WEB SITE PULLS FBI STING VIDEO

A media Web site has pulled video that federal authorities say shows San
Antonio police officers engaging in drug deals, after the FBI said it was
concerned the clips showed undercover agents who have other investigations
under way.

A re-edited version of the tape is expected to be online as soon as it's
made available by federal authorities.

The original video was released to the news media Wednesday by the U.S.
attorney's office in San Antonio. Mysanantonio.com, a joint operation of
the San Antonio Express-News and KENS-TV, promptly posted it online.

The video clips had been shown in court during bond hearings for the
officers, and the same video was splashed across local television news
shows. Images taken from the video also were published in the Express-News.

While none of the undercover agents shown are working in San Antonio,
there's always the possibility that the wrong person might see it,
officials said.

"These guys work undercover cases every day," FBI spokesman John DeLeon
said. "Some are currently working other undercover cases, not here, but in
other parts of the country. The last thing we need is to put anybody in a
safety predicament."

As to why the video was given to the media with the undercover agents in
it, DeLeon said the U.S. attorney's office released the tape.

For its part, the U.S. attorney's office said the FBI indicated it had no
problem with the release.

"I can tell you that at the time of the hearing, the FBI was aware of the
content of the tapes and informed us that there would not be a problem with
making those tapes public," said Daryl Fields, spokesman for the U.S. attorney.

Fields said his office assisted the U.S. clerk's office, which received
media requests for the tapes after the videos were aired during bond hearings.

"It was public record and it was introduced in open court," Fields said.

Eight San Antonio officers, a Bexar County deputy sheriff, an Our Lady of
the Lake University investigator and two civilians are facing prosecution
on charges of conspiracy, attempted possession and distribution of cocaine,
theft and weapons violations in connection with the FBI's three-year
investigation.

Express-News Editor Robert Rivard noted the video was available online for
nearly 24 hours and likely was picked up by newspapers and TV stations in
other areas via wire service transmissions.

"It is not clear that removing the videos will afford the agents the
protection they seek," Rivard said. "The damage probably has been done.

"We do not know that to be true, however, and we see no compelling
journalistic reason to further expose agents who remain in undercover
assignments and might be at personal risk if identified."