FC: FBI allegedly wants San Francisco IMC's web logs?

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Sat Nov 03 2001 - 10:30:09 PST

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    The below report sounds fishy. If the FBI wanted the web logs from the 
    Independent Media Center of SF, they wouldn't screw around chatting up some 
    volunteers over the phone. They'd serve the guys with physical custody of 
    the server with legal documents -- after all, this is what the FBI did before:
    
    "Feds abandon pursuit of Seattle IMC's web logs"
    http://www.politechbot.com/p-02147.html
    
    "Ohio journalist collective also hit with subpoena for logs"
    http://www.politechbot.com/p-02006.html
    
    Perhaps the EFF, apparently retained as counsel, could shed some light on this.
    
    -Declan
    
    *******
    
    Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 17:05:26 -0800
    From: [name deleted per request]
    To: declanat_private
    Subject: Oakland FBI Contacts Indymedia Volunteer
    
    declan, hi. this comes right on the heels of the house subcommittee on
    forestry sending out requests to environmental groups requesting that
    they publicly denounce "domestic terrorists," like earth liberation
    front and animal liberation front.
    
    ---------
    
    http://sf.indymedia.org/2001/11/108185.php
    
    November 2, 2001 - The FBI contacted volunteers from the Independent
    Media Center (indymedia) in San Francisco today. Agent Chuck Esposito,
    from the Oakland FBI office, telephoned "Espe," a volunteer who has
    worked with the San Francisco Indymedia collective. Agent Esposito
    asked Espe if he had access to server logs, if he administered
    "indymedia sites," and if he had access to the server. Espe only
    replied that he could not answer questions without the presence of an
    attorney. Agent Esposito asked Espe if he knew what the call was about
    or if anyone else had contacted him. Espe said, "No, care to fill me
    in?" Agent Esposito replied, "not until I'm ready." Agent Esposito
    also mentioned something about "terrorist threats," but Espe could not
    recall the exact context.
    
    Other IMC volunteers immediately called the Electronic Frontier
    Foundation, who helped Indymedia when Seattle IMC was served with an
    order by the FBI in April. According to information obtained by an EFF
    representative, Agent Esposito was given indymedia contact information
    by the Seattle FBI office, and was instructed to follow up on a lead
    they had received. The lead involved some kind of "anthrax threat."
    Agent Esposito indicated that the FBI is interested in reviewing
    Indymedia server logs. Agent Esposito also indicated that, to his
    knowledge, the "threat" appeared on the Arizona IMC website.
    
    Following the FBI order in April, the Indymedia tech collective
    decided to stop recording IP addresses of website visitors. The IP
    address is the "key" to identifying website visitors. Without IP
    addresses, most Indymedia web traffic is anonymous. However, this is
    not absolute protection. Use of internet spying and devices like
    Carnivore allow the FBI to obtain this information without going
    through Indymedia.
    
    Website users who wish to remain anonymous should utilize "anonymous
    web proxies." These are websites which allow you to surf other
    websites, while protecting your identity. Not all anonymizer services
    are safe. For instance, SafeWeb.com, based in Oakland, is largely
    funded by the CIA. Currently, many people are relying on the
    anonymizer offered by the European Counter Network, at
    https://proxy1.autistici.org/
    
    http://www.indymedia.org/fbi/
    
    
    
    
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