Rebuilding The Branch Davidian Church September 19th, 1999 Day One [nzqsu1izXIA]

00:26 While more information on the 51-day siege continues to surface, some Austinites packed up their tools today and headed north up I35 towards Waco. Their mission is to build a church on the grounds of Mount Carmel. Lisa Hanna has this story. After just a week of planning dozens of volunteers from across the state gathered at Mount Carmel to build a church It's a project that was started by Austin radio talk show host Alex Jones. We're going to build this church back, I've talked with the Vagabranch Davidians and they concur with my idea to have it a church and at the same time a memorial and museum for what happened right here on this very ground in 1993

01:15 It's called the Phoenix Project, a church that will rise from the ashes of the Branch Davidian compound. I think it is important that we have a place to worship again after our church was destroyed. Volunteers are doing all the work. Volunteer such as Austin contractor Mike Hanson We just think its the right thing to do Jones says the 50 by 50 foot church is more than just a building. He says it's a symbol of what happened here more than six years ago. Jones calls it an attack on religious freedom. Todays effort was organized by syndicated radio talk show host Alex Jones, he says rebuilding the church will be a statewide effort

01:54 And so now a large group of people here in Austin, we're going to be met by others in Waco and Temple and surrounding areas in Central Texas are all going to travel to Mount Carmel the site of the fiery conflagration in 1993 to rebuild the church sanctuary area out of the Mount Carmel complex. And the church is expected to be completed in about three months. We're just thankful to God that there are certain people in this country who still got a spirit of assistance and wanting to do something to show their sympathy and concern for what happened here, we appreciate it

02:33 Plans call for the new site to hold a new 30 by 40 foot white frame church. It's expected to be completed in two, three months. The scene of mass destruction becomes a foundation for a new beginning good evening I'm Kim Barnes and I'm Phil Scott Austin volunteers are rebuilding a chapel on the side of the branch Davidian compound near Waco. The compound burned down in 1993 after 51 day standoff between Davidians and federal agents Davidian leader, David Koresh and about 80 followers died. KB24's Joel Thomas reports on the new plans for the property I've known the Branch Davidians a long time and i think they're good God-fearing people. I think they were demonized. Most are galvanized by the thought that federal government murdered The Davidians, They videotaped deputies who come to hurry them along They don't trust law enforcement anymore or the media with donated materials and labor Take exit number three three nine They receive directions head to ground zero We gotta rebuild it!

03:34 Waco. At the Davidian compound, the work begins even as the convoy pulls in. Plans are for a modest chapel. We anticipate at least three months for the construction process. They build on the very site where America saw a shootout I think it's sad that a lot of people don't really care, you know what happened here Seeing the battered rubble here staggers even those who've studied the standoff As they reflect on what happens there is a sense even students of Waco Don't know the entire message It's not the same...I want to live here

04:18 But I need a trailer to do it and i don't have money. You would come back out here and live like that? You bet I would in a wink! Watson walks into Memorial Grove, each withered tree planted for someone who died here there is still the lonely vigil for David Koresh's return only feeling no one from outside of the compound can ever understand. I'll tell you when helicopters come after you and you see them, and you hear them. And you know what they're doing." That's a entirely different story. Even so one of the workers who drove here from Austin says he feels like he is building a future tourist stop A sort of Alamo for the Branch Davidians But one of the Branch Davidians who was here tells me that's okay After all he says the only chapel they really need in heaven In Waco Joel Thomas KVU 24 News Alright

05:15 Good morning Mike. I got you already. The early people... He's with channel 8 and he is with Channel 42. We're in the Capitol Plaza, that's Capitol Plaza! Well as you can see it is about 10 after 7 by 730 we'll probably have twice this number of people good Patriots standing up against this massive witch hunt was conducted unsuccessfully I might add in 1993 what we are witnessing here a large group of Americans Texans out here attempting to get away from the law

06:13 Hey, I'm being told not to film and I wouldn't do it. What are you saying? She came over here and said she came over here and said I couldn't feel...I mean I couldn't feel anything. She just wanted us to feel the love! I'm sorry bud. I'm sorry we're used to this trust um What you're seeing is a group of Texas Americans standing up against the police state, standing up against what happened to the Branch Davidians who were demonized back in 1993. The basic cover-up with the federal government and we're now witnessing media and many others finally realizing that we've all been lied to, we've all been conned. Now the Branch Davidians have never changed their story they've always told the truth and that's been borne out in the past six years

07:06 And so now a large group of people here in Austin, we're going to be met by others in Waco and Temple and surrounding areas of Central Texas. are all going to travel to Mount Carmel, the site of the fiery conflagration in 1993. To rebuild on the church sanctuary area out at the Mount Carmel complex What exactly happened there in 1993? If you could just give it to me... if you can analyze this for me What happened in 1993 was basically that BATF wanted their funding increased They were out there with four cameras They had a 100-man assault team that went in and basically opened fire first. They were going there wanting blood, they only had an arrest warrant for David Koresh And they could have picked him up any time in town but they didn't choose to do that They sent in 100 man assault force, 100 man assault force Opened fire, helicopter gunships came in This is something really hasn't been told but we have the video evidence of it actually happening

08:05 And then 51 days later, after psychological warfare and basic torture. When people would try to leave they would have flashbang grenades thrown at them Now the Texas Ranger report shows this They were basically contained The Army Special Operations Delta Force was sent in with the FBI's hostage rescue teams From the internal Delta Force memos that have now been confirmed to be real via the Freedom of Information Act It showed that they discussed in the memos violence of action basic arrest situation, not a hostage situation. They went in there to basically according to the Dallas Morning News take them out and in special forces terms and most people know what take them out means but it's a special forces term that means kill

08:46 What exactly are you going to do today? How much are you going get done today is what it is. Yesterday we were out there and surveyed the area, put stakes in the ground We're basically going to dig a foundation, pour the foundation That's the most important stage of any building project Then in the next few weeks we're going to move forward, start building a superstructure. And I would say within two and half or three months you'll have a fully functional sanctuary there for the surviving Branch Davidians and for a monument of what happened in 1993 with the police and military all working in concert attacking any group of people

09:24 It's horrible. And then to see them demonized, the way they were demonized and all of that has been now disproven is really a frightening trend in this country. In fact it's reminiscent of Nazi Germany and so we need to focus on that have historical perspective about how dangerous is when you have these type relationships forming The news media fell for it big time didn't they? A lot of Americans fell for it. The news media was held back two and a half miles, the only footage we got was a German newscam on a 24-foot platform amongst ranch land from far distance with super zoom lens and all we got was the very front and incidentally that probably saved Clive Doyle's and David Thibodeau's lives because that

10:07 The only people that survived were those who got out the front and side where the news cameras could actually get some footage. Everyone that was hurted towards the back by the tanks, that actually went inside died We now have the actual flare footage of the Delta Force and the hostage rescue teams shooting at people as they tried to exit Now what do you folks need to complete this mission? We need people to donate time and materials, and yes if they want money. But we will just go buy the materials we need for the delivery of essential points as we're doing this morning That's all we need is people's time and people's energy, and the people's heart. And we're gonna be able to say to certain elements of the government, it's not the whole government but certain elements in the government that would try to engage in a cover up and smear campaign or witch hunt against American citizens. We would say to them that this is about standing up and saying the people of Central Texas,

11:07 Well, it's about freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof. The Davidians have never changed their story and the government has. And I've been studying it for Well, ever since it happened. And as time goes on I began to realize this was basically a witch hunt about getting more funding for the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and what happened here was wrong we've got an Air Force base over here We've got a great observation tower over there. We've got nice little undercover houses They picked this place It was a perfect area to basically ambush a group of innocent people

11:59 start initiating America into the modern police state. Let's talk about today and how did you get everything organized here? Who brought this all together, what was the plan for it? For years coming to the remembrances we've talked about trying to do something for the Davidians, but it was all talk. And finally myself and Mike Hanson said look let's just do it I think we can get people behind that I think there are enough people in Central Texas that care and realize what happened was wrong so we put together a fact we started announcing

12:35 last Monday and here we are on Sunday as we said, we would. And a lot of great people have shown up more or other way in Dallas and Fort Worth right here in Waco and Temple Austin all areas in between and we're going to build this church back I've talked to the Valley Branch Davidians and they concur with my idea to have it a church at the same time a memorial and museum for what happened right here on this very ground in 1993. I believe there's only four Davidians out here today, surviving Branch Davidians. Now these are just concerned citizens from here in Texas and from all across America people who were hearing about this saying that they're going to come for at least part of the construction so this is mainly a volunteer effort Central Texas showing the world that hey we think what happened here was wrong these people's constitutional rights were violated they were stamped as criminals and

13:34 paraded before the press and basically demonized. And I don't even blame the press for that, it was the government! They held the media back two and a half miles then engaged in their demonization program. We're here to say hey enough is enough we're not going to talk about this anymore we are here to support these people and support America that's what America is about. What's the time frame in terms of what you guys are doing today? Well, we have built another home for a veteran in Austin Texas Joe Campana. We did that in 14 days of city record and it's fully furnished because the bulldozers were coming they condemned his old home and said he wasn't going to help him That took 14 days but that was inside Austin in the metropolitan area Since we are outside Waco and Bellmead I can certainly say three months but probably within a month-and-a-half or two months you'll have a fully completed church We need to complete it that fast to keep our momentum up and get the job done properly

14:25 As far as the land dispute goes, they said it's okay to go ahead and build on it. Yes absolutely well Clive Doyle has paid the back taxes. Clive Doyle as you see lives here on the property in his mobile home and regardless of what ends up happening with a land that I've talked attorneys and others and it's even been in The Waco Tribune that basically once a church is built here It'll just be up for the trustees at the church who basically owns the property so it's even more let's see, affirming whose property this is. And it says this property belongs to the surviving branch Davidians and Clive Doyle has paid the back taxes. But regardless we're building a memorial to what happened here and I don't think anybody would ever want to tear it down

15:04 Hey, thank you sir. Appreciate it. Could you address any legal ramifications or legal advantages that you have building a church here rather than going to any other ramifications? Well I've talked to attorneys and actually read some of the reports, published reports. Clive Doyle is already positioned he has a renowned attorney, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark. He's paid the taxes and regardless of who gets this property this place will always be basically a battlefield museum almost people are going to be coming out here probably forever wanting to understand what happened here so basically that is why we're here

15:50 put a mark on history saying people of Central Texas and America said no, this is wrong what happened here. And we're not going to believe the propaganda We're not gonna believe the lies and hopefully by leading by example that media and others are finally starting to wake up to what happened will also join us in trying to heal some of the wounds Thank you. Okay who it was with his shovel? Not yet, not yet. Just stand still

16:44 Everybody's talking about these tear gas rounds. It's the 250, 40 millimeter high explosive round that we're all here for. You know what? Shot that helicopter down here. You know Mario. Remember Mario from WCW? I love Miss Catherine. There she is, we're going to rebuild you a nice beautiful church out here. There she is, Miss Celia how are you doing? Hi! Proud of y'all. Oh it's good, some glass.

17:50 Hey, you burn it we rebuild it. Volunteers of America Does anybody need any sunscreen? I'll scan it in. I'l go to a one hour photo, although there was a guy here earlier he's got a digital camera and he said he's gonna email me some of his photos and i figure once people see the activity they'll be... Come on! I gotta fix this!

18:51 and Steve Wayne swinging it as he always does. He's been involved in so many projects now no breeze at all folks. And Steve helping cut the steel with the steel cutter Time to seal. Trying to! They're doing a great job you're welcome man

19:51 We got crime overtaking our cities. We got gangs taking over our streets. They keep handing out more and more welfare, though it never seems to meet their needs. Next summer you won't have this. Come on son, sit down right here. Everybody say Central Texas Resistance! Freedom fighters!

20:30 I need my pants and flyers. They've got none of the materials we need. What about a Home Depot? Oh, you mean... We had an accident about a year ago here. Is that right? Shredder! Yeah? A shredder huh? shredded my whole heel off. Damn! And I had to have it amputated two days later All the way to the knee? No, about eight inches below the knee Oh okay But i was walking within 8 weeks 6 days Yes sir Praise God Jesus Yes sir well you're a local aren't ya Yeah I live here on Mount Carmel Oh you do? Yeah I'm a pastor here oh okay yeah That uh dairy barn back there is our chapel Oh okay

21:20 Pretty soon. We got a lot of folks out here today, and a lot of folks are still working hard, a lot harder than I have you guys make sure you don't have heat exhaustion drink lots of fluids It feels good! Challenging the false reality not playing along with all their garbage put it in their face getting up off our butts this is good ladies and gentlemen this is important This is fantastic God bless you all we're gonna build this thing This man does it all.

22:40 Unleash! What are we digging? This is for the con. You say something. That's Jeff Davis digging Is that Jeff Davis digging? Jeff Davis How long has he been out here digging an hour now? Oh, he got the pig. Uh oh get out of the way Jeff Davis got the pig He's blue eyed you know one eye blue left and the other one blue right get used to it. Get out of the way Keith let her swing. I thought he had a hernia on. He does, but you better stop!

23:42 What did you find? Okay, this is to a .44 Magnum. Yep! You can tell...you know all about guns? Heck yeah, you're a great American kid ain't ya?! And this is to a 9mm. That's a nine millimeter shell? Uh-huh. You got some bullets there! 308. Same man that did Joe Campala's house. what's going on Jimmy? Hi! Hold on just a minute. I already got you on there going like that looking so pretty hello Alex hello Jimmy just got done eating some great food my friends call me pokey like slow pokey I know pokey hows it going? It is going. I appreciate your help out here on this project as you can see we're ahead of schedule pouring all the cement 60 something holes we dug

24:45 spec we got the engineer 60 holds all the specs yep there's my dump truck over there it is great great job that's my brother great job Ritter for bringing all the concrete okay now you hide hey there's one of Gene's ex-girlfriends over already hold on I really lost this It's the ones of us that ate the excess at camp. 8 black helicopters, buildings on fire? San Antonio! Where you guys from? Weaver and Fort Worth. Call down to... call down just ask the police department about the Delta Force and the bribery and how the Police Chief and Mayor had to throw them out. What is your loving Delta force that was here? Your loving Army Special Operations?

25:38 But it's been five years, six years. How many year has it been? Six and a half years! I mean why take you all so long to come up here? Because there has been a big issue going on the land. Well number one for about what three years they had barbed wire around it and the feds wouldn't let you in on them. Well that was... yeah fences but no there is a land issues still pending but it's almost settled. Yeah and Clive paid taxes on it for the last five years. We just moved forward, you know it feels good to actually do something in my life not just react to the media and all the rest of it I don't think we're supposed to be here now but were here anyway yeah governments can stop and kill people in other countries they are not going to do it here

26:15 And next time they try it, they're going to be in for an unhappy surprise. Just that simple I've confronted FBI and BATF out here right on this very ground That's right They're spouting their propaganda...I'm just sick of it They can blow up their federal buildings like Hitler burned the Reichstag They can build their concentration camps They can gear up for the fun they got prepared for all of us It's history of the world From Rome to Babylon To Nazi Germany Russia China USA Indonesia Yeah See, people always doubt it because we're not taught the face of evil. We're never taught the face of evil They always show us something else than what the person was really like or what their system was truly like You haven't noticed your military is merging with your police basically? I don't know! We've had about four Marines out here that have gotten out and are still in They're out training with foreign troops to put people in camps Just find a young Marine who's in force recon with the elite forces Ask them about it

27:07 The whole doctrine's changed. And they got new uniforms, by the way—they're gray and black. Our Marines have urban warfare and they wear SWAT team knee pads and stuff. Ready to rock man! Ready to rock against the American people. It's all about And what was Delta Force doing out here serving a search warrant that they never brought with them? I mean since when has Delta Force served... Delta Force was here with them on the first day. That's now been proven, but see what you got to do is go to the Texas Rangers website. It's Texas Rangers far from Cooks. They'll tell you about mines and explosives placed on top 40 millimeter exploding rounds Delta force running around killing people with wanton abandon it's all there for everybody read so it's interesting

27:48 What are you guys police or something? No. We live by police. You guys, no I just we always like to talk to people. I was interrogated like that being interrogated by the police. The other thing is... You're a pastor! There's a lot of talking about it. Who cares?! This was an education of the South. The point is, I've talked to hundreds of Americans that say well are people like that really healthy for America? Who created your perceptions? Who with a scientifically crafted spin doctor campaign and then are you strong enough to go back look at the evidence or even spend time in the library Go look up information Lookup data Watch what make of the rules of engagement FBI's own flare footage snuck out by good FBI agent

28:34 There's footage of them gunning people down. It's like go back to day one, it's all about who shot first Missing doors, which way do the bullets go through the doors? What is that? 37mm. Now this is a police tear gas type weapon We got some fragments from 40mm's Not tear gas, explosive You read the Dallas Corp news you'll read about it Also... Working with them on the ground now. I was just telling him how i first met Jeff Davis of the Jeff Davis show

29:31 And he thought I was nuts and of course he's right. But how Mike Hanson had overheard us talking, and Mike come to me and said that he wanted to learn... ...and Mike is taking it off like a duck to water and he and Alex are together so.... All I know is we're getting this built, we're gonna build it. Huh? We're gonna build this place. By the hand of God y'all will build it. A month of Sundays but it might take... a month of Sundays. That's right. Might take two months of Sundays! You can call us by the hand of god or you can call us wherever you want. Alright guys where are you putting your name at? My name is at H-4. What are we building? Uh.. a church. For who?

30:11 What is this, Jesse? Rock Caramel. Not so big. That camera he's got there...he's got night vision. Take the film at night too. Hey Josh! What are you all using? Nails! Go ahead Josh put yours in that thing. There are some hand prints. And now we're supposed to use our homemade Just our first name? Steve, that's right. Steve Lane. Steve Lane. Don't mess with me. Steve Lane used to be on the... How is it going? On the something. He used to be on one of the shows we produced. Freedom Report with Alex Jones and then The Freedom Report by myself

31:08 Then it became the trailer park show of course well now, it's the trailer Park Show but then it was What did we started out as Jimmy? I don't know You were in charge not conspiracy debate. I need you to take charge very well I'm sorry really tired. It was originally I had to work But then we changed it Freedom Forum. That was it? That was your idea and believe it or not I had somebody well I don't think freedom forum was my name. It came out for the better. Now I just stick with it. I think I watched it before on Spring.net. Yeah, 10-4 on spring dot net what did you think

31:58 I liked it. I can't remember which episode i saw now. Can I have a nail? Where's the nail? You ain't seen them all? No. Here is Alex Jones, you burn it we rebuild it! There he is right there look at folks. You burn it we rebuild it. Right over the heart. Right over the heart. Great job man. Hey aren't you supposed to be dumping some dirt? Okay guys don't jump he's gonna bang the door It's the fun part. Hey, Sonic Boom! I warned ya!