"Terror Reading"

Eric Cordian emc at artifact.psychedelic.net
Tue Jun 25 11:49:56 PDT 2002


It was my understanding that libraries destroy records of patrons'
activity as soon as the books are returned.  Nonetheless, this is an
interesting Federal fishing expedition, with warrants issued by secret
courts, and criminal penalties for librarians who talk too much.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-attacks-libraries0625jun24.story

-----

By CHRISTOPHER NEWTON
Associated Press Writer
June 25, 2002, 1:40 AM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Across the nation, FBI investigators are quietly visiting
libraries and checking the reading records of people they suspect of being
in league with terrorists, library officials say. The FBI effort,
authorized by the anti-terrorism law enacted after the Sept. 11 attacks,
is the first broad government check of library records since the 1970s,
when prosecutors reined in the practice for fear of abuses.

A Justice Department official in the civil rights division and FBI
officials declined to comment Monday, except to note that such searches
are now legal under the Patriot Act that President Bush signed last
October.

Libraries across the nation were reluctant to discuss their dealings with
the FBI. The same law that makes the searches legal also makes it a
criminal offense for librarians to reveal the details or extent of the
contact.

...

-- 
Eric Michael Cordian 0+
O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"





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