The term originated in a remark about Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator, that he was marching on Madrid with four columns of troops, and that there was a “fifth column” of sympathizers within the city ready to help.
Six Shooter Junction – Appearances really and truly count in both peace and war, declared, undeclared, rumored, or as factual as the date and time of day.
“It appears evident that law enforcement officials infiltrated and/or had confidential informants inside the Cossacks Motorcycle Club and/or other motorcycle clubs prior to the incident at Twin Peaks…”
There is considerable evidence that there were undercover officers inside the Twin Peaks restaurant prior to the time that shots rang out, and that some of these officers then changed their coats to police windbreakers and took up arms against the bikers they had surveilled.
According to a motion filed on behalf of Twin Peaks defendant Matthew Alan Clendennen, all who are charged and indicted with the offense of engaging in organized criminal activity by virtue of their wearing colorful items of clothing proclaiming their membership in a club are entitled to know, in order prepare their defense against the capital offense, “if the court finds a reasonable probability exists that the informer can give testimony necessary to a fair determination of guilt or innocence.”
That’s a legal interpretation from a Texas case of Texas Rule of Evidence 5.08, as stated in the motion, and it applies when an undercover officer or a confidential informant has personal knowledge or is an eyewitness to a material fact in a criminal case.
The argument is of three parts.
“First, DPS (Department of Public Safety) reports indicated Waco Police Detective Jeff Rogers was receiving information from a “source of information” regarding the Confederation of Clubs meeting at Twin Peaks and that the Cossacks planned to attend.
One may follow along in an attachment of the agency’s after action report filed on May 18, 2015. (See Attachment A at 3, paragraph 13)
“Second, it also appears that Lorena Police Officer Shawn Board may have received information about the meeting from a confidential source.” (Id. At 2, paragraph 5)
“Third, while all of this was taking place, federal authorities (who also assisted in the instant case) were conducting ‘Operation Texas Rocker.’ That operation recently resulted in an indictment filed in the United States District Court for the Western District.” See United States v. Portillo, et. al., No. 5:15-cr-00820.
“While not explicitly stated in that indictment, it appears law enforcement officials were receiving inside information from within both the Cossacks and Bandidos motorcycle clubs.”
In fact, according to the motion written by Dallas Attorney F. Clinton Broden, who filed the instrument on February 16, 2016, “the indictment chronicles conflicts between the Cossacks and Bandidos from November 2013 to September 2015.” (See Attachment B)
A chief allegation in that federal indictment is that John Xavier Portillo, Bandidos International Vice President, “declared war” on Cossacks for wearing a rocker arm on their jackets identifying their club with “Texas.”
The chief allegation is racketeering through the commission of various federal crimes in cooperation with a combination of others in violation of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization statute.
One might take the time to read this manual produced in partnership between the Florida National Guard and St. Petersburg College. It gives an accurate representation of the Army’s strategy for dealing with clubs and organizations classified as gangs – criminal street gangs.