US Justice Dept Prepares for Ominous Expansion of Law Prohibiting "Material Support" for Terrorism

[kpete]

US Justice Department Prepares for Ominous Expansion of Law Prohibiting "Material Support" for Terrorism

Saturday 11 December 2010

by: Michael Deutsch, t r u t h o u t | News Analysis

US Justice Department Prepares for Ominous Expansion of Law Prohibiting "Material Support" for Terrorism
(Photo: Ryan J. Reilly; Edited: Lance Page / t r u t h o u t)

In late September, the FBI carried out a series of raids of homes and antiwar offices of public activists in Minneapolis and Chicago. Following the raids, the Obama Justice Department subpoenaed 14 activists to a grand jury in Chicago and also subpoenaed the files of several antiwar and community organizations. In carrying out these repressive actions, the Justice Department was taking its lead from the Supreme Court's 6-3 opinion last June in Holder v. the Humanitarian Law Project, which decided that nonviolent First Amendment speech and advocacy "coordinated with" or "under the direction of" a foreign group listed by the Secretary of State as "terrorist" was a crime.

The search warrants and grand jury subpoenas make it clear that the federal prosecutors are intent on accusing public nonviolent political organizers, many of whom are affiliated with Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), of providing "material support" through their public advocacy for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The Secretary of State has determined that both the PLFP and the FARC "threaten US national security, foreign policy or economic interests," a finding not reviewable by the courts, and listed both groups as foreign terrorist organizations (FTO).

In 1996, Congress made it a crime - then punishable by 10 years, which was later increased to 15 years - to anyone in the US who provides "material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization or attempts or conspires to do so." The present statute defines "material support or resources" as:

... any property, tangible or intangible, or service, including currency or monetary instruments or financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safe houses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel and transportation except medicine or religious materials.

more:
http://www.truth-out.org/us-justice-department-prepares-ominous-expansion-law-prohibiting-material-support-terrorism65787

[Poll_Blind]

1. Very, very troubling. I find myself asking "Who is Obama?"

:shrug:

PB

[Angry Dragon]

2. At least half of DC should be in jail then

[starroute]

3. So how long before they make it a crime to support Wikileaks?

If all it takes is for the Secretary of State to declare that they "threaten US national security, foreign policy or economic interests" -- with no actual terrorism needed -- you can bet that Wikileaks is going to wind up on that list pretty damn soon.

And at that point, anybody who says a word in support of Wikileaks becomes a criminal. That simple.

And if they get away with that one, it won't be the last.

[msongs]

4. murder women and kids n other civilians by drone = ok however. lucky us nt