OLAASM and Psy-Ops

by Sue Basko

As reported earlier, social media going by the name of  "Occupy Los Angeles Anti Social Media" or, OLAASM and BlackBlocMedia have invaded Occupy LA in order to cause rifts between people and to try to cause the end of the Occupy Los Angeles group. 

OLAASM and BlackBlocMedia are apparently part of a larger psy-ops campaign against the Occupy movement that was launched nationally a couple weeks ago. This post is about OLAASM. OLAASM has a twitter, a Facebook, and a tumblr (website). Since last writing, I have found out a lot more. OLAASM is run by several people – among them are angry young, inexperienced newbie protesters. Also among them are also people who act as if they are undercover FBI  and agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)  trying to catch or draw in those angry protesters. By now, quite a few people know who is who.

The INTERESTING thing is that FBI/DHS undercover agents behave almost exactly like actual terrorism planners -- so if you avoid anyone that acts like this, you are avoiding both. Both undercover operatives and people actually planning bombings or attacks try to draw you in using the same techniques -- which I explain below, but which you can also read about on many place on the Internet.

The techniques being used by OLAASM are typical Psy-Ops, or psychological operations.  Psychological operations are often used by undercover law enforcement agents infiltrating protest groups. The marks in OLA -- the people being drawn in as “insiders,” are supposed to view themselves as special, in on something big, and against the other lame, more mainstream people. These "lame" people are being harassed on twitter and tumblr.

Several people from OLA have told me that they now fear for their lives and safety because of this OLAASM group.

I personally was harassed on the OLAASM twitter after I wrote my first blog exposing them. If you do not know me, I am a lawyer who helped OLA with legal information before the camp began. Since then, I have helped with many things for OLA, including getting major news coverage for a recent arrest/ overcharging situation. I have also called attention to the trademarking situation and have worked with several of the OLA Legal team members, whose hands have been tied by obstructionists.

I also write a blog that is now one of the main sources of legal information for protesters and Occupy groups nationally and internationally. I have also fielded questions from Occupy groups nationwide.

HOW TO SHOW YOU DO NOT APPROVE OF THE PSY-OPS OPERATIONS BEING CONDUCTED BY OLAASM:

Keep in mind that normal good people would never in a million years be involved in an anonymous twitter account that cyberbullies individuals.

1) Block OLAASM and BLACKBLOCMEDIA on twitter.

2) Do not “like” the facebook.

3) Do not read or look at the tumblr. This is probably most important because psy-ops groups often booby trap their sites with trackers and tracers.

4) If you see OLAASM or BLACKBLOCMEDIA harassing or bullying someone on Twitter – which is being done each day -- DO NOT PARTICIPATE. If you want to show support for the victim, send the person a DM or a @ message saying that you see they are being attacked and you stand up for what is good. This can be helpful.

TECHNIQUES OF OLAASM: This group calling itself OLAASM is comprised of people who act as if they are undercover FBI/ DHS operatives and some of their prey, who have been drawn in by the idea that by belonging to it, they will be “special.” Those falling prey to it are mostly newbie protester kiddies who are not yet wise enough to how things work. OLAASM is using fear techniques to scare others. The techniques most in use are launching attacks against individuals via tumblr and twitter. Some of this is also happening on the listserv.

SWARMING: The most common technique being used by OLAASM is that they are swarming one person at a time, with comments that are vicious and insulting. The comments are meant to insinuate bad things or embarrass the person. Yesterday, they were ganging up on a nice lady who tweets a lot. When the OLAASM twitter was attacking me, they were posting things that no person who actually cares about OLA would ever write. You just don’t launch senseless untrue attacks against a lawyer who has donated hundreds of hours to helping your group.  OLAASM is clearly against Occupy LA, even if it has drawn in some of its members.

The attack against me was using hashtags such as #shame #paternal #controlfreak. I am older and very experienced, so I just look at that and think: Angry unproductive people and undercover FBI operatives.

Often, the person writing from OLAASM is not present at the event, but is watching the live feed and pretending to be on-site. This is obvious.

TWISTING: Another technique being used by OLAASM is a common psy-ops technique of twisting. For example, someone is doing or planning something illegal. Someone or a group will call attention to the illegality of the act. Then a person or swarm will clobber down hard on the person complaining about the illegality. The motive is to confuse, to make illegality the norm.

CULT SPACE: Occupy LA is a public protest group and as such, is legal. Some in the group have professed a cult-like behavior of saying that illegal acts committed by members of the group are not to be reported to the police. That in itself is cult-like behavior, in addition to being illegal as intimidating the victims of crime. OLA also allows people to use multiple names, multiple identities, false names, and false identities. The healthier, more normal people in OLA need to rise up and make the group healthy once again. Just say no to cult behavior.

In a normal, healthy organization, a group such as OLAASM could not set foot, because no one would tolerate an anonymous person or group bullying and harassing people.

BLACK HAT PSY-OPS: Because OLAASM is anonymous and nefarious and also dishonest, it is what is called “Black Hat” psy-ops. Its aim is to confuse, cause chaos, instill fear in good people, cause productive people to leave OLA, and have OLA overtaken by people professing violence and undercover police. OLAASM is trying to give OLA a bad / worse reputation with the public. It does not take very much of the OLAASM-style evil nonsense before most good people say, "I've had enough."

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF A PSY-OP LIKE OLAASM?

The goals of a psy-op like OLAASM are multi-pronged:

1) To end the Occupy LA group by scaring off the members who are experienced, nonviolent, rational, productive, etc., by making them believe “the group” has taken a turn toward the violent, frightening, etc.

2) To publicly harass the members who are rational, nonviolent, productive, to make them afraid for their lives and safety and get them to quit participating in the organization.

KEEP IN MIND, OLA participants have already stated they are in fear for their lives and safety because of the OLAASM group. This is NOT a benign group or activity.

3) To turn the organization violent and non-law-abiding, which renders it ineffective, gets it mired into a “cops vs us” mentality, and gives cause for law enforcement to clamp down hard.

4) By turning the OLA organization to one that professes to engage in illegal, destructive behavior, the OLA group can be placed on the US Terrorism group list, which makes it illegal to donate to it, to render service to it (including service from lawyers), to belong to it. This also opens up a whole panoply of allowable covert spying techniques on the group, including secret subpoenas on social media and email accounts.

5) Ultimately, for the FBI/ DHS operatives to catch the angry participants in stated plans to conduct some destructive act. Recent domestic terrorist arrests made by the FBI have involved people who stated they would set off bombs, etc., although they did not conduct these acts. Just talking about these things is enough to be considered a “terrorist plot.”

WARNING: IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY planning violence, then I hope the FBI gets you and stops you. However, if you are just a big talker getting involved with the wrong things without considering closely enough, then I suggest that you start thinking. If you are a budding Timothy McVeigh or Jared Loughner, then by all means -- let them catch you and lock you away.

HOW TO AVOID PSY-OPS:

1) Use real names and identities. Check IDs.

2) Avoid people or groups that do not use real names.

3) Avoid people that use multiple identities.

4) Avoid secrecy.

5) Avoid cult behavior. If anyone tries to keep you from reporting illegal behavior to the police, ignore them and report it.

6) Avoid anyone that wants you to report to them. They may want you to report your own activities and thoughts, or those of someone else. They may want you to report on confidential meetings with your lawyer. Their insistence on this intrusion can come in the guise of telling you you must cooperate, that they are trying to mentor you or train you for a leadership position. This is all bogus.

7) Avoid any person or group that twists things from wrong to right. Damaging people or property is wrong, but if you have been around a Cy-Ops person long enough, you may start thinking the opposite. No matter how someone wants to glamorize it or makes fun of those that disagree, destructive acts are illegal, immoral, and unethical. Beware of those who use qualifiers, who say they think it is only okay to do violence against the people or property of those they label as the enemy.

8) Avoid anyone that wants to get you into a secret group where things are supposed to be more interesting or exciting. Usually this is someone setting you up for arrest.

9) Beware of people or groups that want to get you high or drunk and get you to talk.

10) Beware of people who want to take you to visit or stake out a proposed site where some sort of destructive act is being proposed or even theoretically proposed.

11) Beware of flattery or offers of sex.

12) Beware of coincidences. THIS IS IMPORTANT! What might these coincidences be? You need a place to live, they just happen to have a place you can move in. You walk into a mall or park, and they just happen to be there. They just happen to show up living where you live. Think hard about these relationships and about information being elicited from you.

13) Beware of dares or people trying to get you to prove yourself or to offer information about yourself, your activities, or your whereabouts. Ask: Who are you and why are you asking this?  You don't need to tell anyone anything.

14) Beware of fake profiles online. They are all over. Cyberstalking is a crime in California. If you fear for your safety or are being harassed or embarassed online, it is time to report this.