Carmel compound.
Soon after the failure of the raid, ATF surrendered control of the scene to the FBI and withdrew to a supporting role. Subsequent handling of the events proves that the leadership in FBI was similarly lacking. After 51 days of stand-off at Mt. Carmel during which unsuccessful negotiations were held with David Koresh for the surrender of the sect members, a massive assault with tear gas and tanks was ordered by the FBI. Soon after the attack, the Davidian compound was engulfed by fire in which 76 Davidians including 27 children were burned alive. The Davidians were "officially" blamed for starting the fire but on September 1, 1999 videotapes containing footage of pyrotechnic tear gas rounds being fired at the Mt. Carmel complex were seized from the FBI headquarters by the Justice department. Throughout the investigations, the FBI leadership maintained that none of its agents fired guns at the Davidians but examination of the videotapes by experts showed light flashes that could have been gun shots fired by the FBI. The crisis of leadership in the FBI is reflected in a letter addressed by the Federal Prosecutor to Attorney General Reno -- who had given the permission for the final raid. The letter states:.." facts may have been kept...
(2001). "An Unofficial Account of the Waco Incident." Cato Institute. Retrieved on September 28, 2004 at http://www.apologeticsindex.org/pa395.pdf
Vizzard, William J. (1997). In the Cross Fire: A Political History of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Lynne Rienner Publishers: Boulder, CO.
A the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Vernon Wayne Howell, who later took the name -- David Koresh
Surprise is considered to be a vital element in the success of such an operation
This lends credibility to the observation of some ATF agents who later told the "60 minutes" TV program that the initial raid on the Branch Davidians in Waco "was a publicity stunt, the main goal of which was to improve the ATF's tarnished image."
The FBI claimed that the gun shot wounds…
