Letter: Waco evidence

It's been five years since the federal law enforcement raid on the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas. With the civil rights trials about to begin, the code of silence is starting to break down, and once hidden and suppressed evidence is starting to rise out of the ashes and feed into the American mainstream media and question the use of force, devices and tactics used at Waco.

The current fuel for the fire is the use of pyrotechnic devices fired and/or hand held and thrown into the Davidian compound.

The first device in question is the 40mm CS-Grenade that can be fired from the M-79 or M203 military grenade launcher. CS is the chemical agent (Orthoclorbenzalmallontrile) which is four times as strong as CN. CS has a peppery odor and produces psychological effects including extreme burning of the eyes and copious flowing tears, involuntary closing of the eyes, stinging sensation of most skin, running nose, sinus, nasal drip and tightness in the chest which can last from 10 to 30 minutes.

The dissemination methods include blast dispersion for indoor use, liquid barricade rounds and pyrotechnic grenades, barricade rounds and 40mm rounds. Pyrotechnic rounds are extreme fire hazards.

The second device in question is the defensive technologies M-25 distraction device. Six of these distraction devices have recently been located in the Texas Rangers' evidence lockers that were misidentified and tagged as weapons silencers and gun parts. At least three of the devices were found at or near the point of origins of the fires at the Davidian compound.

The M-25 distraction device produces a loud report at 174.5 DVB or decibels and a brilliant flash at 2,420.000 candela, for nine milliseconds upon detonation, to distract and/or disorient those subjects in close proximity. Distraction devices are used in cases of high-risk entries or searches, such as hostage or barricaded subject situations. The M-25 distraction device is a reusable steel body that uses an M201-A1 fuse collared into a cardboard tube containing the explosive compound.

The device can be reloaded and used up to 25 times and has a serial number on the device body that can be used to track and document and use of a specific device in a tactical situation. The M-25 distraction device is a pyrotechnic and can cause fires and ignite fuels and vapors.

The recent admission of federal law enforcement officers that pyrotechnic devices were used at Waco and the recently uncovered evidence has reignited the controversy over the use of force and tactics in Waco.

DANA WEBSTER

Gardnerville