IP: FBI raids Seattle journalist collective, delivers gag order] (fwd)

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2001 15:12:07 -0500
> :To: politech () politechbot com
> :From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
>
> :
> :This was reportedly posted on then removed from vermont.indymedia.org:
> :>"There is a report of FBI Officers currently located within the Seattle
> :>IMC demanding the location of the person who's name is the registered name
> :>of indymedia.org. Apparently, they have an arrest warrant for Jonathan Jay
> :>because of a supposed threat against President Bush on the Montreal IMC
> :>site. They are making threats that the IMC is not supposed to send out
> :>*any* emails regarding this issue, according to the warrant. However,
> :>this, according to the IMC lawyer, is Prior Restraint, which is
> :>unconstitutional. The closest story mentioning Bush on the Montreal site
> :>is the following: story mentioning bush Please look to
> :>seattle.indymedia.org as well as other sites for updates on this situation."
> :
> :The name "Jonathan Jay" does indeed appear in the "whois" database:
> :http://www.networksolutions.com/cgi-bin/whois/whois?STRING=indymedia.org
> :
> :But each Independent Media Center is a collective that includes hundreds of
> :loosely-affiliated journalists and activists. Holding the whois registrant
> :responsible for what appears on the site -- if that is what happened --
> :makes little sense. He may have simply donated the domain name years ago,
> :or may be no longer involved in the publication of the site.
> :
> :Also, the gag order -- the sketchy little we know of it -- seems remarkably
> :broad. Why shouldn't a news organization be able to report on a raid of its
> :office?
> :
> :Background:
> :http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,38286,00.html
> :http://www.cluebot.com/article.pl?sid=01/04/24/1857245
> :
> :-Declan
> :
> :*********
> :
> :Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2001 12:07:54 -0700
> :From: Warren Cowley <wdcowley () earthlink net>
> :To: declan () well com
> :Subject: Indymedia raided by the FBI and gag order placed on discussion of
> :the issue
> :
> :Declan,
> :Please sound the alarm. The FBI has chosen another target. They raided the
> :Indymedia center on sat  04/21/01.
> :In the process they have placed a gag order on indymedia.
> :the story is here :
> :http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0424-04.htm
> :and
> :here:
> :http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=36185&group=webcast
> :
> :Thanks
> :A very concerned citizen
> :
> :*********
> :
> :http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/19980_security24.shtml
> :
> :    FBI raids media center
> :    Stolen security plan for Quebec meeting was put on Internet here
> :
> :    Tuesday, April 24, 2001
> :
> :    By PAUL SHUKOVSKY
> :    SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
> :
> :    Security plans intended to protect Western leaders attending a trade
> :    summit in Quebec City were stolen from a car there over the weekend
> :    and posted, hours later, on a Seattle-based Web site, authorities said
> :    yesterday.
> :
> :    On Saturday night, FBI agents raided the offices of the Independent
> :    Media Center in downtown Seattle, seizing computer-log records,
> :    according to federal sources.
> :
> :    No arrests have been made.
> :
> :    Center spokeswoman Sherry Herndon said she and other staff have been
> :    told "not to talk about" the incident under threat of being held in
> :    contempt of court.
> :
> :    She referred inquiries to attorney Bob Goodman of the Center for
> :    Constitutional Rights in New York City, who also declined comment.
> :
> :    He said the court order that was served on the IMC "contains a fairly
> :    broad gag order; therefore, we cannot talk."
> :
> :    ...
> :
> :    No mention of the FBI raid could be found yesterday on the IMC Web
> :    site. But the organization's home page carried a boldface note
> :    stating, "Everything is fine at the Seattle IMC. We will keep you
> :    posted on any further developments."
> :
> :    ...
> :
> :*********
> :
> :



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