Army Looking Into Monitoring of Protest Groups

[uppityperson]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/us/02army.html?_r=2&hp

The Army says it has opened an inquiry into a claim that one of its employees spent more than two years infiltrating antiwar groups active near one of the nation’s largest military bases. The groups say the employee infiltrated their activities under an assumed name and gained access to their plans as well as names and e-mail addresses of some members.

The man, John J. Towery, a civilian employee at Fort Lewis, south of Tacoma, Wash., works as a criminal intelligence analyst for the post’s Force Protection Division, say officials at Fort Lewis, the nation’s third largest Army post. The Army would not disclose the nature of the investigation or address the claim that Mr. Towery had shared information about civilians. It said Mr. Towery was not available for an interview.

“Mr. John Towery performs sensitive work within the installation law enforcement community, and it would not be appropriate for him to discuss his duties with the media,” the Army said in written statement. “Fort Lewis is aware of the claim with regard to Mr. Towery. To ensure all regulatory guidelines were followed, the command has decided that an inquiry is prudent, and an officer is being appointed to conduct the inquiry.”

Brendan Maslauskas Dunn said he met Mr. Towery in spring 2007, when Mr. Maslauskas Dunn became involved with Port Militarization Resistance, a group that has frequently tried to disrupt military shipments in Olympia, Tacoma and other ports nearby. Mr. Maslauskas Dunn, who was also active in at least one other group, Students for a Democratic Society, said Mr. Towery had identified himself as John Jacob, using his middle name as his last. He said he worked as a civilian at Fort Lewis doing computer support, Mr. Maslauskas Dunn said. Mr. Towery, he said, frequently attended protests but had not been among those who agreed in advance that they would be willing to be arrested. He said Mr. Towery had often worked as a “watcher” who tracked law enforcement at the protests...(mre@link)

FWIW, I posted about this 2 wks ago and got a "meh" sort of response: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6127624&mesg_id=6127624

Another topic was posted last week, with more: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6175858&mesg_id=6175858

Now more is coming out.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I always wonder, when people do that sort of thing, if they ever come away

with a changed opinion of the people they were spying on?

[DCKit]

2. I believe you'd have to go in with a patriotic - not a nationalist - and non-prejudiced mind-set.

There are too few like that in intelligence, law enforcement and even fewer among the NeoCons. They love the fascism.

Seriously, the freaking Quakers? How messed up and prejudiced do you have to be to believe Quakers are a viable threat to national security?

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Our government may be more paranoid than we are. LOL