Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

College Professor Puts up Federally Funded Website that Teaches How to Kill

Posted on 10/02/2002 6:45:13 PM PDT by Freedom4USA

Very disturbing article -- Federal funding for this????!!!!

Mass Destruction 101

College Professor Puts up Federally Funded Website that Teaches How to Kill

As the nation faced the searing memory of September 11th, a Pittsburgh college professor has put up a federally funded website that teaches lethal bomb building techniques to anyone who has access to the Internet.

Under the guise of academic freedom and freedom of speech, Carnegie Mellon Professor David S. Touretzky, has put up a copy of chilling website whose author is facing federal felony charges for publishing what essentially is a bomb making manual on the Web.

Nineteen-year-old Californian Sherman Austin, author of the “Raise the Fist” website, was arrested during an FBI raid earlier this year, held for several days of FBI questioning, and is currently facing two felony charges: distribution of information relating to explosives with the intent that such information be used in furtherance of a federal crime of violence; and possession of a firearm which is not registered to him. If convicted, Austin could serve 2-25 years.

On August 7, 2002, prosecutors offered Austin a plea agreement that included dropping other charges and only 1 month of custody in exchange for his guilty plea to violation of 18USC 842 (P) (2) (A). This law makes it unlawful to “teach or demonstrate to any person the making or use of an explosive, a destructive device, or a weapon of mass destruction with the intent that the teaching, demonstration, or information be used for or with the knowledge that the person intends to use it for an activity that constitutes a Federal crime of violence.”

However, Austin rejected the plea offer and on August 26, 2002 federal prosecutors charged him with two felony violations; distribution of information relating to explosives with the intent that such information be used in furtherance of a federal crime of violence; and possession of a firearm which is not registered to him.

Apparently attempting to taunt the FBI, Touretsky, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, copied the offensive portions of the “Raise the Fist” website in what is called a “mirror”. The cmu.edu website funded by the University now has the following statements, “…Many readers will find their content objectionable…. The information provided in these pages may be technically unsound. No one lacking proper training in munitions technology and safe handling of explosives should attempt to carry out the activities described herein. …. Much better information on explosives is available at your local public library, or from booksellers, so please do not rely on anonymous political radicals for amateur chemistry advise.” Following this “disclaimer” the site goes on to give “basic chemistry” instructions including construction directions for Molotov cocktails, smoke bombs, fuel-fertilizer explosives, pipe bombs, Drano bombs, soda bottle bombs, and match head bombs.

While Prof. Touretzky states on his controversial federally funded site that he doesn’t encourage anyone to use the information, he gives Internet links and addresses for other websites that in his opinion offer “better” information on bomb making.

Instructions include comments such as “These will create an overwhelmingly large explosion and should be practiced in large faraway places like the desert being used. Make sure that you will not injure anyone that you do not intend to injure” and “Don’t blow yourself up, or any of your comrades! Don’t get caught!”

Touretzky’s site includes links to purchase copies of such books as Home Workshop Explosives, Improvised Munitions Black Book, Silent Death (book on chemical and biological weapons manufacture & distribution), and the Anarchist Cookbook.

Touretzky’s controversial site, which exists on a university website funded almost exclusively by federal and state grants, raises several serious questions.

What will Carnegie Mellon University’s grant makers do when they discover public funds are being used to support the publication of information that could be used to kill hundreds or thousands of innocent Americans?

How can federal funds be used to prosecute Sherman Austin on the one hand for publishing his online bomb manual, yet on the other, fund Touretzky’s publication of Austin’s potentially deadly material? Shouldn’t Touretzky also be prosecuted?

In the current climate of fear and concern, why would any loyal American publish such information on the Web? Indeed, as we reflect on the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist strike, including the tragic crash of United Flight 93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, less than 100 miles from Carnegie Mellon University where Touretzky teaches, one can only wonder what his true intentions really are.

-end-


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 911; banglist; bomb; bombmaking; federalfunding; september11; terrorism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last

1 posted on 10/02/2002 6:45:13 PM PDT by Freedom4USA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
And you found this where and who wrote it ?
2 posted on 10/02/2002 6:48:05 PM PDT by Lecie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
Another cowardly University Professor....won't do it himself
but will "encourage", under cover of a disclaimer, other
cowardly anarchist to act.....
3 posted on 10/02/2002 6:50:36 PM PDT by larry h
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
Please provide a link for credibility...
4 posted on 10/02/2002 6:54:01 PM PDT by Vidalia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
However, Austin rejected the plea offer

If there isn't a lot more to the story than related here, then I actually applaud his integrity not to plead guilty to something he is not guilty of. I could see a "no contest" plea but not a "guilty" plea. His activity probably ought to be illegal, and if anybody ever used these plans to create mayhem he should have his pants sued off, but I don't think it's illegal since the only apparent intent is to be stunningly tasteless.

5 posted on 10/02/2002 6:54:43 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
I'm not sure if this is it, but a quick google search turned up something called www.raisethefist.com
6 posted on 10/02/2002 6:55:58 PM PDT by SpaceBar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: Freedom4USA
HOWDY PARTNER!
WOULD YOU HELP ME TAKE BACK THE SENATE??

PLEASE LOG ONTO:

TakeBackCongress.org

A resource for conservatives who want a Republican majority in the Senate

8 posted on 10/02/2002 7:07:38 PM PDT by ffrancone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
Touretsky has a site that tells you where to look for information on CSS descramblers, a way of getting around the CD music copyright laws.

It's at http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/DeCSS/Gallery/.

Bomb making would seem to be a more serious matter. I'd like to see a link for it.

9 posted on 10/02/2002 7:10:04 PM PDT by Cicero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
Hey, nothing enhances your life expectancy quite like taking explosives advice from an amateur Che wannabe. He forgot the part about testing the impact fuse with a claw hammer...
10 posted on 10/02/2002 7:10:25 PM PDT by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vidalia
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/raisethefist/

There you go. According to the site:

I'm a registered Republican, so needless to say, I don't agree with Sherman Austin's politics, much less his actions. But I'm curious why the FBI would include this Reclaim Guide as part of their justification for raiding a private citizen's home and carting off all his computers and political literature. Since when is it illegal to write about explosives? According to the search warrant, Austin was violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 842(p), which makes it unlawful to: ...

11 posted on 10/02/2002 7:16:24 PM PDT by killjoy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Vidalia
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/raisethefist/

There you go. According to the site:

I'm a registered Republican, so needless to say, I don't agree with Sherman Austin's politics, much less his actions. But I'm curious why the FBI would include this Reclaim Guide as part of their justification for raiding a private citizen's home and carting off all his computers and political literature. Since when is it illegal to write about explosives? According to the search warrant, Austin was violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 842(p), which makes it unlawful to: ...

12 posted on 10/02/2002 7:17:21 PM PDT by killjoy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
In the current climate of fear and concern, why would any loyal American publish such information on the Web? Indeed, as we reflect on the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist strike, including the tragic crash of United Flight 93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, less than 100 miles from Carnegie Mellon University where Touretzky teaches, one can only wonder what his true intentions really are.

Maybe because --

First, terrorists aleady know how to make bombs.

Second, those aircraft were brought down with $1.99 boxcutters available at your local True Value hardware store, not bombs.

13 posted on 10/02/2002 7:17:39 PM PDT by mpoulin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
Thanks
14 posted on 10/02/2002 7:23:05 PM PDT by Vidalia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: mpoulin
But.....young upper middle class, impressionable college students, with a decidedly leftward lean.....may not know
how to make bombs..... so why on earth sponser a web site to teach them how? Even amatuer terrorist can kill!
15 posted on 10/02/2002 7:24:35 PM PDT by larry h
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
"Make sure that you will not injure anyone that you do not intend to injure."

Wow, that's damning.

16 posted on 10/02/2002 7:38:45 PM PDT by Jonathon Spectre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: killjoy
Gee, I own most of those books that the web site says are "illegal".

I bought some of them in high school.

17 posted on 10/02/2002 7:55:51 PM PDT by Ford Fairlane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: larry h
What about your over 40 right leaning militia type who decry the methods used at Waco and Presidents hip deep in Chinese money?
18 posted on 10/02/2002 8:04:52 PM PDT by Sawdring
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Ford Fairlane
Is this real? What happened to freedom of the press? There is no law against owning a "firearm that is not registered to you" unless it is a machine gun, sawed off rifle , or shotgun, and even that is questionable under the 2nd amendment.

I am always amazed by how many people are willing to give away everyone's freedom so quickly.

19 posted on 10/02/2002 8:06:11 PM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4USA
Touretzky's site includes links to purchase copies of such books as Home Workshop Explosives, Improvised Munitions Black Book, Silent Death (book on chemical and biological weapons manufacture & distribution), and the Anarchist Cookbook.

My understanding is that most of the instructions in the Anarchist Cookbook if followed will result in death of the would-be anarchist. I don't have a problem with that.

Bomb making instructions have been public for a long time. Whether they're on the Internet or not makes little difference. I have a much greater problem with government-funded abortion which guarantees the death of an innocent.

20 posted on 10/02/2002 8:06:21 PM PDT by altair
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson