-Caveat Lector-
Press charges rough treatment
Latest fireworks
in Texas Army training exercise
By David M. Bresnahan
© 1999 WorldNetDaily.com
FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, Texas --
Two members of the press claim they were harassed,
intimidated, abused and arrested trying to cover a
military training exercise. The Army denies the charges.
Operation Last Dance, which began Feb. 8 and
continued through the weekend, conducted a large
mock raid by members of the highly trained elite Night
Stalkers and Delta Force out of Fort Bragg, North
Carolina.
Criticism of the training event has centered around the
use of civilian locations, exposing innocent bystanders
to the use of live ammunition and explosives. The
military has also been criticized for not providing people
in the area of the exercises with advance warning. Many
reported being badly frightened by what they thought
was a real battle.
The exercise conducted Thursday night took place on
the Army base, where the past concerns could be put
to rest. The Night Stalkers flew members of the Delta
Force to an abandoned hospital on the base, according
to public affairs officer Phil Reidinger.
"There was a group of people, unidentified, who got
into possession of some classified material without a
hand receipt," Reidinger explained to WorldNetDaily of
the scenario for the exercise. "So they came to get it.
That's what it was (laughing).
"You have to have some kind of scenario. We prepared
the building. We took out all the original windows in the
building and put mock windows up there so they could
rappel off the roof and jump into them like you see in
the movies. And we took all the original doors off and
put plywood doors up so they could practice getting
through obstacles."
Reidinger explained that the entire base was placed on
a special alert status, which was still in effect on Friday
after the exercise was over, but clean up was under
way. That status was what got the reporter and
photographer in trouble.
"We're still under a threat condition alpha, anti-terrorist
status right now, OK? So, since we are under a
recognized, authorized threatcon, then anyone who is
taking pictures or doing whatever, then the MPs have
cause to question them. And that was their cause for
doing that," explained Reidinger.
During the exercise itself, the media were permitted to
observe the event from a designated location controlled
by Reidinger, or from locations outside the base under
the control of the local police. Safety was given as the
primary reason for controlling press access.
"For example. These troops were in night vision goggles
using night vision devices both in the aircraft and
outside. So we had a no light policy," said Reidinger.
Unlike previous exercises in Texas towns, the local
residents were given warning of what would happen.
"We alerted the people in the neighborhoods around the
post. We alerted them that we were going to do the
exercise. It was a lawn chair and picnic basket event for
them," he said.
Reidinger confirmed that the same soldiers who had
been conducting training exercises in at least five
different locations around Corpus Christi were the ones
who were involved in the Thursday night event. He
would not confirm that it was part of Operation Last
Dance, but he did not deny it either.
Alex Jones, talk show host from KJFK radio, had gone
to the base with his photographer, Mike Hanson to
document what had happened. Both men said the base
was open to the public. No signs were posted indicating
there were any special restrictions, and there were no
security guards posted at the entrance.
Both men said there were many civilians in the area
taking pictures and looking around. They believe they
were unfairly singled out, and treated improperly.
"There's these muscular guys walking around with short
haircuts and sunglasses, and there's these guys on the
roof who see us. Look like spooks. They point at us.
All of a sudden the MPs come pulling up. Jump out.
Run up," described Jones.
"They run up and say, 'National security.' We set the
camera down. Then they grab the camera. Then they
arrest Mike, and put him in the back of the car," he told
WorldNetDaily.
"This is Fort Sam Houston. The home of Army
medicine. This is not a secure base. It's wide open.
There's businesses in there and stuff. It's a medical area.
It's for retirees. There's even a museum," he added.
"When they came up I turned the camera on them, like
we usually do on these kinds of stories," described
Hanson. "They said, 'Turn the camera off. Turn the
camera off. This is national security. National security.'
"If it's national security, then why don't they have guards
at the entrances," asked Hanson.
"He got real mad and reached down and took the
camera out of my hand and started pushing on the eject
button. He couldn't get it. He was so embarrassed that
he couldn't get it out of the machine that he just threw
the camera down and broke the cordless mike off of
the top.
"Then he said, ' Arrest him. Arrest him.' That corporal,
or whoever he is, threw me on the ground and
handcuffed me and started searching me," explained
Hanson.
Jones claims Reidinger told him that the problems with
the MPs would not have taken place if Reidinger had
been there from the beginning. He did not arrive until
about 30 minutes after the incident began.
Reidinger confirmed what Jones said, but did not
confirm the rough treatment that Jones and Hanson
reported. He also denied that either of the men were
placed under arrest. He said they were simply detained.
"Right now I'm trying to get -- Alex is cool -- I'm trying
to get Mike to calm down," explained Reidinger. "You
know. Have a beer and forget about it.
"Mike has a little press card on his belt. So that really
exacerbated the situation because the MPs saw that.
And I wasn't there," he admitted.
Both Jones and Hanson claim they were singled out,
harassed, and intimidated because they were members
of the press. They say Reidinger's comments about the
press card confirm that.
Hanson claims his camera was thrown to the ground,
breaking his wireless microphone. He says he was
slammed into the ground, and his face was pushed into
the dirt while he was handcuffed. He said he did nothing
to provoke the action.
"They had the camera and the tape. I was not threat to
them," complained Hanson.
He said he was thrown into the waiting police car and
told he was being arrested and would be taken to jail.
He said one of the MPs tried to coerce him many times.
"He said this about 10 times," said Hanson. "He kept
saying it. He said, 'Don't force me to defend myself,
boy.'" Hanson was handcuffed so tightly the circulation
to his hands was shut off, leaving him with cuts and
welts. He was also strapped into the seat of the car,
and the same MP suddenly slammed his fist against his
neck, pressing it to the side and back against the seat.
Hanson wondered how he could force someone to
defend himself in such a condition.
Reidinger would only say that he was not there and did
not know what happened.
Jones claimed that the tape was taken without their
permission, and that Reidinger forced $4 cash into his
pocket over his objections as compensation for the
confiscated tape. Hanson said he believes he was
actually kidnapped and abused, not just arrested.
Reidinger claims the men were not arrested, stating
instead that they were detained. He insisted that there
was no harsh treatment or abuse involved.
By Friday afternoon Reidinger said he had reviewed the
tape and would return it to the two men, who would
have to travel from Austin to San Antonio to retrieve it.
"Hopefully I'll get my $4 back," Reidinger told
WorldNetDaily.
"What's more against our national security," questioned
a frustrated Hanson as he discussed the contrast
between the encounter he had with MPs and the
civilians endangered by live-fire exercises during
Operation Last Dance.
"These black helicopters are endangering our cities. I
was down there (Kingsville). These people are actually
scared. Bombs going off. Machine guns. Fires. I don't
understand why they think that we're criminals, but they
can turn around and attack a civilian area with no
warning using live ammunition.
"I don't understand how they can get away with this,"
said Hanson.
David M. Bresnahan, a contributing editor for
WorldNetDaily.com, is the author of "Cover Up:
The Art and Science of Political Deception," and
offers a monthly newsletter "Talk USA
Investigative Reports." He may be reached through
email and also maintains a website.
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