Caution: Big Brother is Watching : Cleveland IMC (((i)))

The Case Western Reserve University campus community is preparing for the "Race at Case." The vice presidential debate, to be held Oct. 5, is an exciting national event which will bring alot of attention to the school and the city of Cleveland. However, Case is not the only institution preparing for this incredible event; the government is gearing up, too.
Within the last week and a half, many students have noticed the men in collared white button-down shirts and slacks, gazing at them through dark, mirrored sunglasses. The men, seen mainly on the Mather Quad during the mid-afternoon, have taken pictures of groups of students , and, in some cases, of individuals. But they haven't stopped there.
Mysterious phone calls and emails have been recieved. Strange, unknown characters have pursued questionable conversations seeking private information about individual students. Some people have been noticeably singled out and followed by the men in dark sunglasses, or have seen the men communicating on walkie-talkies while clearly staring at particular students. Others have walked out of their homes to see the men in cars, watching them.
It is clear that campus activists are being targeted by these surveillances, though all students are being photographed. While it might seem unbelievable, the government is here, on our campus. It is inconceivable that the university is not assisting the government in their quest for information, and in turn, needlessly subjecting their students to this intimidation. While some may dismiss this as simply paranoid delusions, the fact is that other campuses, notably Washington University in St. Louis, faced similar issues. Activists were tailed, their families questioned by the FBI, and in some cases they were arrested and detained. There is no reason to believe the federal law enforcement agencies will behave any differently on our campus. Be aware of where you are and who is around; Big Brother is watching you.
written by anonymous undergraduate student

September 24, 2004 Volume XXXVI Issue 5 This letter to the Editor can be found in print in The Observer student newspaper at the Case Western Reserve University Campus

Here's an article that speaks about the larger context of the surveillance of activists right now. I hope it helps to strengthen our understanding and determination to stand up to the attacks on activists at CWRU.
_____________

FBI's Pre-Election Plan --RW/OR ONLINE
Revolutionary Worker #1253, October 3, 2004, posted at http://rwor.org

Several months ago, some Bush administration officials publicly floated out the
possibility that the November presidential elections might be "postponed" if
there is a major "terrorist incident." Now, it seems the FBI has formulated its
own pre-election plan.

According to a September 17 CBS news report, the FBI is "preparing a massive
counter-offensive of interrogations, surveillance and possible detentions." CBS
reveals that "FBI field offices and Homeland Security agencies will be advised
of `extraordinary measures' that will go into place `beginning the first week of
October through the elections.' "

What is this "October Plan" supposedly a "counter-offensive" against? The
government claims that it is acting on "credible" intelligence that al-Qaida is
planning a serious attack in the period around the elections--while leaving very
vague what this intelligence information is. Whatever the reality behind these
warnings, the government is using these "terror alerts" as justification to
dramatically step up police-state repression. This could be seen, for example,
in the extraordinary security measures against the protests at the Republican
National Convention in New York City.

According to CBS News, an internal FBI e-mail from the "04 Threat Task Force"
said the aim of the October Plan is "to foster the impression that law
enforcement is focused on individuals who may be a threat."

Who are these people that the FBI considers a possible "threat"? CBS reports,
"Specifically, the plan calls for `aggressive--even obvious--surveillance'
techniques to be used on a short list of people suspected of being terrorist
sympathizers, but who have not committed a crime. Other `persons of interest,'
including their family members, may also be brought in for questioning." Agents
will also visit mosques and ask people "whether they've observed any suspicious
behavior."

So the FBI is targeting "suspected" people who are on a "list" but have not
broken any laws--as well as family members and others who have some kind of
connection with those "suspects" and anyone else who is accused of being
"suspicious."
FBI officials apparently realize that their outrageous plan will spark
protests--and they have included this in their calculations. The CBS report
notes, "One element of the plan calls for addressing what some officials fear
could be a wave of protests from Arab-Americans and civil libertarians once the
so-called October Plan kicks in."
Targeting Immigrants and Protesters
The FBI's October Plan for massive surveillance and harassment is part of an
avalanche of measures leveled against immigrants and people standing up to
resist the moves of the rulers.

First came the roundups of nearly 1,000 Arab, Muslim, and South Asian men just
after 9/11. Shortly afterwards the FBI conducted 50,000 "interviews" of
immigrants from various countries. Then came the countrywide forced registration
of immigrants. Another wave of interviews followed, specifically targeting Iraqi
immigrants in the run-up to the war on Iraq.
Along with this has been the little-noticed moves by the FBI's National Crime
Information Center to include civil immigration data into its database. The
database--used by law enforcement throughout the U.S.--is a central repository
for local, state, federal, and international criminal records. It is used by FBI
agents as well as state and local police, who can access it within seconds.

According to a suit filed against the government last year, since 9/11 the FBI
has been adding civil immigration data, such as orders of deportation, to this
"criminal" database. In short, the repressive "fencing" stretched around the
immigrant population within the U.S. is getting wider and wider.

This widening repression also targets those who are stepping out to protest. One
example of this was seen during the weeks leading up to the Democratic and
Republican national conventions. FBI agents--working with local police agencies
through the Joint Terrorist Task Force--systematically spread out throughout the
country to "interview" people planning to protest. The FBI drew up a list of
people who had been arrested at earlier protests. This, too, was cast as an
"anti-terrorism effort," and officials denied any attempt to intimidate people.

But clearly it was meant to send an intimidating message to activists, to expand
the chilling atmosphere against dissent, and to recruit more snitches.

The FBI interviews and other threats did not stop over half a million people
from delivering a big NO to the Bush agenda in the streets of New York City. But
all this makes clear that the stakes are going up.

What Do Ted Kennedy and Cat Stevens Have in Common?
Another element of the grossly expanding machinery of repression was recently
highlighted in the news when Yusuf Islam--the singer formerly known as Cat
Stevens--was dragged off a plane by federal agents after his name popped up on
the government's watch list. The incident took place in Bangor, Maine, while
Islam, a British citizen, was flying from England to Washington, D.C.

Although Islam, a convert to the Muslim religion, has made a public stand
against terrorism, the U.S. government considers him a security "threat." He was
denied entry into the U.S. and quickly sent back to England. The U.S. media
raised a big stink about the incident--not about the outrageous treatment of
Islam, but around the question "why was he allowed on the plane in the first
place"!

Among others on the same list that includes Yusuf Islam are U.S. senator Ted
Kennedy, a leading Democrat, and Georgia representative John Lewis, a Black
congressman and civil rights leader. Both have been repeatedly stopped and
screened at airports because their names come up on the Transportation Security
Administration's watch list.
****
The CBS News report on the FBI October Plan says that "Throwing hundreds of
agents on the street and conducting invasive surveillance has become a standard
post-9/11 tactic for the bureau." In other words, people should just get used to
such gestapo tactics and consider them part of "normal life"! As Dick Cheney has
declared, there is a "new normalcy" in this country.

Those in power insist that "either you're with us or against us"--and, from
their standpoint, those "against us" include increasing numbers of people, from
thousands and thousands of immigrants, to whole countries and peoples around the
world, to those who take to the street to protest their wars for empire.

Where is all this headed? For the sake of humanity, people of conscience cannot
afford to just wait to find out.

This is a nationally televised debate. It's a big deal. You, on the other hand, are not. The FBI and Secret Service are all over to make sure the usual scruffy malcontents don't overact. Deal with it, because if you don't they will surely deal with you. Just stay home and watch it on TV.

Phyllum Forest
you are not welcome here

I wish edward was my gigolo, did you see those lovely, fine hands, and the "my daddy worked in a mill" southern accent? umm-mmmm

You sound like you need a pimp more than a gigolo. Talk to Big Dick and see if he can help you out. After all, he's pimping protection to the rest of the world, if the world would only kneel and kiss the country's ass...

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