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FBI / JTTF Spying

Document Date: October 25, 2006

On October 25, 2006, the Maine Civil Liberties Union released documents about the FBI’s surveillance of Peace Action Maine, Veterans for Peace, Timothy Sullivan, a coordinator of the Maine Coalition for Peace and Justice, and John “Jack” Bussell, a board member of Veterans For Peace. Read More >>

Exposing and Preventing FBI Spying
Responding to ACLU FOIA requests filed in 20 states on behalf of more than 150 organizations and individuals, the government has released documents that reveal FBI monitoring and infiltration by the FBI and local law enforcement, targeting political, environmental, anti-war and faith-based groups.

Our clients include advocates for the environment, animal rights, labor, religion, Native American rights, fair trade, grassroots politics, peace, social justice, nuclear disarmament, human rights and civil liberties. When the FBI invades the privacy of political and religious groups in the name of fighting terrorism, it abuses our trust and threatens our freedom. The public deserves to know who is being investigated and why.

Restoring Checks and Balances
President Bush’s admissions underscore the urgent need to restore checks and balances. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should appoint a special counsel to investigate and prosecute any and all crimes committed by any member of the executive branch in this warrantless electronic surveillance in the U.S.

The White House push to reauthorize the Patriot Act failed because of similar bipartisan concerns over government abuse of power. The Senate has now agreed to a compromise that extends the Patriot Act and commits to reexamining to ensure that safeguards on our fundamental civil liberties are restored.

Congress should also hold hearings to determine how presidential directives used or avoided the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which was established in the 1970s to prevent the Executive Branch from engaging in warrantless domestic surveillance.

Read documents released by the FBI and learn more about illegal government spying.
Document Highlights by Theme
Document Highlights by Client
Document Highlights by State
Other Resources

FOIA Requests/Releases By Theme (all links are to pdf files)

LABELING PEACEFUL PROTEST GROUPS POTENTIAL “TERRORISTS”
PETA – Web author claimed FBI agents attending the North American Meat Processors Association said that PETA funds ELF
PETA – FBI drafts letter to web author denying remarks attributed to FBI agents
PETA – E-mail exchange indicates that FBI does not have evidence linking PETA to ELF and ALF
PETA – Describes PETA as support group for “eco-terrorist movement
Greenpeace – Terrorism definitions
PETA – Funding legal representation of animal rights activists is labeled as funding domestic terrorism
PETA – E-mail claiming PETA is raising money for domestic terrorism objectives
PETA – Discusses Terrorism Enterprise Investigation of PETA
PETA – Discusses Terrorism Enterprise Investigation of PETA
PETA – FBI investigates links between PETA and ALF
Greenpeace – Electronic Communication to Counterterrorism Investigative Services from Ottawa entitled “SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY WITH A NEXUS TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.” The case number (266D-LA-227827) matches a case file that discusses Greenpeace.

USING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS TO INFILTRATE POLITICAL AND PROTEST GROUPS
PETA – FBI plans to monitor Animal Rights Conference using “source”
PETA – FBI apparently acquires information through a PETA intern
Greenpeace – FBI uses source spy on activists
Greenpeace – FBI learns about activist morale through “source”
PETA – FBI plans to develop cooperating source through meeting with PETA’s ex-employees
Greenpeace – FBI gains information through “confidential sources”

MONITORING ADVOCACY GROUP ACTIVITIES
PETA – FBI requests information about protest
PETA – FBI apparently plans surveillance of animal rights event
ADC – FBI noted names of conference attendees
PETA – FBI discusses potential protests
PETA – FBI tracks PETA’s movements
PETA – FBI reads activists’ Yahoo Groups’ messages
Greenpeace – Describes information gained regarding Catholic Workers Group through arrestees
Greenpeace – Describes information gained regarding Catholic Workers Group through protestors
PETA – Describes arrest of protester
PETA – Mentions PETA protests of a fur shop
Greenpeace – Document from investigative file attaching articles downloaded from Greenpeace website

CONCEALING DETAILS OF FBI DOMESTIC SPYING
PETA – Electronic Communication to Counterterrorism from Norfolk office which is completely redacted.
PETA – International Operations’ Electronic Communication entitled “DOMESTIC TERRORISM-PEOPLE FOR ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMAL [sic] (PETA).” Highly redacted.
ACLU – Highly redacted “SECRET” document from Washington Field Office
ACLU – 19 pages of an almost entirely redacted document

FBI REFUSES TO DISCLOSE INFORMATION ABOUT ITS USE OF THE PATRIOT ACT
ACLU – Document entitled Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing dated May 20, 2004, almost entirely redacted, but mentions oversight of National Security Letters
ACLU – “USA PATRIOT ACT Reauthorization Briefing Book-April/May 2004” excerpt, entirely redacted, except for the words “ACLU lawsuits”

FOIA Highlights By Client (all links are to pdf files)
See full client list >>

ACLU
Various | Various

THE AMERICAN-ARAB ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE (ADC)
Noting names of conference attendees

GREENPEACE
Terrorism definitions | Various | FBI uses source spy on activists | FBI learns about activist morale through “source” | FBI gains information through “confidential sources” | About information gained on Catholic Workers Group through arrestees | About information gained regarding Catholic Workers Group through protestors |
Various

PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS (PETA)

Claims re. agents attending North American Meat Processors Association , PETA funding of ELF | FBI drafts letter to web author denying remarks attributed to FBI agents | E-mail exchange indicates that FBI does not have evidence linking PETA to ELF and ALF | PETA cited as support group for “eco-terrorist movement” | Legal funding for animal rights activists labeled as funding domestic terrorism | E-mail claiming PETA is raising money for domestic terrorism objectives | Discusses Terrorism Enterprise Investigation of PETA | FBI investigates links between PETA and ALF
Plans to monitor Animal Rights Conference using “source” | FBI apparently acquires information through a PETA intern | Plans to develop cooperating source through meeting with PETA’s ex-employees | FBI requests information about protest | FBI apparently plans surveillance of animal rights event | FBI discusses potential protests | FBI tracks PETA’s movements | FBI reads activists’ Yahoo Groups’ messages | Description of arrest of protester | Mentions PETA protests of a fur shop
Various | Various
Full set of PETA documents Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS WATCH (SOAW)
“The leaders of the SOA Watch have taken strides to impart upon the protest participants that the protest should be a peaceful event.”

INDIVIDUALS
Sarah Bardwell | Scott Silber

FOIA Requests/Releases By State (pdfs)

CALIFORNIA
Press release (5/15/2006)
Full document list >>
COLORADO
FOIA | Press release (12/2/04) | Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) | More >>
GEORGIA
FOIA | Press release (5/18/2005)
Documents Released 5/4/2006 >>
IDAHO
FOIA | Press release
Documents Released 5/5/2006 >>
ILLINOIS
FOIA | Press release (12/2/04) | MOU
IOWA
Drake National Lawyer’s Guild Surveillance, Subpoenas | More >>
KENTUCKY
FOIA | Press release (5/18/2005)
MAINE
FOIA | Participants
Documents Released 10/25/2006 >>
MASSACHUSETTS
FOIA | Press release (5/18/2005) | More >>
MICHIGAN
FOIA | Press release (12/2/04) | MOU
MISSOURI
FOIA for Individuals | FOIA for Groups
NEW JERSEY
Press release (12/2/04)
NORTH CAROLINA
FOIA
OREGON
FOIA | Press release (12/2/04) | MOU
PENNSYLVANIA
FOIA | Press release (5/18/2005) | Press release (3/14/2006) | Participants
RHODE ISLAND
FOIA | Press release (5/18/2005)
WISCONSIN
FOIA

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