10-16-2002, 03:22 PM
You are both right. Got this excerpt from a Fox News article.
The plan calls for having military pilots fly reconnaissance flights accompanied by federal agents, who would relay any collected information to authorities on the ground, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A main objective is to improve communication among investigators.
Authorities had considered using a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, but decided to use manned aircraft instead, officials said.
The help will be provided in a way meant to comply with the Posse Comitatus Act -- a 19th century law that bans the military from domestic law enforcement. That means the military will relay data to law enforcement and not decide on its own what targets to watch, the official said.
Defense officials told Fox News Channel that a special Army reconnaissance aircraft called an RC-7, based at Fort Bliss, Texas, would be sent to Washington. The aircraft is a modified DeHavilland DHC-7, adjusted to carry advance optics and communications gear for collecting intelligence on the ground, and it also carries advanced communications equipment to share with ground-based units. Currently, it's operated by six-man crews from the 204th Military Intelligence Battalion out of Fort Bliss, Texas. They are often used in counter narcotics operations in Latin America.
The aircraft would perform general reconnaissance, such as looking for or tracking the light-colored van authorities say was seen at one or more of the shooting sites. Pentagon participation also could involve a system of sensors that could detect flashes of gunfire on the ground, the official said.
The plan calls for having military pilots fly reconnaissance flights accompanied by federal agents, who would relay any collected information to authorities on the ground, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A main objective is to improve communication among investigators.
Authorities had considered using a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, but decided to use manned aircraft instead, officials said.
The help will be provided in a way meant to comply with the Posse Comitatus Act -- a 19th century law that bans the military from domestic law enforcement. That means the military will relay data to law enforcement and not decide on its own what targets to watch, the official said.
Defense officials told Fox News Channel that a special Army reconnaissance aircraft called an RC-7, based at Fort Bliss, Texas, would be sent to Washington. The aircraft is a modified DeHavilland DHC-7, adjusted to carry advance optics and communications gear for collecting intelligence on the ground, and it also carries advanced communications equipment to share with ground-based units. Currently, it's operated by six-man crews from the 204th Military Intelligence Battalion out of Fort Bliss, Texas. They are often used in counter narcotics operations in Latin America.
The aircraft would perform general reconnaissance, such as looking for or tracking the light-colored van authorities say was seen at one or more of the shooting sites. Pentagon participation also could involve a system of sensors that could detect flashes of gunfire on the ground, the official said.