Police Spy On Climate Activist, Place Him On Terrorist Watch List

I'm a former Peace Corps volunteer, an Eagle Scout, church member, youth baseball coach, and dedicated father. I also happen to be director of one of the largest environmental groups in Maryland, a nonprofit that promotes windmills and solar panels in the fight against global warming. So imagine my shock to get a police letter last month saying I was one of 53 Maryland activists on a terrorist watch list that has been discontinued because -- can you believe it? -- there's "no evidence whatsoever of any involvement in violent crime."

Matters turned especially Soviet-esque on Oct. 14 when I called the police requesting a full copy of my surveillance file. A spokeswoman told me I could visually inspect the file, but I couldn't make photocopies, I couldn't bring an attorney, and the police would be destroying the entire file after I read it.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ObjectiveRealist]

Surveillance without a warrant is unpatriotic.

I'm sure that for every single case of real reasonable suspicion of terrorism, absolutely any judge in the United States would issue a warrant. Life sentences should be given to all police, FBI, NSA and any other law enforcement, espionage or military agents, other government employees and telecomms employees who abuse their position and public trust to spy on their fellow citizens.

[HeevenSteven]

Maryland's finest, are on the job...just in case Al Qeaida decides to take up environmentalism...

[Liberalrep1980]

Hmmm, spying on American Citizens without a court order. Sounds familiar. Oh that's riiiiight, our President did the same thing. Nothing like being the person who is supposed to protect the Consitution and being the one who ignores it. Yeh, last I checked that was against the law. Charges should be brought up. I hope this guy rips them apart and takes all that money he wins from the lawsuit and makes good solar panels.

[wadenelson1]

What we need is a law making it a crime, with penalties, for any public official (or their agent) who designates a US citizen as a "terrorist" for political or other reasons; any reason other than that person actually being a terrorist who threatens this country.

Simply exercising free speech, assembly, or any of our other constitutional rights is insufficient to designate someone a terrorist; officials should be required to demonstrate to a court a "clear and present" threat to our Country.

You don't get a wiretap without a court order, you don't label someone a terrorist without some similar demonstration of danger.

[wdw102]

In 1600"s the word that shutdown debate was "you must be a witch".

In 1700"s the word that shutdown debate was "you must be a loyalist".

In the 1940's the word that shut down the debate was "you must be a Jew"

In the 1900"s word that shutdown debate was "you must be a communist".

Just like if someone says anything negative about Obama, they must be a "racist".

Now you must be a terrorist

Just another way to use McCarthyism. Same tactic different word.

[ObjectiveRealist]

These are not just for false accusations of "terrorist" but I think both 241 and 242 are applicable to any conspiracy to deprive us of rights, which certainly includes infringement on the Fourth Amendment right to be secure in our houses, persons, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/statutes.htm#section241