De voorbeelden van infiltratie door de FBI bij allerlei actiegroepen zijn overweldigend. De dienst lijkt overal de vinger in de pap te willen hebben. Van de Black Lives Matter tot de Proud Boys. Een informant uit de jaren vijftig, zestig en zeventig en een verhaal over een vermeende informant bij de bestorming van de Capitol op 6 januari 2021, maken duidelijk wat het probleem met informanten is.
Het verhaal over de informant uit de vorige eeuw gaat over fotograaf Ernest Withers die ook een FBI-informant was. Withers hielp de dienst bij de surveillance van allerlei individuen en organisaties die actief waren in de burgerrechtenbeweging, vredesgroepen en vakbonden in Memphis van 1958 tot 1976. De infiltratie en de surveillance van de huidige Black Lives Matter beweging ligt in het verlengde van die monitoring activiteiten. Veel is er dus sinds de Tweede Wereld Oorlog niet veranderd ten aanzien van de monitoring van burgerrechtenbewegingen in de Verenigde Staten. Dat ook rechts wordt geïnfiltreerd maakt een informant bij de Proud Boys duidelijk.
Natuurlijk is er een verschil in de behandeling van bewegingen. Het politie optreden bij boerenprotesten in Nederland maakt dat eens temeer duidelijk. Bijna met fluwelen handschoenen worden de tractors gestreeld. Dat was wel anders bij allerlei corona protesten of protesten van klimaatactivisten. Je auto of je fiets is bij die protesten niet veilig. Laten we maar niet spreken over mensen die het opnemen voor vluchtelingen of protesteren tegen racisme in Nederland.
Een voorbeeld van een vermeende informant bij de bestorming van de Capitol op 6 januari 2021 laat echter goed zien wat het fundamentele probleem is van het gebruik van informanten/infiltranten. Het gaat om Ray Epps die door de republikeinen wordt geportretteerd als provocateur van de staat om de Capitol te bestormen en door democraten en kritische Trump media wordt gezien als een demonstrant die niet vervolgd en veroordeeld is voor deelname aan het protest, maar wel aanwezig was. Probleem is dat andere activisten die op vergelijkbare posities zijn gezien bij de Capitol wel zijn veroordeeld en dat Epps daadwerkelijk mensen zou hebben aangezet om deel te nemen aan de bestorming. Epps en zijn advocaat zeggen dat hij geen informant was. De FBI zwijgt. Gevolg een typische twee kampen discussie, democraten versus republikeinen.
Probleem bij een zwart – wit discussie is dat de vaak veel interessantere nuances verdwijnen. Natuurlijk weten activisten dat bij arrestaties het vaak niet zo is dat iedereen die op dezelfde plek aanwezig was ook daadwerkelijk voor hetzelfde vergrijp wordt veroordeeld. Sommige mensen hebben pech anderen gewoon mazzel.
Alleen bij de ongeregeldheden van 6 januari 2021 is dat onderscheid nogal vreemd. De FBI heeft namelijk duidelijk aangegeven iedereen te willen aanpakken en gezien de aantallen en veroordelingen zijn ze daar ook mee bezig. En er zijn allerlei andere geruchten over informanten en observatieteams van de FBI in en rond de Capitol. Redenen genoeg om vragen te stellen.
Nu kan het zijn dat Epps meewerkt met de FBI. Is leeggelopen, iedereen die hij kent heeft aangegeven en daarmee zijn straf probeert te ontlopen. Hij kan schuld hebben bekend, maar ja dan komt er toch een veroordeling. Allemaal mogelijkheden, maar waarom wijst hij op beelden mensen duidelijk de weg naar de bestorming, dat deed niet iedereen, de meesten volgden gewoon de massa.
En waarom fluistert hij iemand iets in zijn oor. Zijn advocaat zegt dat hij mensen maande tot kalmte. Het fluisteren lijkt echter niet tot kalmering, want daarna vervolgde de doorbraak van de beveiligingslinies. Al met al allerlei reden genoeg om twijfels te hebben bij het gedrag en de antwoorden van Epps en de antwoorden en verklaringen van de autoriteiten. Natuurlijk hoeft hij dan nog geen informant te zijn en het is natuurlijk opmerkelijk dat de republikeinen spreken over een overheidsprovocateur terwijl zij in het verleden bij ongeregeldheden graag de activisten de schuld gaven.
Probleem is dat informanten en provocateur elkaar vaak niet uitsluiten. Genoeg voorbeelden ook in Nederland van provocateurs die informant bleken te zijn. Dat wil niet zeggen dat de FBI Epps opdracht gaf om te provoceren, maar dat risico ligt bij informanten en infiltranten altijd op de loer. Zij willen scoren, met wat nieuws komen, met juicy informatie, met een complot. Voorbeelden van informanten/infiltranten in de Amerikaanse moslimgemeenschap, maar ook in extreemrechtse scene maken dat duidelijk. De informanten/infiltranten waren vaak de bedenkers van het plan, zorgden voor de hardware en de leden van de actiegroep waren vaak mensen zonder de mentale capaciteiten om een actie van de grond te krijgen en meestal slechts pionnen in het informanten spel.
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Inhoudsopgave Observant #80 Benaderingen omdat protesteren een terroristische handeling is
Gehele Observant #80 Benaderingen omdat protesteren een terroristische handeling is