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Commentary :: Crime & Police

FBI Given Green Light To Spy On Americans Engaged In Lawful Activities

Between the Lines' Scott Harris interviews attorney Jerome Paun, treasurer of National Lawyer's Guild.
FBI Given Green Light to Spy on Americans Engaged in Lawful Activities

Between the Lines' Scott Harris interviews attorney Jerome Paun, treasurer of National Lawyer's Guild

Interview by Between the Lines' Scott Harris

Not long after a cascade of revelations embarrassed the White House, the FBI and CIA over information that they had received threats from the Al Qaeda network prior to the September 11th attacks, Attorney General John Ashcroft granted the FBI new powers to spy on Americans engaged in constitutionally protected religious, civic and political activities. The guidelines set forth by the Bush administration removes constraints placed on intelligence agencies by Congress to prevent abuses that were documented from the 1960's through the 80's.

Among the targets of J. Edgar Hoover's "Cointelpro," or Counter Intelligence program of that era, were civil rights, church and peace groups active in the struggle for desegregation and against the war in Vietnam. Congressional hearings in the 1970s revealed that these groups were infiltrated, disrupted and harassed by the FBI. The movement's leaders, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were closely monitored by federal agencies which issued death threats and subjected them to blackmail.

Defended as essential in the "U.S. War Against Terrorism," the FBI, has once again been unleashed to snoop on the lawful activities of Americans by means of electronic surveillance and infiltration, even if there is no evidence indicating prior or future criminal activity. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with attorney Jerome Paun, treasurer of the National Lawyers Guild, who challenges the notion that we must sacrifice our civil liberties for enhanced security.

Contact the Guild by calling (212) 627-2656 or vist their Web Site at www.nlw.org

www.wpkn.org/wpkn/news/btl062102.html
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