourpracticesindealingwithundercoverinvestigations need invigorated theoretical and practicalattention in amanner that we can communicate acrossourpersonalnetworks.Inthelastseveralyearsundercoveroperatives have been suspected or confirmed in radicalnetworksacross thecountry. In thecourtrooms,holdingcells and on the gallows, or navigating newworlds freefromimpositionandmisery,wewillrealizeitisonlyuswhocanorganizeourownsafetyandonlyourchoicesthatcanprepareusforfreedom.
There appears to be a rise in known infiltrationinvestigations inNorthAmerican radical networks,withthoroughdestabilizingeffectsonourcapacitiestostruggle,comradesfacingheavyrepressionandofcourse,thelessobvious consequences on our personal mental states.Theplace thatwe start iswithdialogue.We realize thatorganizinginradicalenvironmentshasledmanyofustohaveexperiencesalreadywithundercoveroperatives.Wehave all critically thought aboutdealingwith them, andhadpersonalexperienceorhaveheardhistoricalstoriesofindividualsandnetworksthathavedealtwiththeminthepast.Weallcomefromuniqueorganizingenvironments,andbothournetworksandpoliceinvestigativeoperationsareincrediblydynamic.Theneedfordialogueandpersonalreflection onmethods to provide greater protection forourselvesandthenetworksweorganizeoutofhasbecome
5anunavoidabledilemmatoconfront.Ouranalysisoftheshiftingterrainthatmakesournetworksgrowanddisband,and thorough communication of these understandings to otherradicalnetworksareourstrongesttoolsforsubvertingcovertpoliceoperations.
Aworkshopthatdealswithaddressingwaystocombatundercoverinvestigativeworkneedstoexplaintheroleofanundercover in relation tomuchbroader investigativeeffortsofpolice,(i.e.undercover’sandinformantsdonotexist in vacuums).They are not lone gunmen vigilantetypes. They are employed in specific investigations togatherinformation,buildcasesagainstpeopleandpossiblydestabilize the effectiveness of a network. If there is anundercoveroperative inyournetwork, theyareavisiblemanifestation of a larger investigation which often butnot always includes surveillance operations, groomersandhandlers,andpeopleworkingonthemoretechnicalaspectsof informationgathering.In thecaseofarecentundercoverpoliceoperation,ithasbeenrevealedthattheundercoverwasalwaysinverycloseproximitytotwootherpoliceofficers,whileinthepresenceofpeopleintheradicalnetworkstheywereembeddedin.Theyalsohadahandlerwhotheymetwithmorningandnighttoreviewnotesandmakedailyobjectives,and thereweremanymorepoliceinvolvedinsurveillanceoperations.
Therearealsovarioustypesofcovertoperativesthathaveinfiltratedanddestabilizedbothradicalandcriminalorganizations. Briefly, there are both shallow and deepundercovers.Informantsthatrangefrompeopleimbeddeddeeplyinradicalmovementsthatdecidetoswitchsidesand
6buildcasesaswellasformeralliesthatroleunderrepressivepressure.Thesenotesonlydealwithinformantsandpolicewhoareenteringnetworks,notstateswitnessesandheavilyembeddedinformantswhohavedevelopedalonghistoryoftrust.Thequestionofhowtocreatenetworksthatareuncompromisinglyfreeofsnitches,peoplewhocrossthelineandstareswitnessesneedtobeaddressedonamorefundamental level in different settings. For various casestudies, research Anna Davies, Jacob Ferguson, William O’Neal, Rob Gilchrist, Dave Hall, Jay “Jaybird” Dobyns, Alex Caine, Brendan Darby, Brenda Dougherty, Khalid Mohammad, Andrew Darst.
Protectingyoursafetyisprotectingeveryone’ssafety.Thegoal of anarchist agitation is tobuild a social forcethathasthepotentialtodestroyhierarchical institutionsandparadigmswithsolidarity.Othergoalsinclude:buildinginfrastructure and autonomous space, to intervene inconflict, to push tensions to conflict, and to realize thepotentials and interconnectedness of our personal andcollectivefreedom.Anarchistsexposethatliberalconceptsof individual freedomarepredicatedondominanceandapathytowardsothers,whereasindividualfreedomasananarchistconceptcannotbesevered fromthecollective,but can also only be personally defined.An example ofthiscanbeseeninoffensivestrugglesandtherelevanceofsolidaritycentraltotheanti-authoritarianspirit.AttackingpoliceforinstanceinVancouver,isadirectactofsolidaritywith people in Guelph or anywhere else who face thesameinstitutionsofrepression.Throughtheseattacks,theweakeningandtheexampleofinsolencehasimplications
7ontheinfallibilityofpoliceasenforcersofsocialmoralityandourcollectiveabilityandagencytofightthemandwinbackdecentralizedcontrol.
Onasimilarlevel,ourabilitytoorganizeourselvesinamannerthatiseffectiveinstavingofftheinvestigativeeffortsofthecriminaljusticesystem,whilemaintainingasocialpresence, is interwovenwithourconceptsof freedom. Ihaveheardpeoplewhohavejustbeendealtthedevastatingeffectsofundercoverpolicepillagingtheirsocialnetworksay,“the lesson to learn is that I need to distance myself from people I am not confident in and work on projects with people I know well.” Theissueisthatifweseeundercoveroperationsasathreattoourpersonalfreedomonly,wemakehalfeffortsthatremoveourselvesfromdangerandleaveournetworksopentoattack.Ifweindividuallyinvestigateandcriticallyexamineallthelinksinournetworksinsteadofremovingourselvesfrompartsofthem,weprovideagreatersecuritytoournetworkandourselves.Wearestrengthenedbytheactsofmutualaidandsolidarity,theyprotectusandatthesametimemakeusmoredangerousanduncontrollable.
“Let the pigs join our activist group, they can cook our food and wash our dishes. They aren’t going to get shit, because I got nothing to hide.” It is still a fairlyprevalent idea thatcovertpoliceinvestigationsdon’treallyharmnetworksifthemoreclandestineculturewithinthesenetworksstayswellsealedfromtheoutside,(i.e.sickthemontheactivistgroupsorifyouareconcernedaboutsomeone,letthemstayinvolvedinaperipheralwayaslongastheydon’tgetclose).Theconceptcomesoutoftheconceitednotionthatthemilitantisthecenterofinvestigativeefforts.Thislogic
8doesnot consider that criminal investigations into anti-authoritariannetworksaremeantnot just tocriminalizemilitant resistance, but destabilize and undermine thenetworksthemselves.
Thementalityofthelaissez-faireanarchistinrelationtoinvestigativeeffortscomesoutoflaziness,notwantingtoupsettheherd,notwantingtomakeyourselflooklikeapersonwhoisconcernedaboutpoliceinvestigations,notwantingyourselftolooklikeasnitchjacket,nothavingthetoolstoinquirefurtheraboutsomeonesbackground,andfeelinghelplessorisolatedandprobablyotherreasonsaswell. Ir ishumantohavethesefeelingsandrationalitiesbutitisultimatelythemostdangerousthingtodo.Intheabsenceofbeingroutedoutofnetworks,covertoperativesendupbuildingcredentialsthroughassociation,buildingintensivesocialprofilesoneveryone,findingpressurepointstocausetensionandconflictwithinnetworks,entrappingpeople,andmonitoringourdailylivesfromthecomfortofourlivingrooms.
A final note: There may be people in your network that you are uncomfortable with or find disruptive to organizing efforts. They may not be an undercover operative but still need to be confronted or removed from an organizing capacity to provide safety or a more functional network. Although the goals may not be the same, the destabilizing effects of these relationships on networks have similar effects and should be openly discussed.
9
part ii: the practical siDe of a safer netWork
Weattenddiscussions, read informationon anddoresearchaboutthehistoryofrepressioninradicalnetworksatleastpartiallytolearnpracticallessonsthatapplytoourlife.Belowisanattempttodevelopanincompletesetofguidelinesfordiscussionwhichcanbeadaptedandappliedtoournetworkstoday.
“Thank you for teaching us that, against power, the only lost battle is the one not fought.” -Diego Rios
10Brieflywehaveincludedsomebroadsuggestionsfor
toolsthatmaybehelpfulinaidingpersonaleffortstocreateastrongerbaseofsafety.
BUilDing yoUr toolBox
• Understandandresearchthedifferenttypesofrisksthat are posed from undercover’s, informants and statewitnesses.
• Research thehistoricalcasestudiesand impactsofundercover’s,informantsandsnitchesonsocialmovementsandunderworldtendencies.
• Review relevant police literature on investigativetechniques, to gain insight into ways undercover policeoperations may function and to develop investigativetechniquestouseincombativewaysandgainsecurity.
• Reviewliteratureandongoingdiscussionsrelatedtosecurityculture.Examinethehistoryoforganizingmethodsused in radical networks, revolutionary organizations indifferent eras and places and comparing them tomodernaffinity-based organizational models of today’s anarchistnetworks
• For historical examples research: OCAP, OsCangaceiros, Rote Zora, The A.L.F/E.L.F, The Red ArmyFaction, The I.R.A., The Black Panthers, InsurrectionaryAnarchism, Autonomist movements and Anti-fascistresistanceinoccupiedEuropeduringWWII.OrreadbookssuchasWeAreAnImageOf”TheFuture,TheSubversionOfPolitics,AgentsofRepression:TheFBI’sSecretWarAgainsttheBlackPantherPartyandtheAmericanIndianMovement,BlackMask&UpAgainstTheWallMotherfucker,Argentina’sAnarchistPast:ParadoxesofUtopia,ConfrontingFascism...
11secUrity gUiDelines for DiscUssion
“It is easy to hit a bird flying in a straight line.” -B. Gracian
Thisisasecurityguidelinefordevelopingsafernetworksinto6partsforfurtherdiscussion.Therewillneverbesinglesolutions.Thismodelmayprovidesuggestionsthatguideamoresecurepractice.Ultimately,thesestructuredwaysofcreatingmoresecurenetworksmustbeverydynamictocontinuerelevance.Asinvestigativeeffortsadapt,sodoourpracticestostayahead.
Theyare:• Creatingabaseofsafetylist• Creatinganetworkmap• Tacticsforfurtherinquiry• Communicatingwithyourbase• Communicatingwithapotentialpoliceinformant• Concludingaction
create a Base of safety list
Createalistofpeoplethatareinvolvedinyournetworks.Askingyourselfaseriesofstructuredquestionswhichrevealyourlevelofsafetywithanindividualinthenetwork.
• whoarethepeopleclosetoyou?• howdoyouknowthem?
12• whoareyourcomrades(peopleyouworkonprojects
with)?• who are the people you likely enter confrontation
with?• whatistheirhistoricalconnectiontoyou?• howdidyoumeet,wheredidyoumeet?• throughwhichpeoplewereyouintroduced?• haveyoumettheirotherfriendsfromdifferentsocial
networks?• haveyoumettheirfamilies?• canpeopleyoutrustverifytheirhistory?• are thereaspectsof their lifeyouhaveahard time
communicating about or verifying (work, home, vehicle,aspectsoftheirpast)?
• haveyouclearlytalkedaboutandaresatisfiedwiththe intentions of the
• peopleyouorganizewithontheprojectsyoumutuallyworkon?
• doyoulikehowtheycommunicatetoothersaboutsimilarexperiencesyouhavehadwiththem?
• doyouhaveastrongsenseoftrust?Why?
Youwill nowhave divided lists of people. Some ofwhichyouwereateaseansweringtheabovequestionsforandfeelverysecureandtrustingwith:This isyourbaseofsafety.Otherpeopleonthelistyoumayknowvaryingdegreesofinformationaboutbuthaverevealedthataspectsof their lifeor theway you relate to themmaybe alooftoyou.Youwanttocommunicatemotewiththembeforeaddingthemtoyourbaseofsafety.Youwillrealizethata
13hierarchyofknowledgeandsafetywillprobablydevelop,wheresomepeoplemayjustneedsmallconversationstofeelmoresecurewith,andotherpeoplemayneedalotofefforttorevealsafety.
On apersonal level investigative lists like these areformalextensionsofourchoices inassociationwemakementallyonadailybasis.Thisexerciseistosharpenourability tomake informed and critical choices about thepeopleweassociatewith.Thegoals in theseassessmentquestionsaretocriticallyunderstandthesocialrelationsthat make up day-to-day interactions with the broadernetworkyoucommonlyrelateto.Analyzingrelationshipsinthismannermaybeeffectiveinbothmappingandrealizinganetworkofrelativesafety,whileexposingaspectsofpeopleyouwanttolearnmoreaboutinthehopesofthembecomingsaferlinksinyournetwork.Theuseofexerciseslikethisaffirmsabaseofsafetyandallowsforpro-activeindividualresearch,preferablyinperiodsofrelativecalm.Takingthetimeandenergytodothisworkarestepstowardscriticaland empowering choices related to our safety that stealagencyfromthegripsofparanoidhaplessnessandfear.
create a netWork map
Placethelistofpeopleinyournetworkontoanetworkmap.Use3differentcolorpensormarkerstowritepeoplesnamesonthemap,dependingonwhethertheyareonyournewbaseofsafety,orsomeoneyouwouldliketoknowmoreaboutbeforeaddingthemtoyourlist.
14• Color1)BaseOfSafety• Color2)Peoplethatneedslightlymorecommunication• Color3)Peoplethatrequirealotofcommunication.
Now create links using more colors to reveal the perceived connections of people within the network.
• Color4)Wholivestogether• Color5)Whoarepeopleclosesttoyouinthenetwork• Color6-?)Usemarkerstodefineprojectmembership
to thebest of your ability (i.e. onemarkerwill beused toconnectthemembersofyourlocalFNBgroup,whileanothermarkerwillbeusedtodefinetheBookstoPrisonersgroup.)
Note: It would be foolish to include clandestine organizational efforts in this list.
Your completed map will now reveal several details:• The level at which people are embedded in your
networksbytheamountandtypesoflinkstheyhave.• Thetypesofsocialconnectionsthatpeoplehaveto
eachotherinanetwork.It could reveal...• That someone you are interested in more
communicationwithisalsoclosetopeoplethatareonyourbaseofsafety.
• Therearepeopleyouorotherpeople inyourbaseofsafetyorganizewiththathavetenuoussocialconnections.
• Doyouneedhelpfrompeopleinyourbaseofsafetytoassistintheinquiry?
15tactics for fUrther inqUiry
It is imperativetoseethepeopleyouwanttoknowmoreaboutaspeoplewiththepotentialtobeinyoursafetynetwork.Ifyoubelievethatthereisnowayyouwilleverfeelsafewiththatpersoninyournetwork,thereareprobablymore issues than just untrustworthy behavior. Considertalkingwith very close friends from your base of safetyabout options, such as, removing that person fromyournetwork,orhavingadiscussionwith thepersonaroundwhyyoudonotwanttoorganizewiththem.
Soft Questions• Softquestionsaremeanttobeaskedinsubtleand
undetectedwaysandareaimedatrevealinginformationinawaythatmasksintentionofthequestioner.
• Think about the environment and atmosphereandattempttocontrol theenvironmentalvariablesforthequestions.Arelaxedandcomfortablepersonismorelikelygoingtohavetheirguarddown.Theyaremorelikelygoingtoindulgeyoutokeepupthepleasantriesofconversation.Itisalsoimpossibletodetectshiftsinbodylanguageandfacialexpressionwhenpeoplearestressedout.Subtleandbenignquestionsfocusedaroundthedirectionofaspectsoftheirlifethatyouwouldliketoknowmoreaboutmayhelp.Ifyouwanttounderstandtheirpastbetter,forexample,duringafriendlyconversationyoucould steer thedirectionofconversationtoyourfamilyhistory,andmaybeaskquestionslike:Whatisyourmom’sname?Didshekeephermaidennameoristhatyourdadslastnametoo?
16Hard Questions• Hardquestionsaremeant tobe interrogative.They
aremeanttoputthepersonyouarecommunicatingwithonedge,toletthemknowthatyouareseriousaboutretaininginformation.
• These types of questions are aimed at revealinginformation through implied coercion. They work withquestions that you can verify in themoment.Wherewereyouborn?Wheredidyougotoprimaryschool?Whatisyourbirthday?Whatisyourmiddlename?Whatjobdoyouhave?GivemeyourparentsphonenumberandwaitherewithmewhileIverifytheinformation...
Physical Surveillance• LicenseplatesandVINnumbers• Addressesforsurveillance(garbagechecks,visits)
Case Studies:OntheEastCoastafreedomofInformationrequest
led to the deduction of an operational informant, andthrough investigative efforts they narrowed their searchandsurveilledapotentialinformantuntilconfirmation.
InPittsburghduringthe leadupto theG-20apopquestionnaire was put on everybody that attended ameeting.Whenonepersoncouldnotanswerthequestionsadequately, they were asked to leave the meeting anddisappearedfromthenetwork.
17When traveling to some networks in Europe it is
common for people to ask you for background checksinvolvingphonenumbersofpeopleclosetoyouandotherverifyinginformationbeforeyouenterthenetwork.
A license plate check through the MinistryofTransportationinOntariomayrevealwhotheownerofacaris,andwhetherthecarisafleetvehicleorbelongstoacompanythatdealswithlawenforcement.
ResearchinGuelphrelatedtoverificationofBrendaDoughertyasastudentatthelocaluniversity,couldhaveoutedherasanundercoverasearlyasSeptember2009.
commUnicating With yoUr Base
Contrarytotheverycommon,veryuninformedsnitch-jacketingthatgoesoninanti-authoritariannetworks,weneed to develop a security model that limits paranoiathroughgatheringintelligenceandcommunicatinginwaysthatrefrainfromalarmandsensationalism.
Allcommunicationapproachesarecontextual,thesesuggestionsarebasedonpersonalexperienceandreflectionandmaynotapply.
Theimportanceanddelicacyofcommunicationwithyournetworkcannotbeunderstated.Securityissueshaveawayofbringingoutirrational,frustratedandupsettingtendencies within most people. It is hard to broach aconversation that focuseson the idea that aperson youknowcouldpotentiallybemanipulatinganddeceivingyouformaliciouspurposesandinmanywayscancausestrongtensionanddivisionsamongstthenetwork.
18Inmyexperiencewithconversationsrelatedtodealing
withpotentialundercover’s,therewasalwaysastrongsenseofdivisionandfrustrationamongstclosefriendsonhowtoapproachtheperson,ifatall.Withthisknowledge,thinkaboutwaystodisarmandde-escalatepotentiallydivisiveconversationswithpeoplebeforeyouhavethem.Hieplacetostartcommunicationisonthegroundfloorofgeneralinquirywithexplanationsthatbuildcasesformoreresearchonanindividualoraddpeopletoapositiononyourbaseofsafety.
Thinkhardabouthowyouwanttorevealinformationyouhavetoyourveryclosestcomrades,topeoplewhoareclosestwithpeopleyouareinquiringabout,andofcoursetotheindividualyouareinterestedinwiththegoalbeingazerotoleranceforgossipandhurtfulrumors.TheobjectiveofgoodcommunicationasistheobjectiveofcounteringallaspectsofState-ledintelligencegatheringisnotinherentlytorevealundercoveractivitybuttocreateasaferandlesspenetrablenetwork.Thisdesireforpersonalandcollectivesafetycanbehelpfulincommunicationwithhostilepeopleinthenetworkoverthedesiretofindaratthatmaynotexist.
commUnicating With potential UnDercover operatives
• Knowthatiftheyareinyourpresenceandtheyareworking,theyverywellmaynotbealone,intermsofrecordingdevicesorunseenlawenforcement.
• Waitforconfirmationbeforeallegations.
• Watchthewaysyouthreatenpeopleandmakechoicesbasedonwellthoughtoutplans.Intimidatingapeace/policeofficerisbecomingamorewidelyusedcharge.
• Notrevealingintensionsandafriendlyattitudecanbemoreappropriateforgleaninginformationthaninterrogativecommunication.
k
”Let us speak, though we show all our faults and weaknesses, for it is a sign of strength
to be weak, to know it, and out with it - not in a set way and ostentatiously, though, but
incidentally and without premeditation.” -Herman Melville