The Stratfor Emails: A few highlights

August 19, 2011

[Stratfor's Reva Bhalla to Stratfor's Rodger Baker]

What is the APD bomb field training? and is that really only limited to APDs?

[Baker]

APD – Austin Police Department. Maybe it is DPS. They are doing the follow-up to the classroom session they had by having us to the bomb testing ground and blowing things up.

August 23, 2011

[APD officer Robert Nunez (APD Bomb Squad) to Stratfor VP Fred Burton, who forwards]

Re: Fwd: [TACTICAL] APD Bomb Training - Follow Up Note ** pls read **

Photos are ok, no video... Just remind everyone, as we will before we start, that while none of this is classified or secret, we consider it law enforcement sensitive, so we don't like seeing any bomb squad stuff on any social media sites.

August 24, 2011 (Day of bomb training)

[Burton to Strafor staff]

Re: [TACTICAL] Directions & Logistics re: the APD Bomb Range

Explosive trace evidence will be collected on your clothing and shoes after the live fire practical, so I would not try to board an aircraft after the training exercise. Bring a change of clothes, so we don't drag explosives back into the office.

[After training, Burton to Stratfor staff]

Great time today. If anyone calls from the arson squad, we were never there. ... Admit nothing, deny everything, make counter-accusations. (CIA Bombing School motto) We've been invited to a follow up in Sept/Oct. Maybe a hand grenade toss?

[After training, Stratfor analyst Sean Noonan to Stratfor staff]:

I'm hop[ing] all of you that thought this was just for fun and games understand how important this is to us tactical analysts understanding what we are doing. This was the most productive thing I've done since stick's last training in surveillance and explosives stuff.

August 27, 2011

[Burton to Strafor staff]

Next on the training agenda will be hostage rescue/tactical briefings and a practical exercise by either the DPS/Texas Rangers or the FBI. I'm thinking about who is currently on my s#it list that we can kidnap and subsequently rescue by the SWAT team? Humm....might be better to simply grab someone (maybe an exec?), throw a bag over their head and push into a body bag stuffed into a van. I like this idea better. Will anybody's wife miss them if you are missing for 2-3 days? (Meredith [Friedman], We can talk.)

Visited the federal bldg in Houston today to arrange further free training for the lads via the State Department. More on that later.