More on FBI.

FBI closes anarchist website

Gun toting Feds arrest Raisethefist.com owner
Armed FBI agents have raided the home of an 18 year-old Los Angeles geek and confiscated computer equipment used to run an anarchist website.
According to the site's supporters, the resulting case may test the limits of free speech on the internet in the wake of 11 September.

Although the Raisethefist.com site is no longer online, a report from the site's owner, Sherman Martin Austin, is in circulation.

"Heavily armed with high-powered machine guns, shotguns and hand guns, the FBI, Secret Service and Los Angeles Police Department surrounded the founder of Raisethefist.com in his house. Within seconds a swarm of FBI raided the house with automatic weapons and shotguns," said Austin's statement.

All computers on a network within the house were seized, including those serving the Raisethefist.com website via a DSL connection. Austin also hosted other anarchist sites including LAanarchists.org, which was also disrupted.

Although details of the arrest warrant have not been released, it is thought that Austin is accused of crimes relating to computer misuse and the distribution of bomb making information.

In the past, Austin has admitted to defacing a number of websites with anti-government messages.

The Raisethefist.com site also contained information on making Molotov cocktails, smoke bombs and pipe bombs. Such information is, of course, available on thousands of other websites.

"Since 1999, Raisethefist.com has been under extensive government monitoring," claimed Austin. "The FBI, police department and National Security Agency continually monitored the site on a daily basis."

"The FBI had also previously intercepted all packets going through the DSL line hosting the site, and have seized additional accounts being used by the site," he added.

Austin believes that the authorities have targeted him out of thousands of similar anarchist operations because Raisethefist.com had the potential to become a real threat.

He explained: "Kids started creating clubs in their schools called 'RaisetheFist'. People started utilising the collective as a powerful resource for the activist/anarchist community.

"They knew the site was turning into a strong collective, utilised by activists throughout the world committed to social justice. And that's become a crime. Justice has become a crime.

"Freedom has become a crime. Anyone actively disagreeing with policies of the US is now automatically rendered a 'terrorist' in the eyes of national security.

"Where Raisethefist.com will go from here, I don't know. Based on what I've been told, I'll most likely be in jail, so most of my focus will be towards getting an attorney."

Sounds like they mean business to me. ouch that had to hurt.

They have already dropped the charges on him. They just wanted to try and make an example of him and it back fired.

The article in part:
By Brian McWilliams, Newsbytes
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A.,
15 Feb 2002, 10:44 AM CST
"Federal charges will be dropped against the teen-aged operator of anti-government site Raisethefist.com, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office in central California confirmed today. "

The link to the full story:
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/174548.html

If he was just expressing radical anarchist perspectives, then he shouldn't be put in jail. He may be an idiot for putting stuff like that on the net, but that kind of speech isn't/shouldn't be illegal. If, on the other hand, he was telling people how to make/use bombs and stuff, then yes, he should go to jail.

I have the vague feeling this has already been posted... or is this a new artice?

I guess the have to since 9/11. It's better that they do than if they don't. But yeah, it is pretty harsh with all the firearms. I'm not ananarchist supporter but half the stuff put on those sites don't work. I think they should have taken it with a pound of salt.

hey guys if you like this post I put up could you give me some positive points, Sence Remote_Access_ took almost all of mine away with no reason. Thanks. Yeah I think this hole FBI thing is getting out of hand. Starting to make me think this country is turnning more into a 3rd world country. (meaning no rights at all).