There is a precedent for companies not only receiving information from law enforcement agencies during investigations on national terrorism, but also cooperates directly with the FBI. The German claims that this was particularly apparent during the reaction to the wave of protests of oil pipelines at the beginning of 2010.
Records published by GRIST INFORMATION WITH And typical investigations have shown that the FBI recognized one pipeline operator as a “domain stakeholder” in one protest matter, which gave the company “direct access to the White House” and privileged information. Business He was also invited To strategist with the FBI, Internal Security Department, the National Guard and the local police. And there are talks about “ensuring coordination and resource management” not only among law enforcement officers, but also with the company.
Another pipeline designer employed the company Monitoring and infiltrat Protest groups and write Intelligence reportswhich were sometimes made available to federal law enforcement agencies and local police, in accordance with intercept reports. One of these pipeline operators informed the local police along the proposed pipeline route, how to do it Probably chasing Grist informed that penalty allegations against the organizers.
Even after the disappearance of Naftowe and Gas Protests, they remained close to the police and the government. One Canadian company Pipelines paid local police departments in Minnesotan Over $ 5 million in 2020 and 2021 for the protests of police pipelines. From 2017, lobbyists of fossil fuels They pushed over 20 states Accepting regulations that disturb “critical infrastructure”, such as oil and gas pipelines, crime, in accordance with the files obtained by Guardian.
Although it is not clear how the current investigations in the terrorism of FBI, Musk and other Tesla managers will eventually have similar access to them and influence them. When cases go to court, Tesla may also qualify for compensation from the government in the form of a restitution ordered by the court.
Such funds are often used to pay families of the victims of terrorism, but German says that turborated corporations are also qualifying. In a successful criminal case, he says that he sees no reason why Tesla will not receive compensation. Tesla can also qualify for money from compensation programs regarding the victim of terrorism at the level that get some Financing from the federal government.
Risk for protesters
Investigation of domestic terrorism is often burdened. Organizations such as American Civil Liberties Union he argued about it The FBI routinely uses them for unfair research of activists and colored communities without proper supervision.
President Trump said that his administration takes Tesla’s incidents very seriously. “People who will be caught on the sabotage of Teslas will have a very good chance of prison for a period of up to twenty years, and this includes founders,” wrote Trump Wa Post on social media on Thursday. “We’re looking for you !!!”
Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU National Security Project, claims that instead of “focusing on the most serious criminal proceedings that harm life”, federal agencies have wasted resources and abused their authorities, “treating alleged civil disobedience or vandalism without violence.”
Historically, German says, the FBI has supported the idea called “theory of radicalization”, which assumes that the beliefs of extremists naturally escalate with moderate and widely kept beliefs. This logic, says, justifies the FBI throwing a wide supervision network, especially when it comes to monitoring activists.
“They suggest that anyone who has a similar ideology may be willing to commit the same kind of crime,” explains the German. “We have seen a lot of abuses of the FBI investigative authorities, especially among domestic groups of sparkling.”
Five years ago, the FBI used the act on foreign intelligence supervision In order to examine participating persons At Black Lives Matter Protests, studying whether they had connections with terrorists. . General Inspector He called the incident an example of the “universal incompatibility” of the FBI with the principles of FISA.
German claims that in this case, instead of focusing on people who allegedly committed arson or acts of violence, the concentration of the FBI can ultimately examine people who, according to him, express “anger or hostility towards Tesla or Elon Musk.”