Repression against political activists is a serious topic, but the article circulated on the internet as a "Report on Federal Anti-Activist Intelligence Network" is neither informative nor constructive. This article is primarily a rewrite of a speculative newsletter article based on an unnamed source. In short, it is rumor. Furthermore, it leaves the impression that the US government has a vast domestic intelligence operation that is able to spy on every activist, which is false and could scare people away from activism.
There is government and private surveillance of activists, and there is political repression; but the point of anti-repression research is to help activists understand how to overcome it and move forward, as have all previous political and social movements. None of this is new, none of it should intimidate people from being activists. Scary stories, especially ones without proper documentation, damage our ability to build strong movements for social and economic fairness.
The most recent news reports about government misconduct against demonstrators at the summer Philadelphia Republican Party convention points to state and local police obtaining a search warrant using allegations from a private right-wing group with historic ties to the FBI. Privatization of many surveillance and planning functions became a major factor after the FBI's COINTELPRO operations were exposed in the media and congressional hearings in the 1970s.
For sensible and useful information on how activists can overcome surveillance and repression; including articles on history and theory, visit:
http://www.publiceye.org/liberty/Security_for_Activists.htm
Chip Berlet
----- Original Message -----
Subject: Spying on anti-globalisation networks
> Subject: INFO -- Fed Spy and Military Intelligence
>
> frank morales, nyc, (covertaction quarterly)
>
> Report on Federal Anti-Activist Intelligence Network
>
> By Frank Morales
>
> On May 4, 2000, the Intelligence Newsletter, based in Paris, France,
published a report which stated that "sources close to the Washington DC
Metropolitan Police have given Intelligence Newsletter details about
intelligence units that gather information on anti-globalization militants
in the US
<SNIP>