September 2001 - cypherpunks-legacy

U.S. Measures May Incite Domestic Terror
by auto301094＠hushmail.com 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

http://ebird.dtic.mil/Sep2001/s20010925domestic.htm Stratfor.com U.S. Measures May Incite Domestic Terror Summary -- In the wake of terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the U.S. government is moving quickly to create a new Cabinet-level agency for homeland defense and ease restrictions on law enforcement agencies. But while these measures may prove effective against foreign attacks, they may also lead to increased domestic terrorism. Analysis -- In a televised State of the Union address Sept. 20, U.S. President George W. Bush announced the creation of a new Cabinet-level agency designed to "lead, oversee and coordinate" a national strategy to guard the United States against terrorism. Congress meanwhile is considering new laws to ease restrictions on wiretapping and eavesdropping. These new measures may be necessary components to protect the United States from further attacks by foreign terrorists. But they will also likely fuel the fears and anger of domestic groups such as the Michigan Militia or the North American Volunteer Militia. In time, as the U.S. security apparatus looks for threats coming from outside the country, the United States may again face attacks from within. More than 800 militia-style groups existed at the peak of the anti-government movement in the mid-1990s, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The number has decreased dramatically in the past five years, thanks to a combination of a strong economy and heavy pressure from law enforcement agencies in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing. The SPLC now identifies only 194 "Patriot" groups that were active in 2000. Generally Patriot groups define themselves as opposed to the "New World Order" or advocate extreme anti-government doctrines, fearing the growth of government bureaucracies and intrusion upon civil liberties. Such groups are likely to enjoy a resurgence in interest, membership and activities as the government adopts more stringent security measures. U.S. lawmakers historically have been very cautious about tipping the balance between law enforcement and civil liberties. It took Congress nearly a year to pass former U.S. President Bill Clinton's anti-terrorism bill after the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa. In the weeks before the recent terror attacks, privacy advocates hailed a major victory when a San Diego judge banned the use of automatic cameras to catch cars driving through red lights. But the attacks in New York and Washington have dramatically altered much of the nation's thinking, as many Americans are beginning to place a greater value on security. This shift is reflected in the federal government. The newly announced Office of Homeland Security, to be headed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, is aimed at knitting together counter terrorism functions now scattered across more than 40 federal agencies, including the FBI, CIA, National Guard and local police and firefighting forces. It will focus not only on preventing terrorist attacks but also on fortifying potential targets by developing plans to protect the nation's transportation, power and food systems, according to officials cited by the Associated Press. The "Mobilization Against Terrorism Act" still under consideration in Congress would rewrite laws dealing with wiretapping, eavesdropping and immigration. Included in the bill are provisions to ease the restrictions the FBI faces on installing its Carnivore Internet-surveillance system as well as streamlining procedures to obtaining voicemail recordings. Further provisions include eliminating the statue of limitations for terrorism- related crimes and allowing federal authorities to detain without a court order non-U.S. citizens suspected of involvement in terrorist activities. Also under consideration is a modification to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to make it easier for prosecutors in certain highly sensitive cases to look through the records of a business, credit card company or Internet provider. Fewer restrictions on law enforcement agents and the creation of a new federal office may be necessary steps to protect the United States from foreign terrorists. But powerful bureaucracies and narrowed civil liberties are exactly the sort of triggers that set off militia groups. We are likely to see a resurgence of militia group activity just at the time that law enforcement agencies are retasking themselves to counter foreign threats. Even if law enforcement agents continue to infiltrate militia groups, it is much more difficult to monitor and prevent activity from individuals. As militia ranks fill, it is not unlikely to expect some of them to resort to the same kind of armed activity as Timothy McVeigh and Ted Kaczynski did in the past.

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None
by None 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

Tuesday, September 25, 2001 When the FBI guys come knocking, it's the worst of times By Riad Z. Abdelkarim <http://www.dailynewslosangeles.com/opinions/articles/0901/25/lvew01.asp> The ring at my doorbell that Sunday afternoon was innocent enough. I set aside my laptop computer and my half-eaten Chicken McNuggets and went to the door. When I first peered out and saw two sharply dressed men in business suits and dark sunglasses, I thought I was being visited by a pair of friendly Jehovah's Witnesses. As I opened the door, however, it struck me that these men were a bit older than the young men of faith who usually canvassed the neighborhood. Any lingering doubt about their identities was immediately erased when the two men flashed their badges and announced -- in true X-Files fashion -- that they were with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" I asked. My initial puzzled reaction turned to concern when they explained that they wanted to speak with me "about the events of last Tuesday," obviously referring to the horrible terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I told them that I would be happy to speak with them if they made an appointment to meet me later at the local office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, where I served as a member of the board of directors. Although the agents were somewhat taken aback by my request, they ultimately agreed. An appointment was made for the following evening, but the agents never appeared to interview me nor did they call to reschedule the meeting. The next morning, I awoke ill and asked that my clinic patients be rescheduled before stepping out to pick up some over-the-counter medication. During this time, two other agents visited both my home and work place. When the agents did not find me, they warned my wife ominously that they "would keep coming back." I was finally able to reach one of the agents by cellular phone, and I made an appointment to meet him and his partner at a local coffee shop. What ensued can best be described as a combination of a fishing expedition and a scene from a straight-to-video B-movie. Holding a thin folder stamped "SECRET" in front of them, the agents initially queried me about my background. One of them stopped in mid-sentence to change a question from "When did you come to the U.S.?" to "Where were you born?" They appeared somewhat surprised when I mentioned I was born in Santa Monica, California, and had lived in Southern California my entire life. I was then quizzed about my political views with such vague questions as "Are we the bad guys in this thing?" I told the agents in no uncertain terms that there could be no justification whatsoever for the horrible terrorist attacks that had taken place. Further, I informed them that my political views are widely known because I frequently write commentaries that are published in newspapers around the country. In fact, in the days following the terrorist attacks, my commentaries condemning the assaults and expressing the shared grief and outrage of American Muslims had appeared in newspapers in California, Texas, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Madrid, Spain. The agents subsequently inquired about my numerous affiliations with several prominent and widely respected American Muslim advocacy and relief organizations. At no time was I asked about any specific individual, nor was I asked to identify any suspects in photographs. The interview's low point came when I asked why the agents had gone to my clinic, when I had provided them with a cellular telephone number at which I could be reached. Their answer spoke volumes about the aimlessness of this investigation: "When we learned that you were out sick, we thought that our worst fears had been realized -- that you had fled the country." I could no longer restrain my laughter. "Give me a break," I exclaimed incredulously. To where would I flee? I am an American. I do not possess nor do I desire any other citizenship. By the end of the 75-minute ordeal, I was convinced that the agents were not acting on any specific information but were instead groping wildly for straws in the dark. I found this quite disheartening. I harbor no ill will toward those agents who interviewed me. I realize that they were just following orders. Like other Americans who are Muslims or of Arabic ethnicity, I earnestly support the FBI's attempts to vigorously investigate this heinous terrorist act and bring those responsible to justice. What I do not appreciate is being singled out for questioning merely because of my faith, my ethnicity or my legitimate political activism. As noted in a Christian Science Monitor editorial this week, "to have FBI agents with no preparatory contact knocking on the doors of Arab or Muslim citizens with no clear ties to acts of crime is a sure way to instill fear right where cooperation is most needed." In legal parlance, this practice is referred to as "profiling." In my book, it's just plain racism. And it has no place in my country. --- Riad Z. Abdelkarim is an American-born, -raised and -educated physician active in the American Muslim community. He lives in Southern California. _________________________________________________ ************************************************************************** Subscribe to Freematt's Alerts: Pro-Individual Rights Issues Send a blank message to: freematt(a)coil.com with the words subscribe FA on the subject line. List is private and moderated (7-30 messages per week) Matthew Gaylor, (614) 313-5722 ICQ: 106212065 Archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fa/ **************************************************************************

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None
by None 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

Tuesday, September 25, 2001 When the FBI guys come knocking, it's the worst of times By Riad Z. Abdelkarim <http://www.dailynewslosangeles.com/opinions/articles/0901/25/lvew01.asp> The ring at my doorbell that Sunday afternoon was innocent enough. I set aside my laptop computer and my half-eaten Chicken McNuggets and went to the door. When I first peered out and saw two sharply dressed men in business suits and dark sunglasses, I thought I was being visited by a pair of friendly Jehovah's Witnesses. As I opened the door, however, it struck me that these men were a bit older than the young men of faith who usually canvassed the neighborhood. Any lingering doubt about their identities was immediately erased when the two men flashed their badges and announced -- in true X-Files fashion -- that they were with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" I asked. My initial puzzled reaction turned to concern when they explained that they wanted to speak with me "about the events of last Tuesday," obviously referring to the horrible terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I told them that I would be happy to speak with them if they made an appointment to meet me later at the local office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, where I served as a member of the board of directors. Although the agents were somewhat taken aback by my request, they ultimately agreed. An appointment was made for the following evening, but the agents never appeared to interview me nor did they call to reschedule the meeting. The next morning, I awoke ill and asked that my clinic patients be rescheduled before stepping out to pick up some over-the-counter medication. During this time, two other agents visited both my home and work place. When the agents did not find me, they warned my wife ominously that they "would keep coming back." I was finally able to reach one of the agents by cellular phone, and I made an appointment to meet him and his partner at a local coffee shop. What ensued can best be described as a combination of a fishing expedition and a scene from a straight-to-video B-movie. Holding a thin folder stamped "SECRET" in front of them, the agents initially queried me about my background. One of them stopped in mid-sentence to change a question from "When did you come to the U.S.?" to "Where were you born?" They appeared somewhat surprised when I mentioned I was born in Santa Monica, California, and had lived in Southern California my entire life. I was then quizzed about my political views with such vague questions as "Are we the bad guys in this thing?" I told the agents in no uncertain terms that there could be no justification whatsoever for the horrible terrorist attacks that had taken place. Further, I informed them that my political views are widely known because I frequently write commentaries that are published in newspapers around the country. In fact, in the days following the terrorist attacks, my commentaries condemning the assaults and expressing the shared grief and outrage of American Muslims had appeared in newspapers in California, Texas, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Madrid, Spain. The agents subsequently inquired about my numerous affiliations with several prominent and widely respected American Muslim advocacy and relief organizations. At no time was I asked about any specific individual, nor was I asked to identify any suspects in photographs. The interview's low point came when I asked why the agents had gone to my clinic, when I had provided them with a cellular telephone number at which I could be reached. Their answer spoke volumes about the aimlessness of this investigation: "When we learned that you were out sick, we thought that our worst fears had been realized -- that you had fled the country." I could no longer restrain my laughter. "Give me a break," I exclaimed incredulously. To where would I flee? I am an American. I do not possess nor do I desire any other citizenship. By the end of the 75-minute ordeal, I was convinced that the agents were not acting on any specific information but were instead groping wildly for straws in the dark. I found this quite disheartening. I harbor no ill will toward those agents who interviewed me. I realize that they were just following orders. Like other Americans who are Muslims or of Arabic ethnicity, I earnestly support the FBI's attempts to vigorously investigate this heinous terrorist act and bring those responsible to justice. What I do not appreciate is being singled out for questioning merely because of my faith, my ethnicity or my legitimate political activism. As noted in a Christian Science Monitor editorial this week, "to have FBI agents with no preparatory contact knocking on the doors of Arab or Muslim citizens with no clear ties to acts of crime is a sure way to instill fear right where cooperation is most needed." In legal parlance, this practice is referred to as "profiling." In my book, it's just plain racism. And it has no place in my country. --- Riad Z. Abdelkarim is an American-born, -raised and -educated physician active in the American Muslim community. He lives in Southern California. _________________________________________________ ************************************************************************** Subscribe to Freematt's Alerts: Pro-Individual Rights Issues Send a blank message to: freematt(a)coil.com with the words subscribe FA on the subject line. List is private and moderated (7-30 messages per week) Matthew Gaylor, (614) 313-5722 ICQ: 106212065 Archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fa/ **************************************************************************

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right now on CNN
by citizenQ 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

I mean "AOL-TV" "What will Americans give up to make sure it (9/11/01) never happens again?" One woman quoted: "Everything, right now..."

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Lo que estabas esperando...
by MisProductos.com 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

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Re: Re: Re: Customer Service Inquiry/Feedback
by ECAREONLINE 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

Dear Michael, Thank you for your inquiry. In order to be able to run a website on your @home.com connection, you will need to go to Member Services and activate your webspace. For related information select the WebSpace index in the Help Guide. There are pointers to FTP applications for Windows and Macintosh users. This information, as well as other important information regarding your @Home service can be found in the @Home User Guide. Visit our enhanced @Home Help by clicking on the Help link at the top of the @Home page or at http://home-help.excite.com/ If there is anything else we can help you with, please contact us. Thank you for choosing Comcast@Home. Melanie Comcast @Home E-mail Response Specialist Original Message Follows: ------------------------ Thank you for the prompt response. I've attached the original email question and the response I received. Thank You Michael Corbin At 10:27 AM 8/29/2001 -0400, you wrote: >Dear Michael, > >In order to better assist you, please provide us with more specific = >information as to what you are asking so that we may respond with a = >specific answer. > >Thank you for your cooperation Dear Michael, Thank you for your inquiry. Here's what you get FREE with @Home WebSpace: + 10 MB of disk space on our WebSpace server for your Web pages. + Up to 300 MB/month of bandwidth (i.e., people viewing your pages). + Use of advanced features like Java and JavaScript to your heart's content. + Online account management (in Member Services) for checking disk space and for viewing usage information. + Online help and hints for HTML authoring, uploading your files, and other fun stuff. Your web pages are viewable at this URL (Where you substitute your username): http://members.home.net/username/ In case you were wondering, all @Home users have URLS which start with http://members.home.net/ Activate WebSpace: 1) On the @Home home page, click Member Services from the main @Home homepage. 2) click WEBSPACE. 3) Enter your username and password, and submit the form. 4) Click "Activate" to enable your WebSpace. For related information select the WebSpace index in the Help Guide. There are pointers to FTP applications for Windows and Macintosh users. This information, as well as other important information regarding your @Home service can be found in the @Home User Guide. Visit our enhanced @Home Help by clicking on the Help link at the top of the @Home page or at http://home-help.excite.com/ If there is anything else we can help you with, please contact us. Thank you for choosing Comcast@Home. Melanie Comcast @Home E-mail Response Specialist Original Message Follows: ------------------------ Name: Michael Corbin Address: anonymous City: Rawlings State: MD Zip: 21XXX Phone-Day: (301)729-XXXX Phone-Eve: (301)729-XXXX Email: cypherpunks(a)toad.com Re: Customer Service Inquiry/Feedback- Comments: What do I need to do to be able to run a website on my @home.com connection? My friend is running one and Id like to do the same. www.isparian.com 24.180.233.36

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Voice talent for PPT, CDs, phones, radio spots
by svetlana_custsvc＠yahoo.com 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

Hi, My name is Svetlana, and I have two questions for you. Would you like to improve your company's image? Are you building customer awareness through branding? Well, imagine having a professional voice talent and audio studio to help you with: - PowerPoint presentations - CD demos and portfolios - phone greetings & on-hold messages - radio ads You can book our professional voice talent easily and affordably over the web. First, you provide a script or let us write one for you. Then, we record and edit voice, and add music if you desire... all without visiting you! The mastered audio files (all with crystal clarity) will be emailed to you or delivered on a CD, whichever you like. Visit our web site http://www.daniellampert.com/voice/ or reply to this email and fill out the short form below. ----------------------------------------- I have (PPT presentations, phones, CDs, web, radio ads): I need (recording, writing, both): I would like to (book time or request info): My Name, Title: My Organization: My Email Address: My Phone Number: Please confirm/reply by (email or phone): Estimate scope of work (i.e. # of PPT slides or phone greetings): ----------------------------------------- I almost forgot to say... Rates for new customers start at only $30 an hour. This is easily 5 times less than a recording studio. So, booking voice talent through us is convenient, fast, and very affordable. Increase customer awareness and start branding your company! Get the impact of a professional voice. Visit our web site http://www.daniellampert.com/voice/ or just reply to this email. Thank you for your time. -- Svetlana Customer Service Daniel Lampert Communications Corporation -------------------- Note: If this email arrived in error, I apologize. If you don't want to receive any more emails from me, just click the line below and click the prompt that follows. http://www.daniellampert.com/remove/index.phtml?data=cypherpunks@algebra.com

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Oct. Wired
by Harmon Seaver 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

Check out page 170 of the latest Wired, album cover for the Coup. -- Harmon Seaver, MLIS CyberShamanix Work 920-203-9633 Home 920-233-5820 hseaver(a)cybershamanix.com http://www.cybershamanix.com/resume.html

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Voice talent for PPT, CDs, phones, radio spots
by svetlana_custsvc＠yahoo.com 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

Hi, My name is Svetlana, and I have two questions for you. Would you like to improve your company's image? Are you building customer awareness through branding? Well, imagine having a professional voice talent and audio studio to help you with: - PowerPoint presentations - CD demos and portfolios - phone greetings & on-hold messages - radio ads You can book our professional voice talent easily and affordably over the web. First, you provide a script or let us write one for you. Then, we record and edit voice, and add music if you desire... all without visiting you! The mastered audio files (all with crystal clarity) will be emailed to you or delivered on a CD, whichever you like. Visit our web site http://www.daniellampert.com/voice/ or reply to this email and fill out the short form below. ----------------------------------------- I have (PPT presentations, phones, CDs, web, radio ads): I need (recording, writing, both): I would like to (book time or request info): My Name, Title: My Organization: My Email Address: My Phone Number: Please confirm/reply by (email or phone): Estimate scope of work (i.e. # of PPT slides or phone greetings): ----------------------------------------- I almost forgot to say... Rates for new customers start at only $30 an hour. This is easily 5 times less than a recording studio. So, booking voice talent through us is convenient, fast, and very affordable. Increase customer awareness and start branding your company! Get the impact of a professional voice. Visit our web site http://www.daniellampert.com/voice/ or just reply to this email. Thank you for your time. -- Svetlana Customer Service Daniel Lampert Communications Corporation -------------------- Note: If this email arrived in error, I apologize. If you don't want to receive any more emails from me, just click the line below and click the prompt that follows. http://www.daniellampert.com/remove/index.phtml?data=cypherpunks-unedited@t…

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Re: Democracy is our enemy
by Anonymous 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

Thomas Leavitt writes: > I'm tired of hearing my fellow Americans referred to as cowards, > weaklings, sheep, ignorant, easily mislead - this is a profoundly > undemocratic sentiment, the same kind of crap spewed by totalitarian > and authoritarian types from the far left and the far right as > justification for abandonment of the democratic process and the use of > force to impose their ideology on the rest of us. Well said. There was an article the other day about the terrorists, which made the point that capitalism and fundamentalism were much alike, in that both share a distrust of democracy. The same can be said for the cypherpunks. No wonder that so many here have expressed vitriolic criticism of the U.S. government response (which has been almost zero), while there has been little mention of the horrific evil of the terrorist acts themselves. Putting it starkly, who is more evil: John Ashcroft or Mohammed Atta? Is it possible that certain cypherpunks find themselves on the same side as bin Laden and his fundamentalist killers? Do they secretly support this murderous attacks on innocent civilians? We now face biological and chemical attacks, which are supposed to be even more "cruel and shocking" than the WTC attacks. Are these cypherpunks in favor of seeing more Americans killed by terrorist actions? The philosophical connection becomes even clearer with the frequent statements by cypherpunks that those who disagree "need killing", that blood must be shed by those of different political views. In effect this is a call for a Cypherpunk Jihad (the word is often translated as "holy war", but "justified struggle" is as valid a translation). It is no different for Tim May to call for the extinction of his enemies than for Usama bin Laden to do so. Cypherpunks need to take a hard look at themselves. Anyone who feels horror and disgust at the terrorist acts should recognize that the same sentiments are found here, just below the surface. The thinly veiled threats of bloodshed are based on the same philosophy of violent hatred and contempt for others which motivates the terrorists. Tim May and Usama bin Laden are now revealed as philosophical cousins. It is becoming harder and harder to tell them apart.

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