[Imc] FBI-IMC contact -- PLEASE READ.

Sat Nov 3 18:35:59 UTC 2001

If you are contacted by the FBI do not answer any questions, period.
State that you will only speak in the presence of an attorney and let me
know ASAP (384-5346).  Please remember that anything you say can get you
and/or others in major trouble.  Your best course of action is to end your
conversation ASAP.  I do not want folks to blow this out of proportion,
but I do want people to take this very seriously.

--Sascha

MORE INFO FROM GLOBAL IMC COMMUNICATIONS LIST:

Information about FBI contact with Indymedia volunteer today, Nov 2, 2001

November 2, 2001 - The FBI contacted volunteers from the Independent Media
Center (indymedia) in San Francisco today. Agent Chuck Esposito, from the
Oakland FBI office, telephoned "Espe," a volunteer who has worked with the
San Francisco Indymedia collective. Agent Esposito asked Espe if he had
access to server logs, if he administered "indymedia sites," and if he had
access to the server. Espe only replied that he could not answer questions
without the presence of an attorney. Agent Esposito asked Espe if he knew
what the call was about or if anyone else had contacted him. Espe said,
"No, care to fill me in?" Agent Esposito replied, "not until I'm ready."
Agent Esposito also mentioned something about "terrorist threats," but
Espe could not recall the exact context. Other IMC volunteers immediately
called the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who helped Indymedia when
Seattle IMC was served with an order by the FBI in April. According to
information obtained by an EFF representative, Agent Esposito was given
indymedia contact information by the Seattle FBI office, and was
instructed to follow up on a lead they had received. The lead involved
some kind of "anthrax threat." Agent Esposito indicated that the FBI is
interested in reviewing Indymedia server logs. Agent Esposito also
indicated that, to his knowledge, the "threat" appeared on the Arizona IMC
website. Following the FBI order in April, the Indymedia tech collective
decided to stop recording IP addresses of website visitors. The IP address
is the "key" to identifying website visitors. Without IP addresses, most
Indymedia web traffic is anonymous. However, this is not absolute
protection. Use of internet spying and devices like Carnivore allow the
FBI to obtain this information without going through Indymedia. Website
users who wish to remain anonymous should utilize "anonymous web proxies."
These are websites which allow you to surf other websites, while
protecting your identity. Not all anonymizer services are safe. For
instance, SafeWeb.com, based in Oakland, is largely funded by the CIA.
Currently, many people are relying on the anonymizer offered by the
European Counter Network, at https://proxy1.autistici.org/