FC: FBI allegedly wants San Francisco IMC's web logs?

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

The below report sounds fishy. If the FBI wanted the web logs from the 
Independent Media Center of SF, they wouldn't screw around chatting up some 
volunteers over the phone. They'd serve the guys with physical custody of 
the server with legal documents -- after all, this is what the FBI did before:

"Feds abandon pursuit of Seattle IMC's web logs"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-02147.html

"Ohio journalist collective also hit with subpoena for logs"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-02006.html

Perhaps the EFF, apparently retained as counsel, could shed some light on this.

-Declan

*******

Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 17:05:26 -0800
From: [name deleted per request]
To: declan () well com
Subject: Oakland FBI Contacts Indymedia Volunteer

declan, hi. this comes right on the heels of the house subcommittee on
forestry sending out requests to environmental groups requesting that
they publicly denounce "domestic terrorists," like earth liberation
front and animal liberation front.

---------

http://sf.indymedia.org/2001/11/108185.php

November 2, 2001 - The FBI contacted volunteers from the Independent
Media Center (indymedia) in San Francisco today. Agent Chuck Esposito,
from the Oakland FBI office, telephoned "Espe," a volunteer who has
worked with the San Francisco Indymedia collective. Agent Esposito
asked Espe if he had access to server logs, if he administered
"indymedia sites," and if he had access to the server. Espe only
replied that he could not answer questions without the presence of an
attorney. Agent Esposito asked Espe if he knew what the call was about
or if anyone else had contacted him. Espe said, "No, care to fill me
in?" Agent Esposito replied, "not until I'm ready." Agent Esposito
also mentioned something about "terrorist threats," but Espe could not
recall the exact context.

Other IMC volunteers immediately called the Electronic Frontier
Foundation, who helped Indymedia when Seattle IMC was served with an
order by the FBI in April. According to information obtained by an EFF
representative, Agent Esposito was given indymedia contact information
by the Seattle FBI office, and was instructed to follow up on a lead
they had received. The lead involved some kind of "anthrax threat."
Agent Esposito indicated that the FBI is interested in reviewing
Indymedia server logs. Agent Esposito also indicated that, to his
knowledge, the "threat" appeared on the Arizona IMC website.

Following the FBI order in April, the Indymedia tech collective
decided to stop recording IP addresses of website visitors. The IP
address is the "key" to identifying website visitors. Without IP
addresses, most Indymedia web traffic is anonymous. However, this is
not absolute protection. Use of internet spying and devices like
Carnivore allow the FBI to obtain this information without going
through Indymedia.

Website users who wish to remain anonymous should utilize "anonymous
web proxies." These are websites which allow you to surf other
websites, while protecting your identity. Not all anonymizer services
are safe. For instance, SafeWeb.com, based in Oakland, is largely
funded by the CIA. Currently, many people are relying on the
anonymizer offered by the European Counter Network, at
https://proxy1.autistici.org/

http://www.indymedia.org/fbi/




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