Re: [perry@piermont.com: The FBI Has Bugged Our Public Libraries]
While this clarification may be true, the government should realize that the unconstitutional 'deep secret' library searches of the PATRIOT act render such rumors as credible, causing their actions to be treated with deep suspicion even when the actions may be legitimate. [We saw this in the UFO madness of the 50s due to the government's absurd refusal to admit to its cold war nuclear monitoring balloons.] j
Re: [perry@piermont.com: The FBI Has Bugged Our Public Libraries]
[This evening I received the following from the author of the quoted article.] FROM Bill Olds RE: Libraries & FBI DATE: Nov. 6, 2002 In the interest of good journalism, I feel obligated to report the following to you. The FBI released a letter today originally sent to the publisher of the Hartford Courant Michael J. Wolf, special agent in charge (Connecticut) says that on September 26, 2002, a search warrant was executed at the main branch of the Hartford Public Library. A specific computer ...had been used to hack into a business computer system in California for criminal purposesThe search warrant authorized seizing evidence of criminal activity from the computer. The computer was never removed from the library, nor was any software installed on this or any other computer in the Hartford Public Library by the FBI to monitor computer use. Special Agent Wolfe of the FBI goes on to say, Mr. Olds predicates his outrageously fallacious column on the premise that the FBI has bugged Hartford library computers, and from that false premise, proceeds to draw improper conclusions and wrongfully accuses the government of violating our citizens right to privacy. It is troubling that Mr. Olds has fabricated such an unfounded column, but it is even more troubling that you elected to print it without any effort to determine whether it even had a slight ring of credibility. His column was sensational, irresponsible and most importantly untrue, and is a disservice to the readers of the Hartford Courant. In keeping the public informed, I trust that you will share this with your readers. As a result of this letter, Hartford Courant editors asked me to attend a meeting today to discuss the matter. The director of investigative reporting was also present, and said they had spoke to the head librarian in Hartford who confirmed the FBIs version. Reporters could not find any information that supported the sources of my story. I was asked to double check with my unnamed sources, and did so this evening. The sources have revised their report. Here is what they said tonight: At the time of the FBI visit, we were convinced that special-surveillance software was being inserted into the librarys system. There had been many discussions - from library groups and the media - that the FBI may be using library computers to track their use in the search for terrorists. The combination of the FBIs presence in the library with a subpoena and its examination of a computer firmly persuaded us that a surveillance system was being established. Today, in light of the head librarians explanation and the FBIs acknowledgement of the library visit, upon reflection we are no longer sure of that earlier assessment. We may have misinterpreted the events.
[perry@piermont.com: The FBI Has Bugged Our Public Libraries]
This will come as no suprise to people on this list. - Forwarded message from "Perry E. Metzger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: The FBI Has Bugged Our Public Libraries From: "Perry E. Metzger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: 05 Nov 2002 18:40:31 -0500 User-Agent: Gnus/5.09 (Gnus v5.9.0) Emacs/21.2 Precedence: bulk >From Interesting-People Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2002 17:12:52 -0500 Subject: [IP] The FBI Has Bugged Our Public Libraries From: Dave Farber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: Richard Forno <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: The FBI Has Bugged Our Public Libraries To: Dave Farber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2002 16:40:41 -0500 The FBI Has Bugged Our Public Libraries November 3, 2002 http://www.ctnow.com/features/lifestyle/hc-privacy1103.artnov03col.story Some reports say the FBI is snooping in the libraries. Is that really happening? Yes. I have uncovered information that persuades me that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has bugged the computers at the Hartford Public Library. And it's probable that other libraries around the state have also been bugged. It's an effort by the FBI to obtain leads that it believes may lead them to terrorists. Many members of the public regularly use computers in libraries to access the Internet for research purposes or to locate information about particular interests. It's also not uncommon for students and others to communicate with friends and relatives through e-mail from there. The FBI system apparently involves the installation of special software on the computers that lets the FBI copy a person's use of the Internet and their e-mail messages. (Don't ask me how I know about this because I can't reveal how I was able to collect the information.) Members of the public who use the library have not been informed that the government is watching their activities. It's not just the computers. Circulation lists that show which books someone borrowed are also accessible to the government. What are the Hartford librarians saying? "I can't disclose that we were presented with anything," said Louise Blalock, Hartford's head librarian. I asked Mary W. Billings, the library's technical services manager, if the FBI had given her a subpoena or a court order for library information. Her response: "I cannot answer that question." http://www.ctnow.com/features/lifestyle/hc-privacy1103.artnov03col.story -- -- Perry E. Metzger[EMAIL PROTECTED] - End forwarded message -
