Bush Supporters in Boston

23 July 2004, Jason Ryan and Richard Esposito, ABC News

Law enforcement officials are playing down an FBI report warning that domestic terrorists might attack media vehicles at the Democratic National Convention in Boston next week. Federal and state sources told ABC News that officials coordinating and implementing security for the convention have little, if any, concern about such an attack. The unnamed domestic group whose statements triggered the FBI warning is made up of college-age members based in the Midwest, sources told ABC News. The group's members are still in the Midwest and have not traveled to Boston, officials believe.

However, ABC News has learned that there is a very real concern among security officials in Boston - including the local Joint Terrorism Task Force, the U.S. Secret Service and the Boston Police Department - about the possibility of violent action by white supremacist groups.

Beyond the usual concern about anarchists and splinter groups who have marred past peaceful protests, authorities in Boston are worried about two right-wing white supremacist groups: Volksfront and White Revolution.

Volksfront, a neo-Nazi skinhead group that describes itself as "The Independent Voice of the White Working Class," has a history of racial violence, including murder, officials said.

The Western-based group opened a branch in Boston - its first foray into the Northeast - shortly before the Democratic National Convention.

Boston police have very little information about the group. The group has long had branches in Oregon, California and Arizona, as well as Germany.




UPDATE

No comments:

Post a Comment