US seizes independent media sites

[Jome]

US seizes independent media sites

The FBI has shut down some 20 sites which were part of an alternative media network known as Indymedia.

A US court order forced the firm hosting the material to hand over two servers in the UK used by the group.

Indymedia says it is a news source for the anti-globalisation movement and other social justice issues.

The reasons behind the seizure are unclear but the FBI has reportedly said the action was taken at the request of Italian and Swiss authorities.

Legal action

The servers affected were run by Rackspace, a US web hosting company with offices in London.

It said it had received a court order from the US authorities last Thursday to hand over the computer equipment at its UK hosting facility.

   
The way this has been done smacks more of intimidation of legitimate journalistic inquiry than crime-busting
Aidan White, International Federation of Journalists
"Rackspace is acting as a good corporate citizen and is cooperating with international law enforcement authorities," said a statement by the company.

It said it was responding to an order issued under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. Under the agreement, countries assist each other in investigations such as international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering

The reasons behind the action against the Indymedia websites are unclear.

The group said the servers affected had hosted the sites of more then 20 local collectives and audio streams for several radio stations, as well as several other projects.

"Indymedia had been asked last month by the FBI to remove a story about Swiss undercover police from one of the websites hosted at Rackspace," said the group in a statement.

"It is not known, however, whether Thursday's order is related to that incident since the order was issued to Rackspace and not to Indymedia."

'Intolerable and intrusive'

A FBI spokesperson told the AFP news agency that it was not an FBI operation, saying the order had been issued at the request of Italian and Swiss authorities.

The seizure has sparked off protests from journalist groups.

"We have witnessed an intolerable and intrusive international police operation against a network specialising in independent journalism," said Aidan White, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists.

"The way this has been done smacks more of intimidation of legitimate journalistic inquiry than crime-busting."

The UK site of Indymedia is back up and running but several of the other 20 sites affected are still offline.

In the US, the civil liberties group, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said it was working with Indymedia over how to react to the seizures.

"The constitution does not permit the government unilaterally to cut off the speech of an independent media outlet, especially without providing a reason or even allowing Indymedia the information necessary to contest the seizure," said EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3732718.stm

[Sikotic™]

"They hate us for our freedom"

mmm hmmm

[davida.b.]

We are losing our freedom, one day at a time. When the government shuts doen Maddox, then I'll really lose hope.

[Rampant]

When the government shuts doen Maddox, then I'll really lose hope.

lol that site is amazing.

[Thirteen]

good for them....glad to see the italians, swiss and the US working together

don't get your panties all in a bunch, you don't know what they took the computers for yet...if they wanted to stop freedom of expression they'd close down a big name news source....not a one that's comparable to QVC

[Jome]

good for them....glad to see the italians, swiss and the US working together

don't get your panties all in a bunch, you don't know what they took the computers for yet...if they wanted to stop freedom of expression they'd close down a big name news source....not a one that's comparable to QVC

Why do you automatically take U.S., FBI or the Police in defense, without even knowing what the case is.... ?? (Not the first time)

I'd defend this seize, if they distributed child porn on their servers, or hosted terrorists or criminals..

But fact is, FBI handed the servers back, without even giving a reason, (despite several requests) and without even apologizing.
They even issued a "Gagging order" to Rackspace (the server host), basically telling them to STFU..
EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), Journalist organizations, and Free Speech organization across the world condemns the seize.

[Thirteen]

good for them....glad to see the italians, swiss and the US working together

don't get your panties all in a bunch, you don't know what they took the computers for yet...if they wanted to stop freedom of expression they'd close down a big name news source....not a one that's comparable to QVC

Why do you automatically take U.S., FBI or the Police in defense, without even knowing what the case is.... ?? (Not the first time)

I'd defend this seize, if they distributed child porn on their servers, or hosted terrorists or criminals..

But fact is, FBI handed the servers back, without even giving a reason, (despite several requests) and without even apologizing.
They even issued a "Gagging order" to Rackspace (the server host), basically telling them to STFU..
EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), Journalist organizations, and Free Speech organization across the world condemns the seize.

so what i'm getting is you're allowed to scream the 1st ammendment is dead before you know the details and i can't say wait until you find out the info?

why do i take their defense? because they do more to protect me than some internet gossip queens

and lastly,they didn't even have to give back the computers in one piece...let alone give them a reason why

i like to be safe rather than sorry

[Jome]

why do i take their defense? because they do more to protect me than some internet gossip queens

Protect you from what.. ?
Unwanted info.. ?

and lastly,they didn't even have to give back the computers in one piece...let alone give them a reason why

No.. ?
Great country you live in, in so case..

[7even]

I have to say this "I rather be safe than sorry" talk pisses me off. The government can do whatever it wants under the claim that they just want american citizens to be safe. And when it gets official that what they did was pure nonsense (which happened many times already) nobody is mad or anything. Just be rather safe than sorry. Go to Iraq and kill thousands of people, they could have WMD and of course you rather be safe than sorry. Break freedom of speech, search randomly for Weapons in trucks and bags in NY or whatever, start the patriot act to spy on your people without the congress being allowed to do shit,  since, well - who would rather be sorry than safe?!

[Thirteen]

how is freedom of speech broken? is that website still allowed to continue?

why yes it is

there goes the freedom of speech argument right out the window

[7even]

well...

1. good job of throwing one tiny part of my paragraph out of the window when there's still a lot of cool stuff left in my paragraph

2. now they got 'em back.. but they did brake freedom of speech taking their shit away..

[Thirteen]

well...

1. good job of throwing one tiny part of my paragraph out of the window when there's still a lot of cool stuff left in my paragraph

2. now they got 'em back.. but they did brake freedom of speech taking their shit away..

no they didn't, the people could still say whatever they wanted...they just didn't have computers to store it on... freedom of speech was quite intact...and i didn't bother reading your whole paragraph because this whole thread is mostly about freedom of speech

[Jome]

So in U.S., FBI can seize whatever they want, without even giving a reason, and without apologizing if they're wrong.. ?
How about arrests and giving jail time, do they need to give reasons for that.. ?? 

And you think it's completely OK.. ??
It amazes me how much respect you have for the authorities, don't you even question them.. ?

[Thirteen]

So in U.S., FBI can seize whatever they want, without even giving a reason, and without apologizing if they're wrong.. ?
How about arrests and giving jail time, do they need to give reasons for that.. ?? 

And you think it's completely OK.. ??
It amazes me how much respect you have for the authorities, don't you even question them.. ?

charges do have to be known to the person apprehended

and with the issue of a court order (which they recieved) and a warrant to enter the house (which they probably also recieved because i don't see them bitching about NOT getting one) that will give the reason of search

them giving back the equipment means they didn't find what they wanted and life can go back as normal... no harm done

[Jome]

charges do have to be known to the person apprehended

and with the issue of a court order (which they recieved) and a warrant to enter the house (which they probably also recieved because i don't see them bitching about NOT getting one) that will give the reason of search

them giving back the equipment means they didn't find what they wanted and life can go back as normal... no harm done

Good to see that you have some rights.