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Fbi spies on religious organizations Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=AFT5JL3QJBQPQCRBAELCFEY?type=topNews&storyID=6981024 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=AFT5JL3QJBQPQCRBAELCFEY?type=topNews&storyID=6981024 ACLU Says FBI Spying on Religious, Protest Groups Thu Dec 2, 2004 12:48 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday accused the FBI and local police of spying on political and faith-based groups and formally asked the government for information about such FBI surveillance. In Freedom of Information Act requests filed in 10 states and Washington, D.C., the ACLU sought information about the FBI's use of Joint Terrorism Task Forces and local police for what it called political surveillance. It pointed to some documented examples of task forces' involvement in the investigation of environmental activists and anti-war protesters. "The FBI is wasting its time and our tax dollars spying on groups that criticize the government, like the Quakers in Colorado or Catholic Peace Ministries in Iowa," said ACLU associate legal director Ann Beeson. "Do Americans really want to return to the days when peaceful critics become the subject of government investigations?" she said. The ACLU is America's most prominent independent advocacy group for civil liberties. The FOIA requests seek FBI files on groups and individuals targeted for speaking out or practicing their faith. The FBI denied using the task forces -- a key element of the government's efforts to prevent another terror attack like those on Sept. 11, 2001 -- to spy on innocent individuals. Asked about the ACLU action, an FBI spokesman said, "The FBI does not investigate individuals or groups that are engaged in exercising their constitutional rights of freedom of expression. He added, "Only if they are engaged in criminal activity in support of a cause would we be interested in them." In its FOIA request, the ACLU asked for information on procedures used by the task forces for monitoring people based on their race, religious affiliation, organizational membership or participation in protest activities.

denver-police Agencies live tracking with mobile phones { December 10 2005 } Americans want bush to get warrant to eavesdrop Biloxi miss students watched web cam Broad wiretap powers Bush approved purely domestic easedropping { April 6 2006 } Bush renames domestic spying to terror surveillance { January 25 2006 } Bush secretly allowed nsa domestic spying { December 15 2005 } Cameras dc { February 13 2002 } Cia role inside usa greater Denver police spying journalists { February 4 2003 } Domestic spying { November 16 2002 } Fbi docs call kerry tactical conservative among antiwar veterans Fbi domestic eavesdropping ability unprecedented { August 30 2007 } Fbi inches toward spy role { December 1 2003 } Fbi scritinizes antiwar rallies { November 23 2003 } Fbi spied on kerry in 70s report says Fbi spies on religious organizations Fbi tracked kerry in vietnam vets group { March 23 2004 } Feeble attorney general forced to authorize wiretapping { August 17 2007 } Iraqis monitored { November 17 2002 } Judge allows gps tracking data { February 18 2004 } Judge rules against fbi stealing telecom records { September 7 2007 } Judge rules against unconstitutional nsa wiretaps { August 18 2006 } Miami police secretly watching hiphop celebs { March 10 2004 } Most suspects of nsa surveillance cleared { February 5 2006 } Navy uses blimps spying { August 7 2003 } Newyork more wiretaps than anywhere else Nsa seeking phone records before 911 Nsa whisteblower to testify before congress { January 5 2006 } Nypd surveillance rules { September 26 2002 } Pentagon intelligence agency gathers domestic intelligence Pentagon seek to expand intelligence collecting { December 19 2004 } Pentagon viewing american bank records { December 2007 } Pilotless plane civilian airspace Police may seach parked cars Police spying organizations { November 29 2002 } Police step up anti war monitoring { November 16 2003 } Police use gps tracking { May 12 2003 } Pressure building in US for increased surveillance Republican senator angry at cheney on nsa eavesdropping { June 7 2006 } Secret pentagon letters used for domestic spying { October 14 2007 } Smart cards track commuters { September 25 2003 } Sprint mci att helped nsa wiretapping Spy imagery agency takes new role inside united states { September 26 2004 } Surveillance court caves { November 22 2002 } Surveillance industrial complex emerges { August 11 2004 } Surveillance wins backers after bush defends program Unveal surveillance Us steps up surveillance { March 24 2003 } Files Listed: 49

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