FBI publicly denies spying on protesters

AP ^ | 11.25.2003 | CURT ANDERSON

[SolidSupplySide]

Senior FBI officials took the unusual step Tuesday of publicly declaring that agents are not using the war against terrorism as a cover to collect information on people who demonstrate against the government.

John Pistole, assistant FBI director for counterterrorism, told The Associated Press in an interview that recent allegations by civil liberties groups and some members of Congress about such an intelligence effort are "flat-out wrong."

[SolidSupplySide]

Well, I'm glad that's cleared up.

[Burkeman1]

I am actually impressed with this statement. The Assisstant Director of Antiterrorism has actually strongly gone on the record to deny these accusations. Rarely do bureacratic weasals put their hides on the line with such clear statements. I give the FBI the benefit of the doubt now.

[coloradan]

Senior FBI officials took the unusual step Tuesday of publicly declaring that agents are not using the war against terrorism as a cover to collect information on people who demonstrate against the government.

Well, that's nice. Of course, they have not denied that they are spying on political dissidents, they have only denied that they are using the war on terror as a cover for this spying.

[Burkeman1]

Weasal words. Perhaps I was mistaken. Good call.

[coloradan]

It would be nice if one could expect honesty and transparency from one's government. Sadly, this is not the case - especially not from the FBI.

[kristinn]

Considering that the leading "antiwar" group, ANSWER, has allied itself unconditionally with the Iraqi "resistance," I'd be disappointed if the FBI were not investigating them.

[Burkeman1]

I used to think- naively- that the Feds were incorruptible or nearly so while local police were far more corrupt. After the disgusting local episodes of Boston FBI corruption by the Irish mob- even to the point of aiding and abetting murders- I think the FBI should be abolished. Mass State Police actually were close to bagging the entire Irish Mob leadership in Boston when they managed to get wires into the Leader's HQ- James WHitey Bulger- but their buddies in the FBI tipped them off to the wires and they got nothing. See- The FBI wanted headlines. And Headlines meant going after the popular perception of the Mafia- the Italians in the North End even though they were nickel and dime and didn't have half the strength of the Irish Mob. After Waco and Ruby Ridge and the failure of 9/11? I wonder what our tax dollars pay for?

[coloradan]

I wonder what our tax dollars pay for?

Chinese double agents dating FBI agents. Robert Hanssen. Railroading of gun owners. The harassment of Steven Hatfill. The bombing, framing, and prosecution of Judi Barri. MOVE. The coverup of TWA 800. The coverup of the OKC bombing. The bungling of the first WTC bombing case. The smearing of Richard Jewell.

Shall I go on?

[Burkeman1]

Nope. No need.

[StriperSniper]

If the make-up is similar to that of the groups in London, it would be a good idea to keep an eye on them:

London "Anti-War" Demonstrators' True Colours

[kristinn]

Let's hope they are.

[LibWhacker]

"We have to have some type of predicate, some foundation, some basis for saying, 'This person poses some type of threat . . . The endgame is to prevent terrorism or criminal activity."

Liberalism is the predicate. Treason is the criminal activity. Go with that. It's sound.

[PropheticZero]

Some members of Congress are calling for hearings into an FBI bulletin sent to more than 17,000 state and local police agencies on Oct. 15. It warned about anti-war protests being planned for later that month in Washington and San Francisco and urged authorities to report suspicious behavior to the FBI.

"This report suggests ...that I read into this report... that federal law enforcement may now be targeting individuals based on activities that are peaceful, lawful and protected under our Constitution," Sen. John Edwards, a North Carolina Democrat who is running for president, said in a letter sent Monday to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

How far a leap is it from being able to say that the U.S. deserved 911 to taking part in the next one? Maybe the FBI wants to catch future terrorists before the go bigtime. I'm sure lots of terrorst start small.

One report in one small town give you the picture of a protestor that just got caught up in the violence of the mob. 10 or 100 reports from other towns/cities on the same protestor paints an entirely different picture.