Jim Bell goes to Jail!
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- - From the Oregonian Sunday edition May 18, 1997 page D-10: IRS agents arrest Vancouver man who called for killing federal workers * James D. Bell, who wrote the 10-part essay, "Assassination Politics," faces charges of interfering with a U.S. officer By John Painter Jr. of the Oregonian staff VANCOUVER - A Vancouver man who has written about assassination of government officials and whose home was raided in April has been arrested by IRS agents on charges of interfering with a federal officer. James D. Bell was held without bail in the Clark County jail. On Monday, the IRS will transport him to U.S. District Court in Tacoma for his first appearance. He was arrested without incident Friday evening while waiting for a bus after work. IRS agents could not be reached for comment, and the complaint underlying the criminal charge was sealed and unavailable. The Clark County Jail confirmed that Bell was a prisoner there, held on a federal detainer. A friend of Bell's, Robert W. East, said Bell phoned him from jail and told him he was arrested for interfering with a federal officer. The affidavit for the April search warrant accused Bell of "directly soliciting others to set up a system to murder government officials" and "obtaining the home address of an IRS employee, as well as information about bombs and bomb-making materials." Bell is the admitted author of a 10-part essay called "Assassination Politics," which has been circulated widely on the Internet, particularly in anti-government forums. "Assassination Politics" discusses creation of an organization to reward those killing public officials while protecting assassins' identities. IRS agents searched East's home in Vancouver on Thursday. East said he was questioned for about 90 minutes, during which time agents asked him about a "stink-bomb attack" on an IRS office in San Diego or Long Beach, Calif., and a "propane bomb" found at another IRS office. In that search agents found a 3- foot carbon fiber that East said he got from Bell for an electrolysis experiment. Federal agents since have focused on a Bell theory that carbon fibers could be used to sabotage computer hard drives, thus disabling them. East confirmed Bell's interest in using carbon fibers as a "computer killer" but dismissed it as a "goofball idea." The search warrant for East's home shows that the government also is interested in determining whether Bell and others have experimented with volatile chemicals in preparation for attacks on IRS offices and agents. The search warrant for Bell's home shows that agents were searching for evidence of "threats, assaults, obstruction, intimidation, solicitation of murder, false statements, and the unlawful use of false social security numbers." Jeff Gordon, a Portland-based IRS special investigator, said he discovered "Assassination Politics" among items seized when IRS agents took Bell's 1986 Honda for unpaid back taxes in February. Bell denied the car was his. An IRS tally of the items inside the car included a document about a "trial" by the Multnomah County Common Law Court in January of several IRS agents, a federal magistrate in Portland, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and an IRS commissioner, Margaret Richardson. - --- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 5.0 beta Charset: noconv iQEVAwUBM3/BJeQCP3v30CeZAQFSLwf/S5Drnovm0dZQQE5HLODevTOVz6d9NNXK 9f+Aif6Qkf3p+iAsv98vKJv8w/M0ps3st0POuwgPZL8lQNm1IpvnOO1ef70d6vGB 0xuu87+WriZRU1MVScKIxAOYhBAtEOBZEgEAa5RNJi9XzafdMoCTx8VUsDcnVnhg WkNthZ7yB/YouDcOZ3NYk6nsbXC8SxVr8QtDRa2IhIKSCWc3QoAJ7i2Vh//bGZ22 RJBIiF/PxtE/pTLlpJLFgJLmfyffieskdi192kj0ABhp0qxmTiRiaYWftxH2T+s6 2OytBMHYQe8xGqK9ophXVOu/t5hb2aEIH3diEoSkVUG02wdAlAgTqA== =0sB7 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --- | "Bill Clinton - Bringing back the sixties one Nixon at a time." | |"The moral PGP Diffie taught Zimmermann unites all| Disclaimer: | | mankind free in one-key-steganography-privacy!" | Ignore the man | |`finger -l alano@teleport.com` for PGP 2.6.2 key | behind the keyboard.| | http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com/~alan/ |alan@ctrl-alt-del.com|
(I seriously suggest we stop holding _physical_ Cypherpunks meetings for the foreseeable future. A gathering of anarchists, crypto exporters, and information terrorists like ourselves is too tempting a target for a publicized raid, with cameras rolling, to show the threat of the Four Horsemen of the Infocalypse. I for one don't plan to attend any physical meetings for a while at least. Going armed to a Cypherpunks meeting in preparation for a raid is not a cool thing.) At 6:55 PM -0800 5/18/97, Alan Olsen wrote:
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- From the Oregonian Sunday edition May 18, 1997 page D-10:
(As an interesting aside, interesting to me, I recall May 18th as being the anniversary of the Mount St. Helens detonation, back in 1980. I was living in Hillsboro, Oregon back then, just west of Portland. I didn't hear the detonation, but I saw the massively thick black column of ash/smoke going up into the clouds. And I witnessed some of the later eruptions on clearer days. And my yard was covered with about 2 inches of ash, some of which I took in to my lab to measure for radioactivity levels.)
IRS agents arrest Vancouver man who called for killing federal workers
* James D. Bell, who wrote the 10-part essay, "Assassination Politics," faces charges of interfering with a U.S. officer
By John Painter Jr. of the Oregonian staff
VANCOUVER - A Vancouver man who has written about assassination of government officials and whose home was raided in April has been arrested by IRS agents on charges of interfering with a federal officer.
(much elided) I was initially "unsurprised" by the search of Jim's house. Not necessarily because I thought his AP writings warranted a search, but because the (putative) list of local IRS agents, combined with their initial reactions to his admittedly controversial writings might lead these and other IRS to reasonably fear that they were somehow being targetted for assassination. However, I'm quite surprised things have progressed to the point of an arrest. Unless Jim was "much further along" in developing AP than any of us have given him credit for, especially given the gaps in things like digital money for the actual AP system to ever work!, I think a prosecution will fail. I don't know any of the facts about any physical attacks being contemplated, such as the "stink bombs" (!) mentioned later in the article, etc. What I know is that these attacks, even if hypothesized, have nothing directly, legally to do with the AP essay. (Yes, I know that writings can go to motive, state of mind, etc. I just don't think theoretical essays about AP have much to do with claims of stink bombs sent to IRS offices.)
Federal agents since have focused on a Bell theory that carbon fibers could be used to sabotage computer hard drives, thus disabling them. East confirmed Bell's interest in using carbon fibers as a "computer killer" but dismissed it as a "goofball idea."
Indeed, one of Jim's many goofball ideas floated on the Cypherpunks list and, presumably, elsewhere. So? In our discussions of TEMPEST, sabotage of computers in general, etc., there have been many such goofball ideas. (Some "INFOWAR" pro-government propagandists/researchers have even collected tidy research grants for studying things like HERF guns and conductive fiber atacks on computers. If Bell is implicated because of an interest in using conductive fibers to short out computers and disk drives, might as well jail all those doing work on just such things. Or does the government only allow such work, and such speculation, if DARPA and DIA are paying the bills? Wouldn't surprise me in the least.)
Jeff Gordon, a Portland-based IRS special investigator, said he discovered "Assassination Politics" among items seized when IRS agents took Bell's 1986 Honda for unpaid back taxes in February. Bell denied the car was his. An IRS tally of the items inside the car included a document about a "trial" by the Multnomah County Common Law Court in January of several IRS agents, a federal magistrate in Portland, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and an IRS commissioner, Margaret Richardson.
The fascists are running scared. Lock and load. (Also, I suggest _physical_ Cypherpunks meetings not be held for the foreseeable future. I know I plan to skip them all. A gathering of "reputed information terrorists, who have openly discussed assassination markets, C4 explosives, and the destabilization of democratic governments" would be too ripe a target for clowns like Reno, Freeh, and Kallstrom.) --Tim May There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws. Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!" ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1398269 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In <v0300780aafa58a56a692@[207.167.93.63]>, on 05/18/97 at 11:02 PM, Tim May <tcmay@got.net> said:
(I seriously suggest we stop holding _physical_ Cypherpunks meetings for the foreseeable future. A gathering of anarchists, crypto exporters, and information terrorists like ourselves is too tempting a target for a publicized raid, with cameras rolling, to show the threat of the Four Horsemen of the Infocalypse. I for one don't plan to attend any physical meetings for a while at least. Going armed to a Cypherpunks meeting in preparation for a raid is not a cool thing.)
I was thinking that we could start holding the Cypherpunks meetings outdoors in the "hills" rather than coffee shops. Bring the pickup truck, hunting dogs, shotguns and rifles. :) Ofcource we might get mistaken for an "evil" militia group. :)))) - -- - ----------------------------------------------------------- William H. Geiger III http://www.amaranth.com/~whgiii Geiger Consulting Cooking With Warp 4.0 Author of E-Secure - PGP Front End for MR/2 Ice PGP & MR/2 the only way for secure e-mail. Finger whgiii@amaranth.com for PGP Key and other info - ----------------------------------------------------------- Tag-O-Matic: How do you make Windows faster? Throw it harder! -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: Registered_User_E-Secure_v1.1b1_ES000000 iQCVAwUBM4AiyY9Co1n+aLhhAQGWWQQAuvmFjeoSSUeC4tvK1pdTbcN152Wni4GC c2+3/31RD6OjkXRKkmzbm/k/KRhUAEXQLIXBEaomxXFbjr+xLC1QqZVbUq0uNjzs fbygQYuNWIWxjQRfdz0EFHcHBxk1A+mgyzV26cZze1kcFk8bQuha+ZznOTKsl3Ha tZGp43pD3kc= =hGvJ -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
Tim May <tcmay@got.net> writes:
(Also, I suggest _physical_ Cypherpunks meetings not be held for the foreseeable future. I know I plan to skip them all. A gathering of "reputed information terrorists, who have openly discussed assassination markets, C4 explosives, and the destabilization of democratic governments" would be too ripe a target for clowns like Reno, Freeh, and Kallstrom.)
The physical meetings I've been to were not worth the trip. --- Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- At 08:41 PM 5/18/97 -0700, Mike Duvos wrote:
Alan Olsen <alan@ctrl-alt-del.com> writes:
Actually I was quoting from the Oregonian, the local fishwrap.
IRS agents arrest Vancouver man who called for killing federal workers
As I recall, Bell never called for anyone to be killed. He merely suggested that the construction of anonymous wagering pools would faciliate a market in the disposal of tyrants.
Some of his statements could have been taken as advocating the killing of federal employees of various sorts. The question is whether he actually tried to arrange it in real life. (Which I doubt.)
Federal agents since have focused on a Bell theory that carbon fibers could be used to sabotage computer hard drives, thus disabling them. East confirmed Bell's interest in using carbon fibers as a "computer killer" but dismissed it as a "goofball idea."
I thought microscopic amounts of airborne silicone were the preferred method of causing large numbers of drives to mysteriously fail.
I found that part quite interesting. I remember Jim going off about this (without refering to any specific method) at the first Portland Cypherpunk meeting. He got pretty pissed when I mentioned it on the list. (As well as my post that I thought he was a loon.) Interesting to see that there is an actual method mentioned. (And that his friend also thought it was kind of nutty...)
I can't imagine how one would get the carbon fiber into the interior of the drive.
Neither can I. Maybe it was supposed to short out the electronics. Imagine what that would do to your lungs! Youch!
The search warrant for East's home shows that the government also is interested in determining whether Bell and others have experimented with volatile chemicals in preparation for attacks on IRS offices and agents.
The government is only lending credibility to Bell's paranoia by behaving like jackbooted thugs.
It is interesting that they have kept the warrent sealed. This, more than anything makes me question the legitamacy of the whole affair. Sounds like the IRS is planning a preemptive strike on the Common Law Courts and the people behind them.
Is this federal agent Bell is supposed to have interfered with one of the agents who arrested him? Sounds like fabrication from whole cloth to me.
That is not explained. I think it was an excuse to arrest him without having to reveal the real reasons. Be interesting to see what they accuse him of later... The IRS seems to have overstepped a little in this case... The sealed warrents are an attempt to keep it from being examined in more detail. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 5.0 beta Charset: noconv iQEVAwUBM3/TO+QCP3v30CeZAQGYawf/Q5oKg5nkrWF9sNCkEFo2kSINNcUE7Osp YmIoSAPDZxIbgWZYFxEgU36+YwtDgPN9dS2k40pGlFdHKAiVGAPfHO72lSYGSv5d APnXu6WMyG4hqaCR1JI1dW/yicA5NyyFrIx3k3VeaowvvgFiGxJiZJtD4N4yQSmS u9glmpPr3OqQ2BwlU6SBPRPib+toQuKf57KUJZXRgvoJc9nm3zU5Izi2cnm8joEN +HzOQYBSgkiyWFXezeoUVmDMJA4Pcxn5AatayiIvxROxYR+/zZxw33t5JoxxTTnG /GuLlYLvdUclTQCtmF0ZYW+jiGDNsex6aNaMoArMSEgDDOYcb60tQw== =pToF -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --- | "Bill Clinton - Bringing back the sixties one Nixon at a time." | |"The moral PGP Diffie taught Zimmermann unites all| Disclaimer: | | mankind free in one-key-steganography-privacy!" | Ignore the man | |`finger -l alano@teleport.com` for PGP 2.6.2 key | behind the keyboard.| | http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com/~alan/ |alan@ctrl-alt-del.com|
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- At 09:50 PM 5/18/97 -0800, Tim May wrote:
If the government narcs in Portland are damning Bell for playing around with the work done on this area, even including obtaining carbon fibers, this'll be thrown out (I predict).
Depends on who is trying the case. Judging where the article in the paper was at, and the lack of other media coverage, I expect them to make a quiet example of him. (i.e. punish him in a way that the people interested in the case feel threatened but does not give the rest of the sheep any ideas.)
"Plans to destroy the Net thwarted!" is the headline they want to see.
I don't think so. I am amazed they have not mentioned the guns that were seized. I am willing to be this is the first salvo in a very quiet and very dirty little war. Maybe we should start an anonymous betting pool as to which one of us will be the next to be arrested.
The IRS seems to have overstepped a little in this case... The sealed warrents are an attempt to keep it from being examined in more detail.
If the "cyber-journalists" who write puff pieces on how great SAFE is are out there, they ought to be giving this front page coverage.
Where is Declan when you need him? :>
(Wouldn't a better use of AP be to target AP, so to speak?)
I was very tempted to set up a demo AP server just to see what kind of targets people would select. (I do not believe that most people would select government employees.) The slogan "Who do you want to kill today" has such a nice ring to it... In order for such a system (or anarchy in general) to work, the general public has to be more aware of the type of state they live in. With all of the "Bread and Circuses" that people are being subjected to, little wonder they are going along with the show. (There are also a number of psychological studies that show that people will do all sorts of horrific things to their fellow man when someone in authority tells them to. If they are led to believe that they are "bad" in some way, many will enjoy it.) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 5.0 beta Charset: noconv iQEVAwUBM3/lGOQCP3v30CeZAQGNxAf+KRfpFmu+JlENw5zvs9napDRKUKhVwp07 v+P6u5um+ziJ1oywV6wyko+A1aIvYxjXYlLsm5rghrCOY+BE16TFAdNfX9KVgfd1 8FMJwS0D+WwjerWet2AQZp1vlDD66R7hxeai/FhV9PsZrqPLGOYLpZY9+b8cNhqS BYHXFMWieGgSBkmqqiGLJgfLitXbZo/vwN7IqUeclhHroh5xXL8UjoFrvVcbiqmH OudcfmXWGCeyMBFoSMhBetYl6HVRYTG4D+3FPfItrc9zSKqszw1OJhX8rGl86aJR B6da1X+qoQ8QMbnm/CmfIJMPoWYSlnQLYJc958xM6YJoC7ql9/baqA== =vTdu -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --- | "Bill Clinton - Bringing back the sixties one Nixon at a time." | |"The moral PGP Diffie taught Zimmermann unites all| Disclaimer: | | mankind free in one-key-steganography-privacy!" | Ignore the man | |`finger -l alano@teleport.com` for PGP 2.6.2 key | behind the keyboard.| | http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com/~alan/ |alan@ctrl-alt-del.com|
At 7:41 PM -0800 5/18/97, Mike Duvos wrote:
Alan Olsen <alan@ctrl-alt-del.com> writes:
IRS agents arrest Vancouver man who called for killing federal workers
As I recall, Bell never called for anyone to be killed. He merely suggested that the construction of anonymous wagering pools would faciliate a market in the disposal of tyrants.
Exactly. I thought it was a mildly interesting idea, but much less practical than using untraceable digital cash directly to hire hits. (And I don't expect to be raided for this observation, by the way. Such observations are obvious to anyone who looks at untraceable digital cash, especially when ancillary services, like untraceable third party escrow services ("You slay, we pay") are just as possible.)
The government is only lending credibility to Bell's paranoia by behaving like jackbooted thugs.
Indeed, if he is tried his ideas will be spread far and wide...and some may even think "Hey, let's try it, except let's target it toward collecting money by our Irish friends for killing of British politicians and royals." (As with Phill Hallam-Baker, this is how I think it will turn out. Ordinary Americans are too sheep-like to donate money to have Janet Reno, for example, killed. We don't get fired up in large enough numbers. Except I'll bet (no pun intended) that a lot of whites would contribute to see certain blacks killed, and vice versa.) Now that Bell has been arrested, if he is _not_ tried, his fame is still assured.
Is this federal agent Bell is supposed to have interfered with one of the agents who arrested him? Sounds like fabrication from whole cloth to me.
Probably covering their asses. Once his home was raided, and the case publicized in the leading papers (apparently tipped off by the cops), kind of hard for them to just back down and say "Oh well." Some DA probably figures he or she can make a political name by prosecuting the first case of "Internet terrorism." Fucking fascists make Bell sound less crazy. Lock and load. --Tim May There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws. Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!" ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1398269 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."
Alan Olsen <alan@ctrl-alt-del.com> writes:
IRS agents arrest Vancouver man who called for killing federal workers
As I recall, Bell never called for anyone to be killed. He merely suggested that the construction of anonymous wagering pools would faciliate a market in the disposal of tyrants.
Federal agents since have focused on a Bell theory that carbon fibers could be used to sabotage computer hard drives, thus disabling them. East confirmed Bell's interest in using carbon fibers as a "computer killer" but dismissed it as a "goofball idea."
I thought microscopic amounts of airborne silicone were the preferred method of causing large numbers of drives to mysteriously fail. I can't imagine how one would get the carbon fiber into the interior of the drive.
The search warrant for East's home shows that the government also is interested in determining whether Bell and others have experimented with volatile chemicals in preparation for attacks on IRS offices and agents.
The government is only lending credibility to Bell's paranoia by behaving like jackbooted thugs. Is this federal agent Bell is supposed to have interfered with one of the agents who arrested him? Sounds like fabrication from whole cloth to me. -- Mike Duvos $ PGP 2.6 Public Key available $ mpd@netcom.com $ via Finger. $
Prof. Mike Duvos wrote:
Alan Olsen <alan@ctrl-alt-del.com> writes:
IRS agents arrest Vancouver man who called for killing federal workers
As I recall, Bell never called for anyone to be killed. He merely suggested that the construction of anonymous wagering pools would faciliate a market in the disposal of tyrants.
I can attest to that if necessary.
Federal agents since have focused on a Bell theory that carbon fibers could be used to sabotage computer hard drives, thus disabling them. East confirmed Bell's interest in using carbon fibers as a "computer killer" but dismissed it as a "goofball idea."
I thought microscopic amounts of airborne silicone were the preferred method of causing large numbers of drives to mysteriously fail.
Wait, aren't hard drives hermetic?
The search warrant for East's home shows that the government also is interested in determining whether Bell and others have experimented with volatile chemicals in preparation for attacks on IRS offices and agents.
The government is only lending credibility to Bell's paranoia by behaving like jackbooted thugs.
While you are right, I think that the government is as, if not more, paranoid than Jim Bell or anyone else.
Is this federal agent Bell is supposed to have interfered with one of the agents who arrested him? Sounds like fabrication from whole cloth to me.
They may be simply harassing him. There is really no substance in what we've read. - Igor.
Igor writes:
Wait, aren't hard drives hermetic?
No. There is an absolute filter between the interior and the outside environment through which some airborne agents can pass. Silicones are particularly nasty in this respect. -- Mike Duvos $ PGP 2.6 Public Key available $ mpd@netcom.com $ via Finger. $
At 8:12 PM -0800 5/18/97, Alan Olsen wrote:
I can't imagine how one would get the carbon fiber into the interior of the drive.
Neither can I. Maybe it was supposed to short out the electronics. Imagine what that would do to your lungs! Youch!
Attacking electronics with conductive fibers is an old idea. (Not to sound like a grumpy old man, but I recall discussions of this at the conferences in Albuqueurque and Seattle I attended for Intel in the late 70s.) I understand that carbon fibers were dropped on Iraqi systems during the Gulf War. If the government narcs in Portland are damning Bell for playing around with the work done on this area, even including obtaining carbon fibers, this'll be thrown out (I predict). "Plans to destroy the Net thwarted!" is the headline they want to see. --Tim May
The IRS seems to have overstepped a little in this case... The sealed warrents are an attempt to keep it from being examined in more detail.
If the "cyber-journalists" who write puff pieces on how great SAFE is are out there, they ought to be giving this front page coverage. (Wouldn't a better use of AP be to target AP, so to speak?) --Tim May There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws. Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!" ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1398269 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- At 09:12 PM 5/18/97 -0700, Alan Olsen wrote:
Some of his statements could have been taken as advocating the killing of federal employees of various sorts. The question is whether he actually tried to arrange it in real life. (Which I doubt.)
In the U.S., it is legal to advocate killing anyone except Clinton and his family and maybe the veep. DCF -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 5.0 beta Charset: noconv iQCVAwUBM4DjUYVO4r4sgSPhAQEQeQP+KoW+Dd8v2lCaI9HD0lWOaDy+q5IBBxYp UTst/SqZrb2SgTToA812/Dt4hDfjIPU2YwBhbQ4oG8CHE48asPYjqgz/1VBxTRXb UUBfObzBXPnT1elL2daGTeoCV+Yjxd/xCWVOF6wAy2fvsmm2Ougj6nAyWXoRKUMo 6iSTIbA4piM= =n+ye -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
participants (7)
-
Alan Olsen -
dlv＠bwalk.dm.com -
frissell＠panix.com -
ichudov＠algebra.com -
mpd＠netcom.com -
Tim May -
William H. Geiger III