SWAT tries to take down Internet meanie; raids grandma instead

RT.COM ^ | 27 June, 2012 | staff

[djone]

"An Evansville, Indiana SWAT team recently attempted to execute a search warrant that was issued to make an example out of an anonymous Internet user who made malicious remarks on the Web. Instead, they destroyed the home of an innocent grandmother"....Flash-bangs thru a window, even when the front door was open...invited TV crew to be on hand....can't find search warrant -says producing the search warrent could "compromise the investigation"..

[djone]

We have an idea in our mind who it is, but we don’t have evidence yet,” Bolin explains to the Courier.....'Acting on the assumed planned act of aggression, officials were able to figure out the author’s IP address. As several courts have ruled recently, though, that isn’t enough to exactly single out a certain home, let alone a person. While an Internet Protocol address can be linked to a computer, any person who accesses that network’s WiFi — with or without authorization — can be linked to that IP".

[dragnet2]

The SWAT team did not have the name of who they were going after. They barely even had an identity. What they did have to work with, though, was the IP address of a person who logged onto the Topix.com Web forums and made discouraging remarks about local law enforcement.

You knew this type of thing was coming.

[Vigilanteman]

Even still, the department says that the hunch was enough to throw two flash-bang stun grenades into the front window of Ira Milan’s home. The Courier Press reports that the front door was open at the time of the incident.

Guess they never heard of politely knocking.

[The KG9 Kid]

"Whoops... Sorry, citizen. We thought you were someone else" PING

Click the link to be added to the "Whoops. Sorry, citizen. We thought you were someone else" PING list.

[gaijin]

“Go where the STINK is” —a motto of journalists, right?

But for THIS news, ya had to go to a RUSSIAN web site. I find that hugely instructive.

You want honest BAD news about Obama? Sorry, you need a BRITISH newspaper.

News about US oppression? Sorry, read a RUSSIAN paper.

ISN’T HAVING A DIVERSE POTUS WONDERFUL?

[The KG9 Kid]

Yeah, it's getting to the point that I'm looking for a sucker to take over the FR 'Wrong House' *PING* list from me.

[I see my hands]

"made discouraging remarks.."

Good God! It's a frigging sad day when I'm one of the smart ones.

[dragnet2]

Even still, the department says that the hunch was enough to throw two flash-bang stun grenades into the front window of Ira Milan’s home. The Courier Press reports that the front door was open at the time of the incident.

Forget the open door, throw the GD grenades through the windows.

lol....

[icwhatudo]

Internet meanie????

The person was threatening terrorist attacks on police.

"“4th of July a cops house gonna get hit. dont care about your kids or btchs lives. I dnt even care bout my own life. I got my reasons..times ticking,” reads one post from usarmy.

“I am proud of my county, but I hate police of any kind,” reads another. “I have explosives.:) made in America.Evansville will feel my pain.guess who's in the river.”

[AlmaKing]

What do these threats have to do with swat getting the wrong house?

[Teacher317]

So every armchair general and keyboard conquistador deserves to have flash-bangs tossed into his broken windows... and have his doors shattered by battering rams... then likely have his pets killed.

I only wish you suffer the same fate, fool. If you allow it for wannabe idiots typing alone at home, then you allow it for anyone at any time. Enjoy what you're bringing to America's future.

[Puckster]

Our Best, Bravest and Brightest...that is the scariest part.

[NVDave]

And now, as a result of the epic incompetence of this bunch of Barney Fifes in tacticool gear, a bunch more people who yesterday might have supported law enforcement think that the police deserve such threats.

The problem here wasn’t the threat. People make threats all the time.

The problem here is that cops are way too quick to use their toys and rather slow to use their brains.

[Puckster]

Someone....with money....needs to make movies about these incidences and go to the very town and, using the official records, film a series of short stories about these...”OOPS WRONG HOUSE”.

Me thinks it would make a good title and audience draw.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Could this be the next form of SWATing someone? Just get within range of an unsecured wireless router and send threats to the police et al with the JBTs responding to that IP address’s location?

[Fred Hayek]

That has already happened in the Twin Cities area. Some disgruntled neighbor linked to his victim’s unsecured router, sent threatening e-mails to the President and then starting hitting some child porn sites. Fed’s made the victim’s life hell until they caught on that none of the stuff was on his computer, just his IP address, and tracked it down to the disgruntled neighbor (who probably gloated a little too much). The disgruntled neighbor is doing Federal hard time.

I would not put this past a Brett Kimberlin.

[Bshaw]

I sure do look forward to retirement here in the U.S.

Nothing like trying to mix up your Metamucil while wondering if some SWAT team is gonna kick in your front door because you looked at women’s breasts on the computer, (insert dead dog here), or if a Predator drone will take me out while I’m mowing the yard because some bureaucrat mistakenly swears they saw a small child under the mover, or some IRS agent “retires” me Bladerunner style because I failed to comply with provision 77.772-a, subsection 3a.2.4.47.8 clearly found on page 2,127 of the Patient Affordable Care Act, in violation of tolerated conduct.

My existence is a threat to society these days.

[factoryrat]

They got a warrant on such a flimsy premise as this?

[pallis]

The minimum age limit for becoming a cop should be thirty, with at least five years of that time spent at a non military, non law enforcement job. Young kids go straight into the military out of high school. They get regimented, and learn the chain of command. They learn not to question orders. They leave the military, and go into law enforcement where they are surrounded by other young people who are regimented, out of the military, and hungry for the adrenalin rush of a military raid on civilian enemies. They don’t know the people they serve, or even think of their jobs as serving their communities. Breaking into someone’s house, shooting their dog, throwing women and children down on the floor is just good fun. They could care less about being in the wrong house, or why they are in the house in the first place.

[UCANSEE2]

They got a warrant on such a flimsy premise as this?

What warrant ? What I read says they couldn't 'find' it, and said even if they did, it would compromise an investigation.

You know, like Obama declaring Executive Privilege over the F+F documents.