Researcher detained at U.S. border, questioned about Wikileaks

[Newsjock]

Source: CNet

A security researcher involved with the Wikileaks Web site was detained by U.S. agents at the border for three hours and questioned about the controversial whistleblower project as he entered the country on Thursday to attend a hacker conference, sources said on Saturday.

He was also approached by two FBI agents at the Defcon conference after his presentation on Saturday afternoon about the Tor Project.

Jacob Appelbaum, a Seattle-based programmer for the online privacy protection project called Tor, arrived at the Newark, New Jersey, airport from Holland flight Thursday morning when he was pulled aside by customs and border protection agents who told him he was randomly selected for a security search, according to the sources familiar with the matter who asked to remain anonymous.

Appelbaum, a U.S. citizen, was taken into a room, frisked and his bag was searched. Receipts from his bag were photocopied and his laptop was inspected but it's not clear in what manner, the sources said. Officials from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Army then told him he was not under arrest but was being detained, the sources said. They asked questions about Wikileaks, asked for his opinions about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and asked where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is, but he declined to comment without a lawyer present, according to the sources. He was not permitted to make a phone call, they said.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20012253-245.html

[msongs]

1. detained = under arrest except in Obama's fantasy world nt

[PDJane]

2. I use Tor.......

an interesting programme. I'm sorry to see these people harassed for doing a necessary job. And, of course, Assange is currently in Great Britain.....not much wonder he looks tired lately.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. "randomly selected for security search".

Welcome back to East Germany, Jacob.

"asked for his opinions abut the wars" ????????????????

God, this is chilling.

[Newsjock]

4. When I was a journalist ...

... I was asked at the Peace Arch crossing near Vancouver, re-entering the United States, "What do you write about the war?" It's been going on for at least six years now.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. How did you respond to their questions, btw?

Refuse to answer, or choose answers carefully, or demand to be un-detained, or what?

[Newsjock]

6. I managed to not be detained ...

... by responding, "I'm an editor, so I don't write anything." The stack of Canadian newspapers on my back seat had apparently gotten their attention; there was some story embarrassing to the U.S. that Canada was playing that day, although I've long since forgotten what it was. They didn't even care about the box of Tim Horton's donuts in my front seat. :)

[RufusTFirefly]

7. God bless, Murica. Glad they're keeping us safe.

Haven't you forgotten 9/11 so soon?









:sarcasm:

[Ex Lurker]

8. Time for Julian to start releasing the passwords.

Oh, and Hi, Agent Mike! :hi:

[Green_Lantern]

9. hey stop your whining...

I keep hearing people on DU say this is ok. Just trust President Obama.