FBI Placed Left-Wing Activists On Terrorism Watch List Without Cause

[t0dd]

Source: TPM

The FBI had a weak factual basis for opening and extending some investigations of U.S. activist groups and put individuals affiliated with Greenpeace USA on the terrorist watch list improperly, a report by the Justice Department's Inspector General released Monday found.

In addition, FBI Director Robert Mueller was also found to have unintentionally provided inaccurate testimony to Congress because he was given bad information. FBI personnel told him that certain persons of interest in international terrorism matters were expected to be present at an anti-war rally in Pittsburgh in 2002, according to the report.

The review addressed FBI activities from 2001 to 2006 related to the Thomas Merton Center; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA); Greenpeace USA; The Catholic Worker; and an individual described as a Quaker peace activist.

None of these groups were targeted by the FBI on the basis of their First Amendment activities, the report found. But the factual bases for opening some investigations of individuals affiliated with the groups were weak. The FBI also extended the duration of investigations without adequate basis in some cases, and the bureau improperly retained information about the groups in its files.

In addition, the FBI also wrongly classified some nonviolent civil disobedience under its "Acts of Terrorism" classification, which led to subjects being added to the watchlist without merit.

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/fbi_wrongly_placed_left-wing_activists_on_terrorism_watch_list.php?ref=fpblg

[indepat]

1. Hopefully BHO will restore the First Amendment and see to it that it gets the same dignity as the

Second Amendment. ;)

[derby378]

2. And still we wait...

...for "change we can believe in."

[closeupready]

7. He won't.

n/t

[boppers]

12. Did you read the OP, or the article?

Here, let me bold it for you:

"None of these groups were targeted by the FBI on the basis of their First Amendment activities"

[indepat]

15. Was thinking holistically of everything done since enactment of the Patriot Act, not just this one

narrow instance. :patriot:

[No Elephants]

16. LOLOL You omitted something.

None of these groups were targeted by the FBI on the basis of their First Amendment activities, the report found. (The report of the Justice Department's Inspector General)

Who could ever have predicted that the same Justice Department that could not find any basis for even writing a letter to Yoo's or Bybee's bar or for prosecuting a single government employee torturer would make such a finding about the FBI?

Among many other things, the opposite finding would expose the government to lawsuits under 43 USC 1983 and a few other grounds, but I'm sure that had nothing at all to do with the report finding, either. Besides, everyone knows government sponsored reports are in no way agenda-driven and are infallible, as though written by the finger of God on stone tablets.


Soooo, let's think now. What exactly DID get all these political activists of disparate causes (but no righties) wrongly targetted by the FBI and improperly placed on the terrorist watch list, if NOT "their First Amendment activities? What could possibly have been the reason, if NOT "their First Amendment activities? Apart from a single contemplated act of non-violent civil disobedience--very much a First Amendment activity--nothing criminal was involved. So, what was it?

Not random chance, or some righties would have been included. Shoe size? Eye color? No, again, some righties would have been included.

I'm stumped! I'm also sure Mueller's perjury, er, inaccurate sworn testimony was wholly inadvertent, too, because, like you, I believe every word of this implausible D of J report is infallible.

[Lost4words]

14. you are jokeing right? nt

[Evasporque]

3. They still don't see the extreme right as a danger....nt

[No Elephants]

18. Why would the FBI ever see the right, extreme or not, as a danger?

BTW, I don't see any of those named in article as the extreme left, so I'm not sure why we're talking extremes.


Thomas Merton Center; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA); Greenpeace USA; The Catholic Worker; and an individual described as a Quaker peace--AFAIK, none of them advocate violent overthrow of the U.S. government for purposes of establishing a workers' paradise.

[Kolesar]

4. Inspector General Glenn A. Fine absolved the FBI of the most serious allegation against it:

That agents targeted domestic groups based on their exercise of First Amendment rights.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/20/AR2010092003100.html?hpid=topnews

"Absolved", huh? The FBI had no legitimate reason to be observing *us*. It was bush/Cheney's way of controlling the antiwar movement "at home".

[slackmaster]

5. Is there anyone on DU who still supports curtailing the civil rights of people who are on that list?

There used to be many.

Anyone at all?

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Well, that "lone Quaker peace activist" might bear watching.

:sarcasm:

[Dawson Leery]

8. Law "enforcement" is not your friend.

[glitch]

9. No qualms about shredding the Constitution. And how much money did they blow on all this?

Jackasses.

[NeoConsSuck]

10. PETA, Greenpeace, Catholic Worker

I already donate to two of the three, I will make a donation to the Catholic Worker. I'm sure the fbi is still pissed at me for mailing them an angry letter for investigating Women in Black in 2002, another attempt to silence the anti-war voice. Since then I've flown twice, both times found letters in my luggage that it was inspected, and twice the luggage got 'lost'.

[cory777]

11. k and r

[Lost4words]

13. is anybody surprised? not me

[yurbud]

17. I was on the watch list until 2006.

I couldn't print out boarding passes at home, and when I went to the ticket counter at the airport, as soon as the person entered my reservation number, her she'd stop smiling, excuse herself, and say she had to check with someone in back.

Then they'd let me get on the plane.

I do belong to a group members of the Bush administration considered terrorists though: a teacher's union.

The Obama administration's contempt for us doesn't rise to quite that level.

[ooglymoogly]

19. FBEye tools of the Gop or visa versa.

[Judi Lynn]

20. FBI investigated Greenpeace for terror links after 9/11

Source: Telegraph

FBI investigated Greenpeace for terror links after 9/11
The FBI improperly opened investigations into Greenpeace and other animal rights and anti-war groups after the September 11 attacks of 2001, the US government has admitted.

By Toby Harnden in Washington
Published: 6:23PM BST 21 Sep 2010

A US Department of Justice review found that FBI agents also put names of some Greenpeace members on terrorist watch lists based on evidence that turned out to be "factually weak".

The review concluded that the FBI did not deliberately target the groups, as many civil liberties advocates had charged after anti-Iraq war rallies and other protests during the Bush administration.

Inspector-General Glenn Fine said the FBI tactics were "troubling" because they singled out some of domestic groups for investigations that ran for up to five years and were extended "without adequate basis". He said: "In several cases there was little indication of any possible federal crimes. In some cases, the FBI classified some investigations relating to non-violent civil disobedience under its Acts of Terrorism classification."

As well as Greenpeace, groups that were investigated included People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and anti-war groups the Catholic Worker and the Thomas Merton Centre in Pittsburgh.



Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8016628/FBI-investigated-Greenpeace-for-terror-links-after-911.html

[EXneoCON]

21. Wouldn't expect anything more of them....

[nyy1998]

22. Geez, did Rochard Nixon reincarnate into GWB or the FBI Director?

[Ian David]

23. This is old news. I donated to Greenpeace right after this came out. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

24. FBI investigated Greenpeace under terrorism guise

FBI investigated Greenpeace under terrorism guise
2010-09-21 23:20:00

Washington, Sep 21 (DPA) US federal law enforcement agents improperly investigated Greenpeace and other left-wing activist groups under the guise of counterterrorism in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, an internal government inquiry found.

The investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) ran from 2001-06. They included animal-rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the anti-war Thomas Merton Centre, according to the Justice Department's inspector general report, released late Monday.

Individuals from some of the groups were placed on terrorism watch lists. While the inspector general says the FBI never purposely targeted activists in a bid to limit free speech, the report finds the FBI's case against many of these groups was 'factually weak'.

The FBI improperly 'classified some investigations relating to nonviolent civil disobedience under its 'Acts of Terrorism' classification', the report found.

More:
http://sify.com/news/fbi-investigated-greenpeace-under-terrorism-guise-news-international-kjvxucffgdj.html

[Judi Lynn]

25. Justice Department questions FBI practices

September 21st, 2010 12:21pm
Justice Department questions FBI practices
by Brian Freskos

A Justice Department report released on Monday accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation of improperly monitoring a number of domestic advocacy groups during the former administration of George W. Bush, according to the Washington Post.

The report offers criticism of FBI practices used to monitor and investigate groups that included Greenpeace and PETA, raising concerns over whether the FBI overstepped its authority and violated people’s First Amendment rights.

Read the report by clicking here.

http://yellowtape.blogs.starnewsonline.com/11022/justice-department-questions-fbi-practices/

[indepat]

26. What else could possibly be expected with the Patriot Act seemingly making mince meat out of the

First Amendment? :shrug:

[Festivito]

27. You wouldn't want them to investigate how they thwarted being warned about 9/11...

would you? :sarcasm:

[G_j]

28. kick for relating to recent news nt

[KakistocracyHater]

29. the Right was spying on personal enemies & political opponents

not on those who truly are a threat. This inclination is as old as spying itself.