Jeff Fort

One change by prosecutors will be greater focus on a Chicago-area gang that Batiste said on the tapes was an inspiration for his group: the Black P-Stones or El Rukns founded by Jeff Fort, who was convicted in 1987 of plotting with Libya to commit terrorism.

46 In December 1968, the FBI learned that the recognized leader of the Blackstone Rangers, Jeff Fort, was resisting Black Panther overtures to enlist "the support of the Blackstone Rangers."47 In order to increase the friction between these groups, the Bureau's Chicago office proposed sending an anonymous letter to Fort, informing him that two prominent leaders of the Chicago BPP had been making disparaging remarks about his "lack of commitment to black people generally."The field office observed:

Fort is reportedly aware that such remarks have been circulated, but is not aware of the identities of the individual responsible.He has stated that he would "take care of" individuals responsible for the verbal attacks directed against him.

Chicago, consequently, recommends that Fort be made aware that [name deleted] and [name deleted] together with other BPP members locally, are responsible for the circulation of these remarks concerning him.It is felt that if Fort were to be aware that the BPP was responsible, it would lend impetus to his refusal to accept any BPP overtures to the Rangers and additionally might result in Fort having active steps taken to exact some form of retribution toward the leadership of the BPP. [Emphasis added.] 48

On about December 18, 1968, Jeff Fort and other Blackstone Rangers were involved in a serious confrontation with members of the Black Panther Party.

During that day twelve members of the BPP and five known members of the Blackstone Rangers were arrested on Chicago's South Side.49 A report indicates that the Panthers and Rangers were arrested following the shooting of one of the Panthers by a Ranger.49a

That evening, according to an FBI informant, around 10:30 p.m., approximately thirty Panthers went to the Blackstone Rangerss' headquarters at 6400 South Kimbark in Chicago.Upon their arrival Jeff Fort invited Fred Hampton, Bobby Rush and the other BPP members to come upstairs and meet with him and the Ranger leadership.
...
Source stated that Fort then gave orders, via walkie-talkie, whereupon two men marched through the door carrying pump shotguns.
...
Source related that Fort took off his jacket and was wearing a .45 caliber revolver shoulder holster with gun and had a small caliber weapon in his belt.

Source advised that nothing was decided at the meeting about the two groups actually joining forces, however, a decision was made to meet again on Christmas Day.Source stated Fort did relate that the Rangers were behind the Panthers but were not to be considered members.Fort wanted the Panthers to join the Rangers and Hampton wanted the opposite, stating that if the Rangers joined the Panthers, then together they would be able to absorb all the other Chicago gangs.
...
Source advised that Fort also gave Hampton and Rush one of the above .45 caliber machine guns to "try out."

Source advised that based upon conversations during this meeting, Fort did not appear over anxious to join forces with the Panthers, however, neither did it appear that he wanted to terminate meeting for this purpose.49c

On December 26, 1968 Fort and Hampton met again to discuss the possibility of the Panthers and Rangers working together.
...
49d On December 27, Hampton received a phone call at BPP Headquarters from Fort telling him that the BPP had until December 28, 1968 to join the Blackstone Rangers.
...
In the, wake of this incident, the Chicago office renewed its proposal to send a letter to Fort, informing FBI headquarters:
...
52a Shortly after that statement Jeff Fort was on the phone to the radio program and stated that Hampton had his facts confused and that the Rangers were educating the BPP.

But the presence of Jeff Fort, a 55-year-old street gang boss with mythic status on parts of the South Side, could be felt all over the street in last week's mob attack on two men whose rental van struck three young women, killing one.

Sweet-talking Antonio Fort, 16, a high school sophomore who police say helped lead the mob that stoned, kicked and beat the two men to death, is Jeff Fort's grandson.
...
Jeff Fort snookered politicians, used $1 million in federal War on Poverty grants to buy drugs and weapons and ran one of Chicago's biggest crime operations.

...
"They ran drugs instead of alcohol, and they killed," said Carol Marin, a Chicago television reporter who did a major documentary on Fort in 1988.
...
Antonio Fort's father, also named Antonio, was one of at least seven children fathered by Jeff Fort.
...
"How this one man, Jeff Fort, lived his life--his violent life--has affected his family through generations," said a staff member at South Shore High School, where Antonio Fort started as a freshman last year.
...
Jeff Fort was a founder of the Blackstone Rangers, which he renamed the Black P Stone Nation in the late '60s.

In 1987, Fort, an illiterate migrant from Mississippi, was sent away for 80 years for plotting with Libyan officials to carry out terrorist bombings against the United States for $2.5 million.He did all this while in prison on a drug conviction.

The money was for the El Rukns street gang, which the charismatic leader founded and ran for years, both from prison and the South Side.In 1988, he was given an additional 75 years for ordering the "systematic liquidation" of passersby on 43rd Street.

Ironically, Jeff Fort was lifted up on the shoulders of a Hyde Park clergyman and other 1960s liberals.The Rev. John Fry, in the belief that Fort could be a force for good, gave him space in his First Presbyterian Church to operate and testified on his behalf before a Senate subcommittee in 1968.He also helped Fort obtain almost $1 million in federal War on Poverty grants.

Fry wasn't alone in his admiration for Fort.Illinois Republican Sen.
...
Fort didn't go.

But public approval didn't last long.

In 1972, a federal judge ruled that Fort had used the anti-poverty money to buy drugs and weapons and sentenced him to five years in prison.After converting to Islam in prison, he founded the El Rukns.

Though he shares the family name, Antonio Fort insists he's no criminal.

...
Several students, including one good friend, said Fort denied being related to Jeff Fort.

46 In December 1968, the FBI learned that the recognized leader of the Blackstone Rangers, Jeff Fort, was resisting Black Panther overtures to enlist "the support of the Blackstone Rangers."47 In order to increase the friction between these groups, the Bureau's Chicago office proposed sending an anonymous letter to Fort, informing him that two prominent leaders of the Chicago BPP had been making disparaging remarks about his "lack of commitment to black people generally."The field office observed:

Fort is reportedly aware that such remarks have been circulated, but is not aware of the identities of the individual responsible.He has stated that he would "take care of" individuals responsible for the verbal attacks directed against him.

Chicago, consequently, recommends that Fort be made aware that [name deleted] and [name deleted] together with other BPP members locally, are responsible for the circulation of these remarks concerning him.It is felt that if Fort were to be aware that the BPP was responsible, it would lend impetus to his refusal to accept any BPP overtures to the Rangers and additionally might result in Fort having active steps taken to exact some form of retribution toward the leadership of the BPP. [Emphasis added.] 48

On about December 18, 1968, Jeff Fort and other Blackstone Rangers were involved in a serious confrontation with members of the Black Panther Party.

During that day twelve members of the BPP and five known members of the Blackstone Rangers were arrested on Chicago's South Side.49 A report indicates that the Panthers and Rangers were arrested following the shooting of one of the Panthers by a Ranger.49a

That evening, according to an FBI informant, around 10:30 p.m., approximately thirty Panthers went to the Blackstone Rangerss' headquarters at 6400 South Kimbark in Chicago.Upon their arrival Jeff Fort invited Fred Hampton, Bobby Rush and the other BPP members to come upstairs and meet with him and the Ranger leadership.
...
Source stated that Fort then gave orders, via walkie-talkie, whereupon two men marched through the door carrying pump shotguns.Another order and two men appeared carrying sawed off carbines then eight more, each carrying a .45 caliber machine gun, clip type, operated from the shoulder or hip, then others came with over and under type weapons.Source stated that after this procession Fort had all Rangers present, approximately 100, display their side arms and about one half had .45 caliber revolvers.Source advised that all the above weapons appeared to be new.

Source advised they left the gym, went downstairs to another room where Rush and Hampton of the Panthers and Fort and two members of the Main 21 sat by a table and discussed the possibility of joining the two groups.
...
Source related that Fort took off his jacket and was wearing a .45 caliber revolver shoulder holster with gun and had a small caliber weapon in his belt.

Source advised that nothing was decided at the meeting about the two groups actually joining forces, however, a decision was made to meet again on Christmas Day.Source stated Fort did relate that the Rangers were behind the Panthers but were not to be considered members.Fort wanted the Panthers to join the Rangers and Hampton wanted the opposite, stating that if the Rangers joined the Panthers, then together they would be able to absorb all the other Chicago gangs.
...
Source advised that Fort also gave Hampton and Rush one of the above .45 caliber machine guns to "try out."

Source advised that based upon conversations during this meeting, Fort did not appear over anxious to join forces with the Panthers, however, neither did it appear that he wanted to terminate meeting for this purpose.49c

On December 26, 1968 Fort and Hampton met again to discuss the possibility of the Panthers and Rangers working together.
...
49d On December 27, Hampton received a phone call at BPP Headquarters from Fort telling him that the BPP had until December 28, 1968 to join the Blackstone Rangers.
...
In the, wake of this incident, the Chicago office renewed its proposal to send a letter to Fort, informing FBI headquarters:
...
52a Shortly after that statement Jeff Fort was on the phone to the radio program and stated that Hampton had his facts confused and that the Rangers were educating the BPP.

Jeff Fort of El Rukn, the radical Chicago-based Muslim street gang, offered to commit terrorist acts in America on behalf of the Libyan government for $2.5 million - while imprisoned on drug charges in Texas.Fort sent three gang members to Tripoli to meet with Moammar Khadafy to discuss blowing up planes and buildings.The ring was convicted on terror-related charges in 1987.

46 In December 1968, the FBI learned that the recognized leader of the Blackstone Rangers, Jeff Fort, was resisting Black Panther overtures to enlist "the support of the Blackstone Rangers."47 In order to increase the friction between these groups, the Bureau's Chicago office proposed sending an anonymous letter to Fort, informing him that two prominent leaders of the Chicago BPP had been making disparaging remarks about his "lack of commitment to black people generally."The field office observed:

Fort is reportedly aware that such remarks have been circulated, but is not aware of the identities of the individual responsible.He has stated that he would "take care of" individuals responsible for the verbal attacks directed against him.

Chicago, consequently, recommends that Fort be made aware that [name deleted] and [name deleted] together with other BPP members locally, are responsible for the circulation of these remarks concerning him.It is felt that if Fort were to be aware that the BPP was responsible, it would lend impetus to his refusal to accept any BPP overtures to the Rangers and additionally might result in Fort having active steps taken to exact some form of retribution toward the leadership of the BPP. [Emphasis added.] 48

On about December 18, 1968, Jeff Fort and other Blackstone Rangers were involved in a serious confrontation with members of the Black Panther Party.

During that day twelve members of the BPP and five known members of the Blackstone Rangers were arrested on Chicago's South Side.49 A report indicates that the Panthers and Rangers were arrested following the shooting of one of the Panthers by a Ranger.49a

That evening, according to an FBI informant, around 10:30 p.m., approximately thirty Panthers went to the Blackstone Rangerss' headquarters at 6400 South Kimbark in Chicago.Upon their arrival Jeff Fort invited Fred Hampton, Bobby Rush and the other BPP members to come upstairs and meet with him and the Ranger leadership.
...
Source stated that Fort then gave orders, via walkie-talkie, whereupon two men marched through the door carrying pump shotguns.Another order and two men appeared carrying sawed off carbines then eight more, each carrying a .45 caliber machine gun, clip type, operated from the shoulder or hip, then others came with over and under type weapons.Source stated that after this procession Fort had all Rangers present, approximately 100, display their side arms and about one half had .45 caliber revolvers.Source advised that all the above weapons appeared to be new.

Source advised they left the gym, went downstairs to another room where Rush and Hampton of the Panthers and Fort and two members of the Main 21 sat by a table and discussed the possibility of joining the two groups.
...
Source related that Fort took off his jacket and was wearing a .45 caliber revolver shoulder holster with gun and had a small caliber weapon in his belt.

Source advised that nothing was decided at the meeting about the two groups actually joining forces, however, a decision was made to meet again on Christmas Day.Source stated Fort did relate that the Rangers were behind the Panthers but were not to be considered members.Fort wanted the Panthers to join the Rangers and Hampton wanted the opposite, stating that if the Rangers joined the Panthers, then together they would be able to absorb all the other Chicago gangs.
...
Source advised that Fort also gave Hampton and Rush one of the above .45 caliber machine guns to "try out."

Source advised that based upon conversations during this meeting, Fort did not appear over anxious to join forces with the Panthers, however, neither did it appear that he wanted to terminate meeting for this purpose.49c

On December 26, 1968 Fort and Hampton met again to discuss the possibility of the Panthers and Rangers working together.
...
49d On December 27, Hampton received a phone call at BPP Headquarters from Fort telling him that the BPP had until December 28, 1968 to join the Blackstone Rangers.
...
In the, wake of this incident, the Chicago office renewed its proposal to send a letter to Fort, informing FBI headquarters:
...
52a Shortly after that statement Jeff Fort was on the phone to the radio program and stated that Hampton had his facts confused and that the Rangers were educating the BPP.

In late 1968 and early 1969, the FBI endeavored to pit the Black-stone Rangers, a heavily armed, violence-prone organization, against the Black Panthers.46 In December 1968, the FBI learned that the recognized leader of the Blackstone Rangers, Jeff Fort, was resisting Black Panther overtures to enlist "the support of the Blackstone Rangers.47 In order to increase the friction between these groups, the Bureau's Chicago office proposed sending an anonymous letter to Fort, informing him that two prominent leaders of the Chicago BPP had been making disparaging remarks about his "lack of commitment to black people generally."The field office observed :

Fort is reportedly aware that such remarks have been circulated, but is not aware of the identities of the individual responsible.He has stated that he would "take care of" individuals responsible for the verbal attacks directed against him.

Chicago, consequently, recommends that Fort be made aware that [name deleted] and [name deleted] together with other BPP members locally, are responsible for the circulation of these remarks concerning him.It is felt that if Fort were to be aware that the BPP was responsible, it would lend impetus to his refusal to accept any BPP overtures to the Rangers and additionally might. result in Fort having

active steps taken to exact some form of retribution toward the leadership of the BPP. [Emphasis added.] 48

On about December 18, 1968, Jeff Fort and other Blackstone Rangers were involved in a serious confrontation with members of the Black Panther Party.

During that day twelve members of the BPP and five known members of the Blackstone Rangers were arrested on Chicago's South Side.49 A report indicates that the Panthers and Rangers were arrested following the shooting of one of the Panthers by a Ranger.49a

That evening, according to an FBI informant, around 10:30 p.m., approximately thirty Panthers went to the Blackstone Rangers' head-quarters at 6400 South Kimbark in Chicago.Upon their arrival Jeff Fort invited Fred Hampton, Bobby Rush and the other BPP members to come upstairs and meet with him and the Ranger leadership.49b The Bureau goes on to describe what transpired at this meeting :
...
Source stated that Fort then gave orders, via walkie-talkie, whereupon two men marched through the door carrying pump shotguns.Another order and two men appeared carrying sawed off carbines then eight more, each carrying a .45 caliber machine gun, clip type, operated from the shoulder or hip, then others came with over and under type weapons.Source stated that after this procession Fort had all Rangers present, approximately 100, display their side arms and about one half had .45 caliber revolvers.Source advised that all the above weapons appeared to be new.

Source advised they left the gym, went downstairs to an-other room where Rush and Hampton of the Panthers and Fort and two members of the Main 21 sat by a table and discussed the possibility of joining the two groups.
...
Source related that Fort took off his jacket and was wearing a .45 caliber revolver shoulder holster with gun and had a small caliber weapon in his belt.

Source advised that nothing was decided at the meeting about the two groups actually joining forces, however, a decision was made to meet again on Christmas Day.Source stated Fort did relate that the Rangers were behind the Panthers but were not to be considered members.Fort wanted the Panthers to join the Rangers and Hampton wanted the opposite, stating that if the Rangers joined the Panthers, then together they would be able to absorb all the other Chicago gangs.
...
Source ad-vised that Fort also gave Hampton and Rush one of the above .45 caliber machine guns to "try out."