UPDATE

WHERE DID THEY GO?

SO "COVERT" THEY STOOD OUT
LIKE A SNOWSTORM
IN LA's "HEATWAVE"

SECRET "LAW ENFORCEMENT" UNIT DISAPPEARS FROM LA NEIGHBORHOOD

(September 4th, 2007 10:30AM PST)

BY ERIC LONGABARDI

The FBI's civilian "law enforcement" surveillance unit has apparently abandoned their watchful eye over Boeing defense scientist Abraham Lesnik. (See Stories Below) ERSNews exclusively reported a story late last week about the case and the ongoing surveillance of the Los Angeles defense scientist at his suburban Valley Village home.

The FBI apparently decided, at least for now, that the ERSNews media coverage was enough for them and they pulled their van and civilians that were watching the house last week. The surveillance has been obvious to neighbors and others and has stood out for months on end since 2006. According to knowledgeable sources, the FBI may not have left the area and could be living close by in another local residence. Although the FBI seemingly left before, only to return later, just how "covert" they plan to be remains to be seen.

On many occasions previously the surveillance units have been "undercover" so effectively that they stood out to people in the neighborhood, so much so that ERS News is continually tipped off about their presence. They most especially stand out when they are hanging out in large groups and working on their surveillance van camera and equipment in public parking lots nearby in plain public view.

 

 

UPDATE

WHO'S WATCHING WHO?

FBI REFUSES COMMENT ON INCIDENT WITH ERS REPORTER

SURVEILLANCE INVOLVES: "NATIONAL SECURITY"

(August 31st, 2007 6:30PM PST)

BY ERIC LONGABARDI

ERSNews made a second attempt to find out who the people were on a quiet residential street in Los Angeles this past Wednesday (8/29/07) when our reporter was chased, confronted and harassed by individuals claiming to be "law enforcement", but who refused to provide any identification when asked to do so.

We contacted Laura Eimiller, spokesperson for the FBI in Los Angeles and asked who the individuals were that represented themselves as "law enforcement" to the ERS reporter on scene. Eimiller was also asked if the surveillance team ERS believes it was harassed by were civilians or "sworn law enforcement." or in the employ of the FBI.

Eimiller responded 23 hours after the request with the following:

"The FBI is not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation stemming from the search of Mr. Lesnik's residence nor are we authorized to discuss surveillance operations which are covert in nature and the compromise of which might jeopardize national security.

In general FBI employees who are conducting surveillance on public streets and public neighborhoods may attempt to identify individuals whose actions are perceived to be threatening to the surveillance teams or anyone residing in the neighborhood.

Again, with regard to the specific investigation you inquired about we are not authorized to comment."

 

EXCLUSIVE

I SPY FOR THE FBI?

WHY IS THE FBI STILL WATCHING
ABRAHAM LESNIK?

FBI SURVEILLANCE
OF LOS ANGELES DEFENSE
SCIENTIST CONTINUES UNABATED
SINCE 2006

ERS NEWS HARRASSED BY FBI
WHILE COVERING THE STORY

(August 30th, 2007 1:15PM PST)

BY ERIC LONGABARDI

ERS News has learned that Abraham Lesnik, a Los Angeles based scientist with high end security clearances and a long career in developing various classified defense technologies, continues to be under the watchful eye of the FBI's counterintelligence unit. Lesnik who resides in the quaint LA suburb of Valley Village has been the subject of continual surveillance by the FBI at least since mid-2006. Lesnik has never been changed with a crime.

The FBI raided Lesnik's home three times in 2006, executing search warrants that were and continued to be sealed, according to Los Angeles FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimilller. When contacted by ERS this week seeking any new information about the case, FBI spokeswoman Eimiller was told by ERS that we had a story in the works about the case. In response, Eimiller snapped at ERS demanding to know “who’s your source”. ERS tried to explain to the FBI flack that our reporting on the Lesnik case was not based on “sources”, but good old fashion journalism 101. Before we could finish our explanation, the abusive and unprofessional Eimiller had already hung-up.

Last October, the FBI confirmed that Mr. Lesnik was the subject of an open investigation when the story was exclusively broken by ABC News and the Brian Ross investigative team on the internet web site "The Blotter". At the time, the story was picked up by most major media outlets in Los Angeles and around the country. The original ABC story about the case can be seen here.

Since the 2006 story Lesnik's case has faded from the media spotlight, but the FBI's interest in tracking and surveiling Lesnik has not. Lesnik's LA based attorney Marc Harris declined to make Mr. Lesnik available for an interview with ERS News and was unavailable for additional comment concerning the case, prior to the publication of this story. ERS also sought comment from Boeing on Lesnik’s current status with the company, but spokesman Walt Rice did not respond in time for publication of this story.

The surveillance of Lesnik is being done at least in part by what the FBI's calls "surveillance specialists." Although not FBI agents, they are what the FBI calls "professional staff". These civilian FBI employees conduct on going surveillance operations and specialize in counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations. According to the FBI's own web site these civilian units "conduct fixed surveillance duties that support Foreign Counterintelligence and/or Counterterrorism investigations, and gather intelligence information of investigative interest. Surveillance Specialists utilize various communications, photographic, and technical equipment during surveillance operations." The FBI is currently advertising for new hires for these positions and according to the bureau's own website all that is required is a valid driver's license and the ability to get a government driver's license.

ERS News has been investigating this story since 2006 and has witnessed the FBI's constant surveillance of Lesnik first hand on more than one occasion. The FBI continues to monitor Lesnik via a surveillance/electronic van parked at the end of Lesnik's residential street. In addition, surveillance personnel continually monitor the house and Lesnik's movements throughout the day and track his every move in or out of his home.

Yesterday, ERS News, as it has done many times before without incident, went to Lesnik's neighborhood to verify if the FBI surveillance was still taking place. As expected it was and what ERS believes to be FBI civilian personnel were watching Lesnik's house.

After taking a few pictures of the street, Mr. Lesnik's house and of the street scene, ERS took a picture of a car, parked on the public street in front of Lesnick's house. ERS never approached the car or engaged anyone in conversation. As ERS was taking this photo, of a female sitting in a car, the woman yelled out at the ERS reporter, while he was still inside his car with the window rolled down, that she did not want her picture taken and not to take any video of her and that she was "law enforcement."

The ERS reporter, having taken the picture was leaving the quiet neighborhood, when the woman started up her car and started chasing ERS's reporter on the quiet picturesque streets of Valley Village. The reporter attempted to escape the pursing car and took a turn down a street which turned out to be a dead-end cul-de-sac. The female used her car to block our reporter's car from exiting the very small turnaround demanding to know who we where and why we were taking pictures of her.

The woman again claimed that she was "law enforcement." When asked by our reporter to produce some kind of identification pertaining to that, she refused to do so and continued to demand to know who our reporter was and what he was doing. Our reporter identified himself as news media and had already initiated a call to 9-1-1 asking for assistance from the police because of the hostile actions of this woman as she blocked our reporter's exit from the street. After continued requests to allow our reporter to exit the scene, the female moved her car and our reporter attempted to leave the area.

The woman in the car continued talking on a radio of some kind as she confronted our reporter and blocked his exit. This picture above was taken during the incident as it happened.

The reporter was finally able to exit the neighborhood and checked to see if anyone else was following him. It turned out someone was. While still on the line with 9-1-1 our reporter stopped at a major intersection near Lesnik's neighborhood. Seemingly out of nowhere, a green mini-van pulled into an adjacent parking lot and a man with distinctly gray hair and short buzz cut rapidly ran up to our reporter's car in a very hostile and threatening manner. He demanded to know who our reporter was and what he was doing. Our reporter requested the man move away and take his hands off the car as he was sticking his head nearly inside the car window and posturing aggressively towards our reporter. Once again our reporter asked the man who he was and he responded with "law enforcement," but also refused to produce any identification when requested.

After relaying all this information to the 9-1-1 dispatcher as it was happening, our reporter left the area. The man continued to act in an extremely threatening manner and was apparently very upset. As our reporter began to leave the man ran back to his mini-van and attempted yet another pursuit. The ERS reporter was able to lose the man and proceeded to leave the scene unscathed.

ERS attempted to reach FBI LA spokesman Laura Eimiller about the actions of the individuals who identified themselves as “law enforcement” to determine if they were in fact FBI personnel. Our calls were not returned.

ERS as usual will stay on the story for any continuing developments.