[declan at well.com: [Politech] FBI visits John Young, asks about anti-government activity [fs]]

[Duncan Frissell]

It's a little late for Special Agent Todd Renner to avoid publicity:

http://www.networks.org/?src=cnn:2003:US:Northeast:05:22:explosives.arrest

"Todd Renner -- an FBI special agent assigned to the Joint Terrorist Task 
Force in New York"

DCF

At 02:39 PM 11/5/03 -0800, Eric Murray wrote:
>----- Forwarded message from Declan McCullagh <declan at well.com> -----
>
>Date: Wed, 05 Nov 2003 17:01:52 -0500
>To: politech at politechbot.com
>From: Declan McCullagh <declan at well.com>
>Subject: [Politech] FBI visits John Young, asks about anti-government 
>activity [fs]
>
>
>John Young is a longtime supporter of open government and public access to
>government information. See:
>http://www.mccullagh.org/cgi-bin/photosearch.cgi?name=john+young
>
>-Declan
>
>---
>
>http://cryptome.org/fbi-cryptome.htm
>
>4 November 2003
>
>Cryptome received a visit today from FBI Special Agents Todd Renner and
>Christopher Kelly from the FBI Counterterrorism Office in New York, 26
>Federal Plaza, telephone (212) 384-1000. Both agents presented official ID
>and business cards.
>
>SA Renner said that a person had reported Cryptome as a source of
>information that could be used to harm the United States. He said Cryptome
>website had been examined and nothing on the site was illegal but
>information there might be used for harmful purposes. He noted that
>information in the Cryptome CDs might wind up in the wrong hands.
>
>SA Renner said there is no investigation of Cryptome, that the purpose of
>the visit was to ask Cryptome to report to the FBI any information which
>Cryptome "had a gut feeling" could be a threat to the nation.
>
>There was a discussion of the purpose of Cryptome, freedom of information,
>the need for more public information on threats to the nation and what
>citizens can do to protect themselves, the need for more public information
>about how the FBI functions in the field and the intention of visits like
>the one today.
>
>SA Kelly said such visits are increasingly common as the FBI works to
>improve the reporting of information about threats to the US.
>
>Asked what will happen as a result of the visit. SA Renner said he will
>write a report of the visit.
>
>Cryptome said it will publish a report of the visit, including naming the
>agents. Both agents expressed concern about their names being published for
>that might lead to a threat against them and/or their families -- one
>saying that due to copious personal databases any name can be traced.
>
>Cryptome said the reason for publishing names of agents is so that anyone
>can verify that a contact has been made, and that more public information
>is needed on how FBI agents function and who they are.
>
>Cryptome noted that on a previous occasion FBI agents had protested
>publication of their names by Cryptome.
>
>Cryptome did not agree to report anything to the FBI that is not available
>on the website.
>_______________________________________________
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>
>----- End forwarded message -----