Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
GAG ORDER LIFTED; IMC IN FREE SPEECH BATTLE WITH FBI/SECRET SERVICIN WAKE OF FBI
On the evening of Saturday, April 21, a day during which tens of thousands demonstrated against the FTAA in the streets of Quebec City, the Independent Media Center in Seattle was served with a sealed court order by two FBI agents and an agent of the US Secret Service. The terms of the sealed order prevented IMC volunteers from publicizing its terms; volunteers immediately began discussions with legal counsel to amend the order. This morning, April 27, Magistrate Judge Monica Benton issued an amended order, freeing us to discuss the situation without the threat of being held in contempt.
On the evening of Saturday, April 21, a day during which tens of thousands demonstrated against the FTAA in the streets of Quebec City, the Independent Media Center in Seattle was served with a sealed court order by two FBI agents and an agent of the US Secret Service. The terms of the sealed order prevented IMC volunteers from publicizing its terms; volunteers immediately began discussions with legal counsel to amend the order. This morning, April 27, Magistrate Judge Monica Benton issued an amended order, freeing us to discuss the situation without the threat of being held in contempt.
The original order, also issued by Judge Benton, directed the IMC to supply the FBI with \"all user connection logs\" for April 20 and 21st from a web server occupying an IP address which the Secret Service believed belonged to the IMC. The order stated that this was part of an \"ongoing criminal investigation\" into acts that could constitute violations of Canadian law, specifically theft and mischief. IMC legal counsel David Sobel, of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, comments: \"As the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized, the First Amendment protects the right to communicate anonymously with the press and for political purposes. An order compelling the disclosure of information identifying an indiscriminately large number of users of a website devoted to political discourse raises very serious constitutional issues.
The original order, also issued by Judge Benton, directed the IMC to supply the FBI with \"all user connection logs\" for April 20 and 21st from a web server occupying an IP address which the Secret Service believed belonged to the IMC. The order stated that this was part of an \"ongoing criminal investigation\" into acts that could constitute violations of Canadian law, specifically theft and mischief. IMC legal counsel David Sobel, of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, comments: \"As the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized, the First Amendment protects the right to communicate anonymously with the press and for political purposes. An order compelling the disclosure of information identifying an indiscriminately large number of users of a website devoted to political discourse raises very serious constitutional issues.
For more information:
http://seattle.indymedia.org
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$135.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network
Wow. No wonder we're all stunned into inaction. I spent four years in the miltary, five years in corporate America, and now I am quite sure I understand the cause. It was surely me and my efforts (at that time). Our enemy is us before we knew better. Don't forget that and lets not marginalize the ones whose minds we must win over with reason and common-sense. Show our enemies how to get THEIR freedom back too.
Well, I am going to stand up and be counted on this one. My name is Ted O'Donnell and I live in San Francisco and nothing makes me happier than raising hell for good reasons. So if any government agents or others would like to get the ball rolling on my file, please do. Trans-national greed has raised itself to new heights and now looms as an international menace, dwarfing the "power" of the first corporate barrons on the early Twentieth Century. But this time, with NO ACCOUNTABILITY. They prove it over and over and over. The empirical data regarding human behavior would say "Look out!". Yet their lawyers make it ok to shut those voices down.
Unless I mysteriously disappear (ooohh, THAT would entertain my friends!), this issue will be of great concern to me and a topic of conversation with most everyone I know. What always surprises me is how little GOOD people know and how receptive they are when exposed. I guess the truth has always had (and hopefully always will have) that effect.
This Nazi-like authoritarian view on hegemonistic world-order and civil-discipline has become the prevailing point-of-view for many Americans spoon-fed their news from the media super-giants. I need a hobby. I think I'll just use my free time and resources to try and balance the playing field a bit.
Nuff said. I'm charged...
just wanted to say I was deeeeelighted reading your mail. I think alot of people will listen aswell who you might otherwise see as beyond reach. The media as is has done a lot of damage but it can be repaired.
anyway off to sugartown with me...
I'm going to Genoa in July has anyone any advice for me on that one????
xwadest
God Bless America!