澳彩开奖

The FBI believes an antigovernment 鈥渟overeign citizens鈥� group may be behind an effort in Austin, Texas, to find out the addresses of police officers and other first responders through a scam in which young people canvass neighborhoods posing as fundraisers for charity.

Early last month, the FBI issued a warning Texas law enforcement agencies about the activity.

In June, the FBI report says, groups of young people were transported by bus throughout the Austin area and possibly to other states. In teams of at least two, they would knock on doors, saying they worked for a 鈥渇und-raising organization鈥� that helped young people with public speaking. They would then ask residents about their occupation.

The young people were told that the information they collected counted as 鈥減oints鈥� and that the team with the most points would win a college scholarship and a large sum of money. Team members carried a yellow card listing approximately 15 professions with a point value ranging from 500 to 2,000 points. 鈥淪ome of the professions on the card were firefighters, nurses, doctors, military and police officers. The police officer profession had the highest point value of 2000.鈥�

The individuals collecting the information carried another card saying 鈥渨hat they were doing was allowed 鈥� under constitutional law and they were not required to show any identification or be restricted from their duties by state or local officials.鈥�

The FBI report says the activities 鈥渨ere consistent with that of a Sovereign Citizens organization 鈥� interested in the addresses of police and first responders.鈥�

The young people participating in the apparent scam 鈥渄id not understand they were working for a Sovereign Citizen organization and that they were told lies of prize and money to gain addresses of vital individuals,鈥� the report said.

Michelle Lee, a spokeswoman for the FBI鈥檚 San Antonio Division, told Hatewatch today that the report was 鈥渞aw, unvetted intelligence鈥� shared with law enforcement agencies 鈥渋n an effort to quickly and proactively identify potential emerging national security and criminal threats鈥�

The FBI 鈥渋s aware of reporting which suggests variations of this activity may be taking place in other locations in the United States,鈥� the spokeswoman said. 鈥淭he FBI has not developed information which links this activity to any group involved in domestic terrorism but will continue to monitor reporting we receive from our law enforcement partners.鈥�

Sovereign citizens, described by the FBI as comprising a 鈥�,鈥� have been a deadly problem for police in recent years. Numerous encounters have escalated into shoot-outs after sovereigns, who believe the government has no authority over them, are stopped for traffic violations.

At least seven law enforcement officers in the United States have been killed by sovereigns since 2000. In 2010, after a father-son team of sovereigns killed two officers during a traffic stop in West Memphis, Ark., the 澳彩开奖 (publisher of Hatewatch) produced a to help officers recognize the signs when they encounter sovereigns.

Last month in Las Vegas, a pair of sovereigns who are accused of plotting to kidnap, torture and kill police officers.