From the February 2008 Idaho Observer:

To date, there are nearly 23,000 members of 86 chapters of a federal program that began in 1996 to aid the FBI in enhancing homeland security. The "InfraGard" program deputizes members of private sector industry to work with state and federal law enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security to provide advance information on criminal activity that threatens domestic security. These civilians also receive advance warning of terrorist threats before the rest of the public is notified."

Matthew Rothschild of the Progressive reported Feb. 7, 2008, "One business executive who showed me his Infragard card told me they have permission to ‘shoot to kill’ in the event of martial law.

The concept began in Cleveland in 1996 when private sector personnel cooperated with the FBI to investigate cyber crimes, Rothschild reported. "‘Then the FBI cloned it,’ says Phyllis Schneck, chairman of the board of directors of the InfraGard National Members Alliance and the prime mover behind the growth of InfraGard over the last several years."

"At its most basic level, InfraGard is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the private sector," the InfraGard website states. "InfraGard chapters are geographically linked with FBI Field Office territories."

It should make Americans feel secure knowing that 23,000 civilians are working for the FBI and Homeland Security to keep Americans safe. Homeland Security is the agency responsible for allowing millions of undocumented illegal aliens into the country while little old ladies taking a plane to see their grandchildren are subjected to long lines, cavity searches and are not allowed to take more than three ounces of water onboard.

The bonus is that this crack force of citizen intelligentsia work closely with the FBI—the agency zealously protecting the 19-boxcuter-wielding-terrorists theory of 9/11 and destroys or ignores all evidence to the contrary in its official investigation of the Sept. 11 tragedy.

(We apologize for the cynicism. But one has to wonder: "Are these 23,000 citizen snitches guarding the homeland or are they the sycophantic eyes and ears of a burgeoning police state?")