FBI ABDUCTS ARTIST, SEIZES ART - Under Patriot Act

[sandboxface]

May 28, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

<b>FBI ABDUCTS ARTIST, SEIZES ART</b>
Feds Unable to Distinguish Art from Bioterrorism
Grieving Artist Denied Access to Deceased Wife's Body
DEFENSE FUND ESTABLISHED - HELP URGENTLY NEEDED

Steve Kurtz was already suffering from one tragedy when he called 911 early in the morning to tell them his wife had suffered a cardiac arrest and died in her sleep. The police arrived and, cranked up on the rhetoric of the "War on Terror," decided Kurtz's art supplies were actually bioterrorism weapons.

Thus began an Orwellian stream of events in which FBI agents abducted Kurtz without charges, sealed off his entire block, and confiscated his computers, manuscripts, art supplies... and even his wife's body.

Like the case of Brandon Mayfield, the Muslim lawyer from Portland imprisoned for two weeks on the flimsiest of false evidence, Kurtz's case amply demonstrates the dangers posed by the USA PATRIOT Act coupled with
government-nurtured terrorism hysteria.

Kurtz's case is ongoing, and, on top of everything else, Kurtz is facing a mountain of legal fees. Donations to his legal defense can be made at
http://www.rtmark.com/CAEdefense/

<b>FEAR RUN AMOK</b>

Steve Kurtz is Associate Professor in the Department of Art at the State University of New York's University at Buffalo, and a member of the internationally-acclaimed Critical Art Ensemble.

Kurtz's wife, Hope Kurtz, died in her sleep of cardiac arrest in the early morning hours of May 11. Police arrived, became suspicious of Kurtz's art supplies and called the FBI.

Within hours, FBI agents had "detained" Kurtz as a suspected bioterrorist and cordoned off the entire block around his house. (Kurtz walked away the
next day on the advice of a lawyer, his "detention" having proved to be illegal.) Over the next few days, dozens of agents in hazmat suits, from a number of law enforcement agencies, sifted through Kurtz's work, analyzing it on-site and impounding computers, manuscripts, books, equipment, and even his wife's body for further analysis. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Health Department condemned his house as a health risk.

Kurtz, a member of the Critical Art Ensemble, makes art which addresses the politics of biotechnology. "Free Range Grains," CAE's latest project, included a mobile DNA extraction laboratory for testing food products for possible transgenic contamination. It was this equipment which triggered
the Kafkaesque chain of events.

FBI field and laboratory tests have shown that Kurtz's equipment was not used for any illegal purpose. In fact, it is not even _possible_ to use this equipment for the production or weaponization of dangerous germs.
Furthermore, any person in the US may legally obtain and possess such equipment.

"Today, there is no legal way to stop huge corporations from putting genetically altered material in our food," said Defense Fund spokeswoman Carla Mendes. "Yet owning the equipment required to test for the presence of 'Frankenfood' will get you accused of 'terrorism.' You can be illegally detained by shadowy government agents, lose access to your home, work, and belongings, and find that your recently deceased spouse's body has been taken away for 'analysis.'"

Though Kurtz has finally been able to return to his home and recover his wife's body, the FBI has still not returned any of his equipment, computers or manuscripts, nor given any indication of when they will. The case remains open.

<b>HELP URGENTLY NEEDED</b>

A small fortune has already been spent on lawyers for Kurtz and other Critical Art Ensemble members. A defense fund has been established at http://www.rtmark.com/CAEdefense/ to help defray the
legal costs which will continue to mount so long as the investigation continues. Donations go directly to the legal defense of Kurtz and other Critical Art Ensemble members. Should the funds raised exceed the cost of the legal defense, any remaining money will be used to help other artists in need.

To make a donation, please visit http://www.rtmark.com/CAEdefense/

For more information on the Critical Art Ensemble, please visit
http://www.critical-art.net/

Articles about the case:
http://www.rtmark.com/CAEdefense/news-WKBW-2.html
http://www.rtmark.com/CAEdefense/news-WKBW.html

On advice of counsel, Steve Kurtz is unable to answer questions regarding his case. Please direct questions or comments to Carla Mendes
<[e-mail]>.

[kalian]

1. Another page from Mundo Bizzaro....

:eyes:

[ixion]

2. the unPATRIOTic act is unconstitutional

and should be repealed immediately. It is probably the single most horrific piece of legislation every produced in the US.

[Wind Dancer]

3. Ditto!

If * is reelected and Ashcroft stays, this country will no longer exist as we once knew it.

[indepat]

23. Assuming you are correct on this, why did even far too many Democrats

and almost all Rethugs in Congress vote for it and why have not the Supremes stricken down all unconstitutional parts thereof? And if so, have all who voted for or failed to strike down not violated their oaths of office? But there I go getting technical and absolutely no one likes a whiner, complainer or spoil-sport.

[aquart]

4. This is embarrassingly insane.

[UpInArms]

5. related article: Local Investigation Into Ub Artist Continues

http://www.rtmark.com/CAEdefense/news-WKBW-2.html

Federal investigators continued searching an Allentown home Friday.

Buffalo police were called to 60 College Street on Tuesday after the owner, SteveKurtz, came home to find his wife dead. It's believed she died of natural causes, but while officers were in the house they spotted some suspicious materials that were thought to be biological agents. The FBI's hazardous materials team has been at the house since Thursday collecting evidence.

SteveKurtz is an art professor at the University of Buffalo, and the materials inside Kurtz' home are commonly used in artwork.

The materials initially looked suspicious, like biological or chemical agents.

"I can sort of see how they might wonder what is that stuff," said Edmund Cardoni of the Hallwalls Contemporary Art Gallery. "If they'd known what his art is about and what the Critical Art Ensemble's art is about I think it makes perfect sense."

Cardoni is the director of Hallwalls. He says Kurtz is a member of a group called the Critical Art Ensemble. The art Kurtz produces is not the type of art most people are used to.

...more...

[maddezmom]

6. strange Newsday link disappeared

Artist's unusual materials alarm police, prompt removal
Newsday, NY - May 13, 2004
... Artist Steve Kurtz cooperated in the search and removal of several items Thursday, according to authorities, who said the artist was not suspected of criminal ...


http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny-brf--materialsremo0513may13,0,6322758.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire

[chookie]

7. HUH?

Whaaa? So, apparently, any scientific equipment in one's home can only be used for illegal purposes, i.e. manufacture of banned substances or WMDs? Gee -- I mean, they found, like, what? -- hybrid corn? -- not smallpox, right?

Um -- has this guy been charged with anything? If not, why does he require an expensive "legal defence"? Why hasn't his place of employment, the university, offered their own lawyers to represent him?

He's gotta be a convert to Islam, right? Is it the fact he is in Buffalo, home of the supposed Lackawanna "terrorist cell"?

Or "America Hater", because he is critical of genetically modified foods, in spite of assurances by the American food industry (or Industrial Food?) that it is perfectly safe?

MESSAGE TO ALL ARTISTS IN AMERICA -- stick to dogs playing poker, or blue eyed Jesus portraits, or face the consequences.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Buffalo talks?

[stepnw1f]

9. F*em

I will never stop creating artwork that says something meaningful.

[bobthedrummer]

10. TOMMY THOMPSON HIRED JEROME HAUER FROM SAIC ON 9-10-2001

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACKS, BUT WELL BEFORE THE ANTHRAX ATTACKS (which involved US Ames strain spores weaponized by US Army for end-user CIA)HAUER AND THOMPSON PROMOTED THE USE OF CIPRO IN GOVERNMENT, AND THOMPSON PURCHASED 300 MILLION DOSES OF CIPRO FROM I. G. FARBEN SPIN-OFF, BAYER.

THEY ARE WAR CRIMINALS AND MURDERERS OF INNOCENT US POSTAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

[Pastiche423]

11. Jerry Hauer

also happened to be the man who found John O'Neill the position at the World Trade Center, as well as being the one who - by his own admission - identified O'Neill's body.

[wtmusic]

12. 1st amendment bites the dust

"People at the art gallery and in the art department at UB were contacted, but were told by the FBI not to speak on the subject. "

Oh brother.

[bobthedrummer]

13. Only if it's given up.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

[sandboxface]

14. Kick!

[Ilsa]

15. I suppose the FBI would try to justify a claim that my

Pyrex measuring cups could be used for bioterrorism. Shit, most of us betty crockers should expect to be hauled off as well.

[saigon68]

16. Vigilance run Amok

Thompson is a creep in more ways than one.

[yellowcanine]

17. Kerry needs to lay this at Shrub's door. This could be the "Willy Horton"

issue of 2004. Conservative Pubs, Libertarians and Independents (and of course Democrats) are all going to be outraged at this.

[comsymp]

19. But most of 'em, including Kerry, voted for PATRIOT--

IMO, too politically sticky to use...

[tlcandie]

18. So, art is their next target then?

The California story of individual(s) coming in and beating up a gallery owner because of the art displayed and now this?

Was there any justice in the California case? I know the woman closed shop out of fear. What will happen to this man? Will fear cause his creativity to stop as well?

Hasn't there been other stories of art related incidents that were halted or not allowed?

So, very hard to keep up with everything that is being choked off for want of its death. :cry:

[DaveSZ]

20. Wow, this is outrageous

I'll pass it on thanks!

[Massacure]

21. First the Red Scare and now the War on Terrorism

History sure does repeat itself, doesn't it?

[Mari333]

22. Welcome to the world of Homeland Security run amok

Our local phone book this year is loaded with duct tape and plastic verbiage about how to survive a terra attack...3 pages of horseshit.
When I opened a bank account, I had to sign Homeland Security paperwork. A woman I know from Indiana, who is 27 yrs old, told me yesterday she went to see a band play at a local hang out, and there were police and personnel there with walkie talkies and she became paranoid when she was frisked before she went in.
I told her "avoid Indiana".
The weirdness is getting weirder.
Real Americans being treated like criminals.
This man is being treated like garbage by his own country.
Shame on anyone who supports fascism like this and spits on our constitution, shredding it in so many ways.

[Moderator]

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