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The Washington Post June 20, 1997 Report Says Flashes Not Gunfire By Richard Leiby Did FBI agents fire machine guns into the Branch Davidian compound on April 19, 1993, as alleged in the documentary "Waco: The Rules of Engagement"? It looks convincing in the film, but it didn't happen, according to independent scientists who specialize in the detection of automatic weapons fire. Shot from an FBI aircraft, the infrared Waco footage shows a series of brief, rhythmic flashes that the FBI has described as reflections of sunlight. That position is supported by a study done for The Washington Post by the nonprofit Maryland Advanced Development Laboratory in Greenbelt. "The flash events examined were not the result of rifle fire," the report concludes. In April, The Post published an article quoting analysts who were divided on whether the flashes were gunfire. But none of them subjected the film to the type of analysis done by the Greenbelt lab, which has developed computer-assisted sniper detection equipment for the military. Its study focused on the duration of the flashes and found that they last too long to be gunfire. Mike McNulty, one of the "Waco" filmmakers, disputed the lab's conclusion, saying it is based on "false or faulty" information that the FBI supplied to The Post about the infrared camera. FBI Director Louis Freeh said last month that "very detailed scientific analyses" of the tape showed that "no shots were fired by any of the federal agents outside the compound." But the bureau would not release its own report, citing lawsuits filed by family members of Branch Davidians who died at Waco. ©1997 The Washington Post Company

 


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