| Aclu asks fbi why tracking protesters { December 2 2004 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2570504,00.htmlhttp://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2570504,00.html
Article Published: Thursday, December 02, 2004 ACLU: Coloradans monitored by FBI at lawful protests
By Alicia Caldwell Denver Post Staff Writer
The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado is poised to accuse the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force of documenting the activities of Coloradans engaged in lawful demonstrations.
The organization will hold a news conference today in Denver to present what it says is evidence that the task force has conducted surveillance of people who were peacefully expressing their opinions on war, environmental issues, animal rights and labor rights - topics that have no connection to terrorism.
Mark Silverstein, legal director for the ACLU in Colorado, declined to provide specifics Wednesday, saying he would disclose that information today.
However, the ACLU in Washington, D.C., provided a list of examples, including the Denver Police Department's monitoring of the Quaker-affiliated American Friends Service Committee, which was listed as an "active case" by a local terrorism task force.
Others contending they were improperly monitored or investigated include Rocky Mountain Animal Defense, the Washington-based Campaign for Labor Rights and a number of peace and environmental activists.
Monique Kelso, spokeswoman for the FBI in Denver, said Wednesday that her agency would not respond until specifics were provided.
"We're not going to comment on anything until we see what they say," Kelso said.
But an FBI spokesman in Washington denied singling out individuals or groups for surveillance or investigation based solely on activities protected by the Constitution's guarantees of free speech.
Officials say agents adhere strictly to Justice Department guidelines requiring evidence of criminal activity or indications that a person may know something about a crime.
"Any investigation conducted by the FBI is done under the attorney general's guidelines and in full compliance with the guidelines," said FBI spokesman Bill Carter.
The issue resonates in Denver, where a 2002 "spy files" lawsuit shined a spotlight on the Denver Police Department's practice of collecting information on people engaged in lawful activity.
In a settlement of the case last year, Denver agreed to keep files on people only where there was a reasonable suspicion that they were involved in criminal activity. And the city and county of Denver agreed to pay about $469,000 in attorneys' fees and other legal costs as part of the settlement.
There are terrorism task forces in 100 cities with more than 3,700 members, including at least 2,000 FBI agents, state and local police, and other federal law-enforcement officials. More than half of the task forces were formed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Staff writer Alicia Caldwell can be reached at 303-820-1930 or acaldwell@denverpost.com .
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