In November 1998, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation at San Diego,
California and the San Diego Police Department (SDPD)
initiated an extensive joint investigation of various
federal civil rights and domestic terrorism-related
violations and incidents, targeting a self-professed
white supremacist, Alexander James Curtis, and several
of Curtis' white supremacists associates.
The investigation was
dubbed "Operation Lone Wolf," largely
due to Curtis' encouragement of other white supremacists
to follow what Curtis refers to as "lone wolf" activism.
Alex Curtis has preached through his hate computer
website and racist telephone messages for white supremacist
activists to commit criminal acts in small groups,
or "cells", to avoid penetration by law
enforcement. Curtis preaches "lone wolf activism" in
support of achieving white supremacists goals "by
any means necessary."
Operation Lone Wolf revealed
that Curtis led various white supremacist associates,
herein referred to as the Curtis' cell, to commit
various criminal acts. Curtis and his cell members
targeted various prominent public figures, who spoke
out against hate crimes in our community and/or were
members of an ethnic or racial minority.
The investigation of
Curtis' white supremacist cell has resulted in an
indictment charging Curtis with conspiracy to violate
civil rights by targeting for harassment and interference
several prominent members of our community, including
Congressman Bob Filner, La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid,
Anti-Defamation League Director Morris Casuto, and
Director of the Heartland Human Relations and Fair
Housing Association (Heartland Asso.) Clara Harris.
A Curtis associate, Michael DaSilva, was also charged
with obstruction of justice for attempting to dissuade
a former Curtis' associate from cooperating with
the government's investigation.
Investigators learned
in the course of this investigation that for several
months during 1997, Alex Curtis and his associates
targeted La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid. On January 19,
1997, Mayor Madrid publicly denounced a hate crime
incident in La Mesa. Shortly thereafter, on January
21, 1997, racist hate fliers were left on Madrid's
front lawn at his residence. During August 1997,
an anti-Hispanic racist sticker was placed upon the
front door of Mayor Madrid's residence. The sticker
bore the telephone number 401-9107, which is the
number for Alex Curtis' racist telephone hotline.
The investigation indicated
that during August 1997, Curtis placed an inactive
hand grenade at the Madrid residence as part of an
effort to intimidate the Mayor and interfere with
his employment and housing rights because he is Hispanic.
The investigation also
determined that Curtis conspired with another member
of his white supremacist cell to interfere with Congressman
Bob Filner's right to employment because Congressman
Filner is Jewish. During May 1997, Curtis participated
in the placement of threatening anti-Semitic stickers
at Filner's Chula Vista office. During June 1999,
Curtis and another cell member inserted a large snake
skin into the mail slot at Congressman Filner's office.
Operation Lone Wolf also
revealed that during June 1997, Alex Curtis and
Michael DaSilva conspired to vandalize and did, in
fact, vandalize the Congregation Tifereth Israel,
a synagogue located at 6660 Cowles Mountain Boulevard
in San Diego. This was accomplished by spray painting
various threatening, anti-Semitic symbols and words.
Operation Lone Wolf also
determined that from November 1997 to March 1999,
cell members have targeted San Diego ADL Director
Morris Casuto by committing acts of intimidation
at Casuto's residence, place of employment, and neighborhood.
Another San Diego area
public figure who has been targeted by Curtis and
his associates is Clara Harris, who from the 1970s
to the present, has been the Director of the Heartland
Asso., which association has assisted racial and
ethnic minorities secure housing without discrimination
in East county. Curtis conspired with another member
of his cell to threaten and intimidate Harris by
leaving a large snake skin at the residence of Harris.
The investigation has
revealed that during the past four years, Curtis
and members of his cell have been responsible for
the distribution throughout San Diego County of massive
numbers of racist fliers and stickers, which Curtis
has manufactured. The indictment sets forth the many
times that such fliers were utilized in violation
of federal law to specifically target individuals.
Press release
