-Caveat Lector- Tuesday, 07-Aug-01 Brazil's Army Defends Spying Activities http://www.montereyca.com/rc/news/docs/09724822.htm BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's army defended its spying activities on Tuesday in response to a newspaper report on how it gathered information on radical social movements, but said it would investigate alleged ``transgressions.'' In a three-page statement, the army said a report alleging that it spied on social movements it labeled ``adversaries'' included references to spying practices no longer used by the army, which ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. The report, published last week by daily Folha de Sao Paulo based on a set of army documents it had obtained, included a document in which the army allegedly said, ``often it is even necessary to scratch out citizens' rights'' in order to maintain public order. Human rights groups were outraged by the report, saying it showed the army still used practices of the dictatorship. The army said statements like ``'scratching out citizens rights' and 'eliminate opponents''' were no longer included in any of its documents on intelligence gathering. But it added, ``Like any armed force committed to the efficient fulfillment of its mission, the Brazilian army has an intelligence system to provide the command with the necessary information to take decisions to fulfill its constitutional mission.'' The statement said, however, that the army would investigate the documents to verify whether they include ''transgressions from the norms that govern army intelligence, allowing for the necessary corrections.'' It said a reported description of the radical Landless Movement (MST), which groups poor rural workers who illegally occupy unused farmland to make a living, as an adversary ``may be improper.'' MST leaders were angered by the report alleging that the army spied on their group. The army said the description of the MST as an ``adversary'' was improper. Rather, that applied to those within the MST ''that act on the margin of the law.'' <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
