PATCON

Through his FOIA suits, and whistleblower testimony, Jesse Trentadue has uncovered many previously-secret details concerning a wide-ranging '90s FBI operation called PATCON. Statements made by a PATCON undercover operative, John Matthews, revealed that PATCON ran from at least 1991 to 1998 and Matthews infiltrated over 22 domestic right-wing 'Patriot' groups during that period of time.

PATCON is FBI shorthand for "Patriot Conspiracy." According to the whistleblower and existing fragmentary records obtained via FOIA, this FBI operation appears to have been like a modern-day version of COINTELPRO where FBI operatives were used to incite violence, entrap people, and even form fake organizations just for the purposes of carrying out criminal activities.

Find here collected coverage of PATCON, documents related to it, and other materials concerning this still highly-secret and redacted history.

Articles and Interviews


EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENTS

  • 1992.12.03 | Memo to SAC San Antonio (5 pgs) re: Texas Reserve Militia (TRM) FBI U/C purchases stolen night vision goggles. FBI says their UCA cannot be used as a witness in Army CID investigation of NV goggles b/c it would expose PATCON.

  • 36 pages of 1992 PATCON documents relating to STINGER MISSILES and targeting the Texas Reserve Militia, or TRM.

  • 29 pages of 1993 PATCON documents about the Brown's Ferry Nuclear Power Plant Attack Plot and the CMA Included in this PDF are five FBI 302 reports from PATCON handler SA Don Jarrett and his partner, dated between 3/20/93 and 5/5/93. PATCON UCA was targeting Tom Posey and CMA, the Civilian Materiel Assistance, a group that provided arms and funding for the Nicaraguan Contra rebels, sometimes through CIA channels. The COX brothers (Tim and Telly) were targets, for weapons and explosives violations. Targets at one point discussed "ideas of rescuing the cult members from Waco" -- perhaps playing a role in Janet Reno later declaring the Waco perimeter 'unsecure' due to talk of such resupply efforts. Targets discussed how "CMA take reprisals against the United States government if agents forcefully enter the cult compound at Waco." Agents write that "The suggestion was made and agreed upon by the others that at some future time, CMA should use bombs and kill five FBI and ATF agents for everyone killed in the cult compound at Waco." Targets discuss gathering men at a property to "train the approximately 30 CMA members on how to build bombs."