Conspiracy for the Day -- December 16, 1993
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                    ("Quid coniuratio est?")

[From *Secret and Suppressed* by Jim Keith, editor. Portland: 
Feral House, 1993.]
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Affidavit of Ken Fawcett

I am the individual who started the communication process to 
the besieged individuals inside Mt. Carmel [the Branch Davidian 
complex]. With help from Ron Engleman of radio station KGBS, we 
employed a method involving the use of a satellite dish on top 
of the Mt. Carmel Complex. i.e., moving it back and forth to 
signify an affirmative answer to on-air questions. Integral to 
the process is my personal satellite downlink equipment (three 
TURO dishes, 2 C-band, and 1 combination C and Ku band (12.7 - 
12.9 Ghz.) The Ku band system is still somewhat new to the 
civilian and non-media public and are relatively rare (about 
5,000 nationwide.)

I became involved in the situation last Monday after observing 
numerous contradictions between what was actually occurring on 
the scene and what was being reported by the off-air media. In 
addition, beginning Tuesday evening I began monitoring and 
taping both domestic and foreign correspondent satellite Ku 
band uplinks or transmissions from the "media checkpoint." On 
Wednesday, March 3, after already removing the media twice for 
"safety concerns," the FBI imposed restrictions upon the 
television media as to the use of more than 200x telephoto 
lenses on live shots, and upon the use of ambient light sensing 
"night vision" equipment. Bear in mind this type of ambient 
light equipment cannot in any way interfere with that being 
used by ATF or FBI. The restriction was as follows: night 
vision can only be used by the networks on a one-hour delay and 
restricted to two hours per night. Foreign correspondents, 
fearing for the safety of the citizens within the complex, 
maintained all-night vigils, using night vision as well as 400x 
lenses. Monitoring these foreign transmissions, I was able to 
observe and videotape the following atrocities.

On March 2, 1993, at approximately 11 pm, while monitoring live 
Ku band transmissions from the Waco media set-up, I was 
surprised to view what was certainly an almost unedited video 
"refeed" of the assault. Having monitored news feeds in the 
past I knew from experience that the tape would be run twice. I 
proceeded to tape the second feed... this tape has been 
duplicated and distributed for my protection.

Over the ensuing weeks the tape was studied carefully by myself 
as well as by several men with military and law enforcement 
backgrounds. The conclusions reached are as follows:

1. BATF officers, either through mishandling, improper 
preparation, and/or defective equipment, suffered a minimum of 
two accidental weapon discharges. The first of which involved 
the Heckler-Koch MP5 assault rifle, and resulted in the death 
of Special Agent Stephen Willis and the injuring of another 
officer, as yet unidentified.

The second discharge occurred on an aluminum ladder, involving 
a Sig-Sauer P228 semi-automatic handgun, which, according to 
John C. Killorin, Chief of Public Affairs, ATF, has no safety. 
The weapon discharged in the holster of Agent Conway C. LeBleu, 
resulting in a flesh wound to his right leg. Agent LeBleu was 
able to ascend the ladder but met with death after entering a 
second-story window.

2. The attack plan failed to take into account the unusual 
architecture of the compound and thereby subjected officers 
crossing the roof from South to North to crossfire from agents 
seen firing from behind vehicles located on the west or front 
side of the compound.

3. The plan overestimated and/or was misinformed as to the 
construction of exterior and interior walls. This caused 
helicopter-based gunfire to pass completely through the 
building at angles endangering friendly forces on the ground.

4. The plan relied too heavily upon radio communication. When 
those communications were compromised, there was confusion as 
to the location of various forces, "enemy" as well as friendly. 
This too was a factor in the accidental tossing of a 
fragmentation device into the second story room, further 
identified as a 10' x 10' room adjoining David Koresh's living 
quarters, which led to the death of agents Robert J. Williams, 
Todd McKeehan and Conway LeBleu.

5. Despite public statements to the contrary, agents are seen 
firing blindly into walls and windows without properly 
acquiring a target. This practice is known as "spray and pray" 
in law enforcement circles, and is unacceptable while executing 
an arrest warrant on one man, and one man only, where more than 
100 other innocent women, children and men are residing.

6. If after-the-fact statements by ATF spokespersons are true, 
and these affiants actually possessed and/or were suspected to 
possess weapons in the type and amount necessary to warrant the 
enforcement manpower at hand, then it is clear that management 
personnel failed miserably in pre-arranging ambulance and 
medical services for wounded or traumatized, as evidenced by 
agents seen and heard well into the firefight telling TV 
cameramen to "call for an ambulance."

7. ATF spokesmen Dan Conroy, Jack Killorin, Steven Higgins and 
David Troy have repeatedly stated that the "element of 
surprise" was paramount to the success of the "mission," yet 
videotape reveals that two reporters are actually sitting 
clearly visible in a tree in front of the compound, and channel 
10 crews were actually invited to "follow the ATF horse 
trailers in," per conversation with Mr. Virgil L. Teter, KWTX, 
Waco.

8. Despite insistence that National Guard helicopters were 
requisitioned only to search for "hot spots" in the compound, 
their approach is clearly too low and off to the right and left 
to provide such a function.

9. Despite public statements that the three helicopters used in 
the raid sustained fire, they are seen being examined in 
subsequent videotape and no damage is visible.

10. An unidentified Davidian is seen and heard from a lower 
story doorway repeatedly calling for "peace" each time he is 
met with a hail of gunfire.

11. Agents are taped being assisted by Branch Davidians in the 
stabilization and evacuation of wounded officers; this behavior 
is inconsistent with persons having murderous intent.

12. The time of the Feb. 28th raid was deliberately misstated 
by two hours to allow editing of the video news tape before 
being released to the public.

13. There were no less than three TV station crews waiting at 
the gate to follow the BATF into the complex.

14. The press was moved back three times in the first two days 
of the so-called stand-off to obscure from view federal agents 
"cleaning up" the bodies of two unarmed Branch Davidians killed 
by ATF snipers several hours after the "raid" had ended.

15. Even though it's been widely reported that the final 
conflagration fire scene was too hot for investigators and 
medical examiners to enter for two days (because of "one 
million" rounds of "live" ammo), I have videotaped footage of 
FBI agent Bob Ricks, ATF agent Swenson and others walking 
around in the ashes less than two hours after the fire was 
brought under control, wearing no protective clothing or 
eyegear whatsoever.