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03/08/93
Cult talks stalled; Agents say Koresh won't compromise
By Lee Hancock The Dallas Morning News
WACO-Talks with besieged cult leader David Koresh have reached a stalemate, with the self-proclaimed messiah growing increasingly irritable, rejecting compromise offers and trying psychological warfare against federal agents, officials said Sunday.
"We are going through a very frustrating and disappointing period,' said Special Agent Bob K. Ricks, the FBI spokesman.
The deterioration in round-the-clock negotiations comes one week after federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to storm the heavily fortified compound and arrest Mr. Koresh.
The Feb. 28 raid on the Branch Davidian compound ended in a 45-minute firefight that left four federal agents dead, 16 wounded, and three to 14 cult members dead.
As darkness fell Sunday, two trucks began moving large banks of lights toward the isolated rural compound. ATF officials referred questions about the lights to FBI officials, who would not comment.
But one hostage negotiating expert said the lights could be used to illuminate the compound in an effort to disrupt the group's sleep cycles.
"It's a technique that's been used before when they feel like negotiations have stalled,' said Peter DiVasto of Albuquerque, N.M., head of the U.S. Department of Energy's hostage negotiation program. "Their next move could be playing loud music.'
In the last two days, Agent Ricks said, the 33-year-old cult leader has become intent on avoiding discussion of ways to end the standoff.
He has responded to government pleas for compromise with evasive tirades, Scripture recitations and descriptions of his childhood, Agent Ricks said.
"We have thrown out to Mr. Koresh, "Tell us what we can do to get these negotiations moving forward again. . . . Give us something that we can deal with,' ' Agent Ricks said. "We will do almost anything within our power to get this matter over with and settled.'
No children freed
Authorities have become increasingly concerned that no children have been released since Friday morning, when an 8-year-old girl was let go.
That-and the fact that none of the 21 children released so far was fathered by Mr. Koresh-have heightened fears among authorities that the heavily armed, polygamist leader may be planning a violent end to the standoff or a mass suicide among his followers.
Mr. Koresh talked Saturday about allowing a 6-year-old girl named Melissa to leave, even permitting the child and her mother to speak with federal negotiators, Agent Ricks said.
But Mr. Koresh and Steve Schneider, a sect member considered to be Mr. Koresh's "right-hand man,' later told negotiators that the girl had changed her mind.
Federal officials also expressed more forcefully than before that they are increasingly frustrated with Mr. Koresh's rambling talks with negotiators.
In one discussion of "urgent concern' to the cult leader, Agent Ricks said, "We offered to compromise. . . . In fact we offered a specific settlement. Once that offer was made to Mr. Koresh, he rejected it and refused to discuss it further.'
Agent Ricks said he could not detail the proposal because it involves tactical areas of the federal operation.
But he said he obliquely raised the matter at a news media briefing to show negotiators' sincerity-another demonstration of authorities' acute awareness that the cult leader monitors every briefing and televised report.
Offers rejected
Even on subjects as seemingly benign as the need for milk for 17 children believed to be inside the compound, Agent Ricks said, the 33-year-old cult leader has first proposed and then rejected compromises.
"They demanded milk for the children. They got a number of individuals on the phone and talked to us about how they needed milk,' Agent Ricks said. "We said we're ready and willing to bring the milk in, and they rejected the offer to deliver milk. Now we're back on talking about the delivery of the milk.'
He also has accused officials of sending in blank videotapes when they announced that tapes showing children who had been released were being sent in. Agent Ricks said the tape, which accompanied 19 pictures of children, did contain video images of the children when it was dropped outside the compound Friday.
And late Saturday night, as Mr. Koresh was shifting talk from his potential treatment in federal courts to religion, his followers began blasting taped rock music from the compound, authorities said.
The music, apparently a tape recording of Mr. Koresh playing electric guitar, could be heard up to two miles from the compound. Mr. Koresh told negotiators that it "was their effort to harass the people out at the site.'
As talks continue, Agent Ricks said, the cult leader has displayed growing ire "that pops up almost without notice.'
He said Mr. Schneider increasingly warns federal negotiators that "we do not know what we are dealing with when we are dealing wih Mr. Koresh, that he has powers that we're not aware of, and for us to even challenge him, we're making great mistakes.'
When Mr. Koresh has talked about giving up, he continues assuring negotiators that he is waiting for a sign from God that he should surrender.
Trying to play on his desire for publicity, negotiators have assured Mr. Koresh that he will "in fact will have greater exposure once he goes into the judicial system than he has ever had in his history,' Agent Ricks said.
Mr. Koresh has asked for renewed contact with reporters and has said he "feels frustrated' by an FBI decision Tuesday to sever his contacts with the outside world.
Dr. DiVasto, the Energy Department negotiations expert, said the growing intransigence of Mr. Koresh is an indication that the standoff won't end soon.
"As negotiations progress, people typically get more workable rather than less. There are peaks and valleys,' he said. "It may be reaching the point where they're starting to look at other options, tactical options.'
Disrupting sleep would be just such an option, one that might convince Mr. Koresh to begin making concessions, he said. In an 11-day standoff with an Idaho white supremacist, FBI negotiators blared loud music and aimed bright lights at his rural cabin after negotiations stalled.
The Albuquerque psychologist said convincing Mr. Koresh to give up peacefully could be difficult if he truly believes that he is communicating with God, as federal negotiators have indicated.
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