Crime

Activist Who Armed Black Panthers Was FBI Informant

Richard Aoki, an activist who was responsible for securing weapons for the original Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, has been named as an FBI informant in a new documentary by the Center for Investigative Reporting.

The report suggests that Aoki’s presence among the Panthers was part of a Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) operation, in which radical groups are encouraged to commit violence in order to give the FBI a pretext to move against them, and to discredit those groups with the public. These tactics have been controversial since their inception, and many of such alleged COINTELPRO operations were likely illegal.

Investigative journalist Seth Rosenfeld, who narrates the documentary, reports that he was first tipped to Aoki’s presence as an informant by FBI Agent Burney Threadgill, who claimed to have “developed” Aoki.

That‘s not to say that Aoki himself wasn’t a militant activist in his own right. During his time living in Berkeley, Aoki had been the head of a Black Panther group, as well as several companion organizations formed to protect Asian-Americans. He had also been involved in gangs during high school while simultaneously becoming co-valedictorian. However, despite his radical racial pedigree, Aoki still had no interest in communism, which Threadgill claimed led him to become an informant.

Aoki did not admit to being an informant when questioned about this subject. However, FBI records (obtained by Freedom of Information Act requests) also listed him as an informant.

Considering the controversial nature of COINTELPRO operations, Aoki’s “outing” has raised questions about whether the FBI still engages in these tactics. Russia Today decided to pursue this question, and invited Trevor Aaronson, author of the book “Terror Factory,” on its show recently to discuss the prevalence (or non-prevalence) of COINTELPRO operations in the present day FBI:

Comments (35)

  • Hotspur
    Posted on August 23, 2012 at 2:11pm

    We need to plant informants in the White House and the Department of Justice to see what they are up to since the President and Eric Holder are both Black Panthers. iIt would be revealing! BTW, I’m sure the First Mooch is also a Black Panther(ette)! Ha!

    Report Post »  
  • jake-spoon
    Posted on August 23, 2012 at 7:37am

    I live in an area of the south where the kkk used to be very active in the 50‘s and 60’s. the grand dragon lived up the road from my house. Some of the members that quit said that the one at the meetings wanting to lynch and burn were usually the fbi informants,trying to start trouble and usually the dumba–es actually did it.

    Report Post »  
  • pwatkins
    Posted on August 23, 2012 at 2:40am

    OMG! and take Holder and every appointee with them.

    Report Post »  
  • zoro51
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:22pm

    take this PING PONG n string his ass up no pity no mercy do it NOW…

    Report Post » zoro51  
  • Quasimofo
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 8:27pm

    Bowling For Behave – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGZ8Bb6t6cQ

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  • tothepoint
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 4:59pm

    America – This is one of the reasons why we must keep our Right to Bear Arms.
    In the past one hundred years, 56 million people have been murdered by their own governments after the governments took away their right to have weapons.

    Report Post »  
    • vanman4446
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 8:31pm

      56 million I don’t know where you got your figures but its more like a hundreds of millions

      Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 3:03pm

    The WH has become a Rats Nest… so you expect to find Rat Droppings wherever they go! There is only ONE SOLUTION…

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • teebubba
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 2:41pm

    Am I the only one here that realizes that this is a story from the 1960′s?

    Report Post » teebubba  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 1:24pm

    This regime is unraveling everything at quantum speed.

    Beam me up Scotty there’s no intelligent life down here!!

    Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • DOra Glasberg
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 11:56am

    THe only problem is the majority of domestic terrorists in 2012 are WHITE.

    Report Post » DOra Glasberg  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 12:15pm

      Like Nidal Hassan ?

      Report Post »  
    • DannyBoy13
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 2:50pm

      Dora, is it because gang members who spend their Saturday nights spraying the neighbourhood with high velocity bullets are not considered domestic terrorists?

      Report Post »  
    • LakeHartwellSailor
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 8:31pm

      Dora

      Head to YouTube and search black panther party, you will see and hear what they are all about. While you are at it, search “stop snitchn”. And you will also see and hear what thugs are out there who have no fear of theDOJ. Get over your white guilt

      Report Post » LakeHartwellSailor  
    • Hickory
      Posted on August 23, 2012 at 9:14am

      Oh it’s so nice that you use a name that protects your true identity and ethnicity. You and your NBP will reap the whirlwind.

      Report Post » Hickory  
  • bdandsl
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 11:44am

    Isn’t liberalism grand!

    Report Post » bdandsl  
  • DirtyDeeds
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 11:04am

    I wish that our government could figure out how to stop criminal activity without supplying violent criminal with guns. That is like giving a crackhead, crack to sell to pay for rehab. You know you want them to stop, but you give them the very thing they want to not stop.

    Report Post » DirtyDeeds  
  • Dismayed Veteran
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:58am

    I hope they are still doing it.

    Report Post » Dismayed Veteran  
  • lessoneleg
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:36am

    I’m sorry, but don’t you find this grossly insulting that every effort is done to resist the KKK, and Neo-Nazi’s. Parents have their children taken away, police arrest with due cause if they step out of line. Leaders within these White extremist group would be arrested if they broadcast publicly anything similar to what I’ve seen, heard, or read parallelling the New Black Panthers.
    No way would any government agency allow brandishing firearms or tactical military weapons with young children around. And offensive extremely racist comments, and threats of violence directed at Whites, and Jewish people.
    Yet, here we go, “Eric Da Red” Holder turns a blind eye to the New Black Panthers and a host of Black-On-White crimes committed since Obama has taken office. Holder through his lack of leadership entitled radical Blacks to settle up the score.

    Report Post » lessoneleg  
    • thegreatcarnac
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 11:32am

      Obama and holder are enabling black on white crime and other racist actions. I feel sometims that the whole US apparatus is against white people. How did this happen?. We need some rioting of our own.

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    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 11:53am

      Not sure what happened to my reply, but I will reply again.
      Wasn‘t it Obama’s contention (and complaint) that the Constitution said what he could NOT do, not what he could do. Obama has been after reparations for blacks all along and got some with the Pigford settlement, as hundreds of black people signed up and received money. Most of them didn’t even own a farm and one of the USDA employees, Shirley Sherrod, was showing every black person she could how to apply for free money. She was fired, she sued and was awarded 13 million and re-hired. Obama was involved with this scam, too, just as he is now involved in giving taxpayer money away to people. IT was settled in 1999, but is STILL going on and Obama got them MORE money in a settlement, along with the Senate, who is controlled by who? Who? Buehler? Democrats!
      More reparations.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • barber2
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:34am

    Gee, I am so glad that Russia Today, operating out of Moscow (!!??) , is governing this issue . HELLO: America , and Mr. Obama has told Medvedev to tell Putin ” that he can be more flexible after the election .” Is anyone connecting the dots here ? There is so much international left involvement in all of this : OWS is out -in -the- open proof. Anarchists and Black Blocs are probably secretly at work. WAKE UP. Nobama 2012 No “Far Left ” ( wink, wink ) Democrats 2012

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  • The_Jerk
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:28am

    The FBI was the Timothy McVeigh of Waco, Texas. The only difference is, McVeigh paid the price for his terrorist actions. Well maybe not the only difference, the FBI killed more children.

    Report Post »  
  • Mapache
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:26am

    all while the FBI and Secret Service drag off a veteran simply because of his posts on facebook and commit him for thirty days for psychological evaluation. When will the FBI get the stones to go drag off the leadership of the New Black Panthers for psychological evaluations or is “Kill whitey and all their babies, then bury them and then dig them up and kill them again,” within the parameters of normal discourse?

    Report Post » Mapache  
    • De minimus
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:47am

      You obviously don’t understand who the real enemies are now.

      Their enemies are defined by them and not the law. Not anymore.

      The constitution and bill of rights no longer exist because the federal government ignores them and proceeds as it wishes to without accountability, their appointed judges rubber stamping anything they wish to do. The only people who are not represented in this are the American people who have become their primary targets.

      The evidence is overwhelmingly clear, the direction and disposition indisputable, unless you really believe their spin and excuses, which are really just lies, distortions, propaganda and indoctrination.

      The American people are their enemy and of course so is the truth and facts.

      Report Post » De minimus  
  • woodyee
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:25am

    to HIDDEN LION – mild correction; the FBI is A problem, and has been since led by Louie Freeh, a Clinton sycophant, as is the CIA, led by Leon Paneta, a Clinton sycophant. THE problem is Gaybama and Holder.

    Report Post » woodyee  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:23am

    The Black Panthers had an Asian guy that wanted to lead a group…and they weren’t suspicious? LOL

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • michael48
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 11:16am

      well you’re talking about the“ new black kitten club” speaks volumes..like the dem-wit computer commandos..spew crap then duck back into grannies (or whatever) basement…

      Report Post »  
  • The_Jerk
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:18am

    These deplorable actions by the FBI extend well beyond the BPP.

    Report Post »  
  • USPATRIOT101
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:17am

    Our country has totally lost its way.

    Report Post » USPATRIOT101  
  • copatriots
    Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:10am

    Why am I not surprised? No doubt the FBI is still arming the BPP.

    Report Post »  
    • hidden_lion
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:17am

      as well as encouraging lone wolf terrorists and occupy tools. The FBI is the problem.

      Report Post » hidden_lion  
    • copatriots
      Posted on August 22, 2012 at 10:22am

      Agreed. But it’s not limited to the FBI. Government has become tyrannical.

      Report Post »  

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