BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. You're going to hear three letters a lot in this episode.

ATF. ATF. ATF. ATF. Those letters stand for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Now, in America, if you're breaking the law on any of those things, it's their job to close you down.

And if things have got to the point where they turn up at your door, you're in for some pretty serious trouble.

He's modifying guns. He's turning them into fully automatic weapons.

Who was willing to open this book and to lose the seals they're up? No man. He knew that eventually

the law would come for him. When God in heaven is ready to judge the world. And what does he do?

And so David Koresh, this self-styled biblical figure, is ready to judge the world. And what does he do? He has one question.

And so David Koresh, this self-styled biblical figurehead, had stockpiled an unbelievable

amount of heavy weapons.

And that's illegal.

That's where the ATF would have been involved.

Because you can own guns, but you can't own fully automatic guns

and you're not allowed to modify them like that.

By now, Darlene's front page story alleging Koresh's abuses at the compound had hit the newsstand.

And suddenly, Koresh's name was everywhere.

And less than 24 hours later, the ATF were getting ready to raid him.

The warrant had to do with firearms related violations.

And when you're looking for something like that, if they have it, they could use it.

Their mission?

To search the compound over suspected weapons off offenses. But the profit had gotten a tip

off. That, of course, was unfortunate when the television station thought they were talking to

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