9-11 Investigative Journalist Harassed And Beaten By Undercover Cops

August 22, 2006

By Christopher Bollyn

After calling 911 to report a suspicious vehicle with three armed men

in my neighborhood, I was harassed, beaten and shocked with a Taser

gun in my front yard in Hoffman Estates, Ill., in front of my wife and

child. I was subsequently charged with resisting arrest and aggravated

assault. I was then subjected to six hours of abuse at the hands of

the local police.

I suspect that this operation was not accidental and was not an

initiative of the local police. The questions remains whether I have

been targeted as part of an ADL-FBI operation because of my

journalistic investigations. Over the years, I have investigated the

many unanswered questions surrounding 9-11. Having received several

threats in my career with AFP and the now defunct Spotlight newspaper,

this is the first time I have been beaten and abused by authorities.

Last summer, we discovered that two local people, who had befriended

us for years, are actually FBI informants tasked to monitor us. For

this reason, we feel vulnerable and are reluctant to spend time at our

home. We returned this summer primarily because our children badly

missed our home, a simple suburban tract home that has belonged to the

Bollyn family since 1957.

Since returning to the area in July, I have noticed an unusual amount

of police activity around my house, which lies on a quiet side street

where one normally sees a police cruiser once or twice a week.

On Aug. 14, I noticed an unusual vehicle around my house. It was an

unmarked car with three armed men wearing body armor.

The next evening, the same car with three men slowly passed the Bollyn

house where the neighborhood kids were playing.

" Hello, FBI, " I called from my porch and waved.

The man in the front passenger seat waved back. I immediately alerted

my wife and kids about the suspicious vehicle. My wife suggested

asking them what they want.

I had just finished making several phone calls to the Israeli embassy,

the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the office of the U.S.

attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Most of the calls were

related to 9-11 research. One call was to an older Israeli, who is

connected to the Israeli Air Force and is a former president of Bedek,

the parent company of Israel Aircraft Industries.

I was troubled about the presence of the dark car as I went to the

store. Concerned about my family, I called 911 from the store to

report the suspicious car with armed men loitering in my neighborhood.

I was told that a police officer would meet me at my house in 20

minutes.

A few minutes, I was surprised to see the suspicious car stopped in

front of my house, and three armed men in body armor standing on my

driveway.

With my wife and 8-year old daughter beside me, I asked who these men

were and why they were prowling around my house. " Why are you driving

around with this gear in an unmarked car menacing my house, " I asked?

" Who are you? "

The non-uniformed agents were unwilling to identify themselves and

became confrontational.

I went to call my brother from the house when the three men tackled me

from behind and shocked me with a Taser gun while they sat on top of

me. After forcefully subduing me, one officer kneeled on my head while

the others handcuffed me.

Within minutes, a half dozen police cars, two fire trucks and at least

15 police officers, including a senior officer, arrived at my

residence.

While I was being held down, my wife went to get a camera. An officer

told her that she would be arrested if she dared to take any photos.

According to a local lawyer consulted on this matter, I have been told

it is against the law to prevent someone from photographing a police

assault.

Having witnessed her father being violently arrested, my 8-year old

daughter was distraught and crying. The police told my wife to take

her away.

My wife consoled our daughter, but since the Bollyn children have seen

much of the world, and witnessed major political events, she allowed

our daughter to watch it, saying, " This is our new America. "

In an insulting manner, the police told my wife, a Swedish citizen, to

" go back where you came from. "

Because the neighborhood does not have any crime or gang problems, I

thought it was very odd for the undercover squad to be patrolling

around my house day after day.

Sitting in the unmarked car with handcuffs on, an officer named

Fitzgerald indulged in offending me and my late mother, a village

pioneer. Fitzgerald repeatedly told me that I was going to be beaten.

" This guy was going to beat the [expletive] out of you, " he said when

a senior officer approached the car. When I spoke to the other

officer, Fitzgerald lied, saying, " I didn't say that. "

The verbal abuse continued during the drive to the station. When I

would lean forward, the officer would slam on the brakes so my head

hit the plexiglass separation window. After doing this several times,

I pushed myself back on the seat and didn't say another word.

Once I reached the police station, however, my ordeal was far from

over. At the station, a host of rubber-gloved cops awaited me in the

police garage.

When Fitzgerald drove in to the garage, he told the 10-12 waiting

cops: " He says cops are a bunch of [expletive]. You take care of him

now. "

When I was pulled from the car, I told the police that I am a

journalist and that I would write about the arrest. The verbal abuse

now came from all sides. As the son of village pioneers, I was told

that I should get out of town.

In the station, my shirt was ripped off, and I was left wearing only

shorts and an undershirt. Asked why I was being detained, an officer

said I had resisted arrest and threatened the police with clenched

fists—two complete lies.

When I was thrown into a cell without water, I asked the undercover

police why they were prowling around my house. " We are watching you, "

Fitzgerald, said.

Thirsty, I asked for some water and was told, " Drink from the toilet. "

A police officer came to tell me that because I had been shocked with

a Taser gun, paramedics had been called. However, no paramedics ever

came to see me.

" Why am I being treated this way? " I wondered.

At midnight, an officer told me that I had to pay $100 to get out.

" What am I being charged with? " I asked. " I called 911 and the police

beat me up in my front yard for no reason. "

Eventually, my brother paid bail and shortly after midnight, I was

pushed out onto the street for the long walk home.

On Aug. 16, AFP managing editor Christopher J. Petherick spoke with

Lt. Richard Russo, who was acting as press spokesman for the Hoffman

Estates Police Department while a superior officer was on vacation.

Russo faxed American Free Press a copy of the " Media Information

Release Form, " which provided the police's version of my arrest.

" Lt. Russo told me on the phone that undercover officers were engaged

in something called 'gang suppression' in Mr. Bollyn's neighborhood, "

said Petherick.

Petherick said he pointedly asked Russo how this could have escalated

to the point that police officers threw me to the ground and shot me

with a Taser.

" Russo told me that the arresting officer had 'physically' stopped

Bollyn and Tasered him because he said that Bollyn had made statements

indicating that he was going to go inside the house and get a weapon, "

said Petherick.

However, when Petherick received the press release, the charge that I

was going into the house to get a weapon had been downplayed, instead

noting that officers felt I " may be trying to get a weapon. "

" Keep in mind that Christopher, who was unarmed and has no criminal

record, was the person who called the police in the first place, " said

Petherick.

" There are really two key scenarios at play here, " remarked Petherick.

" At a minimum, this was a brutal demonstration of the violent

militarization of U.S. law enforcement. But at its worst, this was a

deliberate attempt to intimidate and harass an American reporter, who

has been writing about some of the most controversial issues, today. "

In the afternoon, Chief Clint Herdegen phoned Bollyn and said he was

not ready to answer any questions. A court hearing is scheduled for me

on Sept. 13.

http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/bollynbeaten.htm

August 23, 2006

On a curiously similar note, I have noticed in the past year and a half that

my address seems to get a lot more attention than it used to- the streets

are repaired, trash is picked up, trees are cut, any hint of water leaks

brings the city, and last winter the fire department came to investigate

smoke coming from my chimney. Honestly I have never seen so much attention

from the city. I had more encounters with the police driving than I have had

in all my life prior- they seem to notice the tiniest things.

There are also odd clicks that can be heard on my telephone.

I suspect that I am among the other millions of Americans who are being

targeted for domestic surveillance. Being a vocal opponent of the Fourth

Reich doesnt pay.

If we ever have the chance we all need to vote these nazis out.

Michael

On Behalf Of Alobar

Tuesday, August 22, 2006 12:15 PM

cacklinggrackle ; NOLA_C3_Discussion ;

9-11 Investigative Journalist Harassed

And Beaten By Undercover Cops