DEA OFFENSIVE!

[Ferre]

just received this from MAPS.org

 

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Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2003 16:24:20 -0800

From: "D. Paul Stanford" <stanford@crrh.org>

Subject: 003 Intel...Do not forward this email.

 

From: warcorrespondent@netscape.net

 

Friends:

 

We have received intel that strongly indicates a DEA offensive to be

launched on April 20th. It may be part of Operation Pipeline.

 

If you receive additional info on this, please forward it our way.

 

Should you are already in the loop, disregard this email.

 

For victory,

Terry M.

 

- --

"Three men can keep a secret, if two of them are dead." Josef Stalin

[Ferre]

Domain Names Being Seized and redirected to DEA?? :angry:

 

Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2003 17:04:14 -0800

From: "D. Paul Stanford" <stanford@crrh.org>

Subject: 001 US: Domain Names Being Seized

 

Title: Domain Names Being Seized

Author: Matthew Fordahl, Associated Press

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Contact: letters@sjmercury.com

Website: http://www.sjmercury.com/

Pubdate: Wednesday, March 5, 2003

 

Federal agents routinely seize property allegedly used in the commission

of a crime, anything from a drug dealer's car or speedboat to a hacker's

computer.

 

In a series of raids in recent weeks, the Justice Department has extended

such grabs to property that might seem esoteric but worry civil

libertarians -- Internet domain names.

 

In one case, the government took over Web sites that it said peddled

bongs, roach clips, rolling papers and other paraphernalia used in the

consumption of illegal drugs.

 

Prosecutors also acquired, in a plea agreement, a site called isonews.com

whose owner was charged with selling special chips that let pirated titles

run on video-game consoles.

 

'Restrained' message

 

In the past, Web sites simply vanished after the computer servers that

hosted them landed in police property rooms. But in the recent cases,

visitors to pipesfor you.com, aheadcase.com and others are now greeted

with a message informing them that a Pennsylvania federal court has

"restrained" the sites at the request of the Drug Enforcement

Administration.

 

The trend is alarming online civil-liberties groups and legal scholars,

who say the government's new tactic risks depriving people of valuable

property -- their Internet storefronts and thus their livelihoods -- as

electronic commerce becomes more common.

 

"If you want to take down a Web site but simply confiscate the servers,

operators can always buy other servers," said Michael Overly, an attorney

specializing in computer law at Foley & Lardner. "But if they take the

domain name away, then they've put the person out of business."

 

Critics of the recent moves also say they fear the government could use

the method to spy on Web surfers who visit confiscated sites.

 

No Plans Announced

 

In announcing the indictment last week of 55 people for allegedly selling

drug paraphernalia on the Internet, Attorney General John Ashcroft said

several sites had been redirected to DEA servers and that prosecutors had

asked the court to redirect an additional "15 to 20 sites within the next

30 days."

 

The Justice Department did not return phone calls seeking comment on what

it plans to do with the sites and their visitor logs.

 

Among issues that remain unresolved is whether a domain name constitutes

property. In the past, domain-name registrars have sued to ensure that

their offerings are not considered property. Otherwise, Overly said, "they

would find themselves at the heart of no end of litigation."

 

Overly said the courts would ultimately decide the issue.

 

"The government has done many things over the years," he said, "that

ultimately turn out not to be legal."

 

:angry: WHAT'S NEXT??