Austin Powers cut by Dr Evil Empire.

[Matthew X]

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=02/08/27/4534988
LOS ANGELES - August 26th, Federal prosecutors are indicting Sherman 
Austin, 19 year old founder / webmaster of Raise the Fist 
(http://www.RaisetheFist.com), an anarchist independent media / direct 
action network. Sherman is being charged with 2 felony violations of the 
following: 18 U.S.C. 842 (p)(2)(A): DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION RELATING TO 
EXPLOSIVES, DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION WITH THE 
INTENT THAT SUCH INFORMATION BE USED IN FURTHERANCE OF A FEDERAL CRIME OF 
VIOLENCE; 26 U.S.C. 5861(d): POSSESSION OF A FIREARM WHICH IS NOT 
REGISTERED TO HIM IN THE NATIONAL FIREARMS REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER RECORD.
Sherman rejected a guilty plea today in court offering him 1 month in jail, 
5 months in a half-way house and 3 years supervised release. If found 
guilty in trial, Sherman could serve a maximum of 3-4 years in prison.
On January 24th, 2002, Sherman became one of the first victims of the new 
USA Patriot Act when 25 heavily armed FBI agents and secret service 
surrounded and raided his home in Los Angeles because of his anarchist web 
site http://www.raisethefist.com. The entire server was shut down, all 
computer equipment along with political literature, even protest signs were 
seized and loaded into a big white truck. Sherman was not arrested until a 
week later when he decided to attend the World Economic Forum protests in 
New York. He was arrested by New York police after being targeted law 
enforcement officials. After spending nearly 30 hours in jail, Sherman was 
taken into a back room in hand cuffs and interrogated by the FBI and Secret 
Service for several hours. 10 minutes later he was released from jail with 
charges dropped. Within minutes he was re-arrested by 6 FBI agents and 
placed in maximum security federal prison. At his bail hearing he was 
accused of driving 3,000 miles carry out his "plot" of mass destruction 
against the WEF event, and on the way back to "blow up" the Olympics in 
Salt Lake City, Utah. Even though federal agents searched his car in New 
York, and found absolutely nothing, and there was a blatant lack of 
evidence, he was denied bail and the judge ordered Sherman be transported 
to California with a US Marshal escort, as the judge felt "the Government 
has also shown by clear and convincing evidence that there is a very 
serious risk of danger to the community"
While awaiting finial extradition to California at a "hub" for prisoners in 
Oklahoma. Thomas Mrozek, public affairs officer for the U.S. attorney's 
office in Los Angeles said, "We have opted not to seek an indictment at 
this time. We are continuing to investigate the matter, but as of right 
now, he's off the hook."
6 months later, Sherman now faces federal felony charges as he awaits a 
grand jury indictment before trial.
Link: http://www.raisethefist.com
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