From: Hermit (hidden@lucifer.com)
Date: Mon Aug 18 2003 - 01:47:19 MDT
With all of the furor some of Blunderov's fine posts run the risk of being missed. I recommend them. One of them contained the
following (though I'm not sure where it is from. Blunderov, if you see this, please drop me a line and I'll update it on the BBS):
[hr]
Anarchist Website Puts Man in Jail
Should a person go to jail just for linking to websites that post
information about how to make bombs? That appears to be the position of
the United States government. Sherman Austin has been sentenced for
doing just that - he pled guilty to "distributing information related to
explosives" because he was afraid that he would be charged under
anti-terrorism laws, a designation that might put him in a deep, dark
hole from which he would never be heard from again.
Newsday reports:
Austin told the judge Monday he "wasn't really thinking" when he created
the Web site. "I'd be devastated if someone used this information to
harm others," he said. ...Austin said he took a plea bargain because he
feared his case was eligible for a terrorism enhancement, which could
have added 20 years to his sentence. The plea deal had called for him to
serve four months.
This is not the first time that a criminal defendant has felt pressure
to plead guilty to something in order to avoid the excessive power of
government prosecutors under recent anti-terrorism laws. The question
is, who will be next? You?
[hr]
As I recognised the name of the webmaster of "raisethefist.com (http://www.raisethefist.com/)" from some posts I made about him in
early 2002 I did some further research which yielded:
Vigilant TV (http://vigilant.tv/search/?words=sherman+austin)
2003-08-06 Californian sentenced for anarchist Web site
U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson sentenced Sherman Austin Monday to more than the prosecutor had recommended under a plea bargain.
Austin, 20, pleaded guilty in February to distributing information related to explosives.
Austin told the judge Monday he "wasn't really thinking" when he created the Web site. "I'd be devastated if someone used this
information to harm others," he said.
Austin admitted posting links about bombs to enable people to build and use them during demonstrations against interstate and
foreign trade. He told FBI agents he wanted the Web site to teach people about police brutality.
Austin must also pay a $2,000 fine and is barred for three years from using a computer without approval. Wilson said he also may not
associate with anyone from a group that "espouses physical force as a means of change."
[hr]
2002-09-26 raisethefist: RTF Webmaster to be Convicted
RaiseTheFist webmaster Sherman Austin has pleaded guilty to charges of distribution of explosives information. Austin made headlines
in February when an FBI raid took his web site offline. Initial charges were dropped; his subsequent indictment in late August
didn't receive much attention. Link via Duncan Frissell
(http://technoptimist.blogspot.com/2002_09_22_technoptimist_archive.html#85491147)*, who laments Austin's decision to plead guilty
and let the charges go unchallenged.
*Hermit: Who provided these links:
http://www.raisethefist.com/news.cgi?artical=wire/----9846413t4a.article
http://www.raisethefist.com/news.cgi?artical=wire/----9845643t4a.article
Both of these still work and point into the site, which is probably worth a visit.
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