Worth a look, to see where your freedoms are going...
Don't post anything on explosives or assassinations here.
www.raisethefist.com.../-----74814smallsherm.gifIMG.article
SHERMAN AUSTIN SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN FEDERAL PRISON
Sherman Austin, webmaster of RaisetheFist.com, was sentenced today, August 4, 2003, to one year in federal prison, with three years of probation.
Judge Wilson shocked the courtroom when he went against the recommendation of not only the prosecution, but the FBI and the Justice Department, who
had asked that Austin be sentenced to 4 months in prison, and 4 months in a half-way house, with 3 years of probation.
Austin's probation stipulates, among other things, that (1) he cannot possess or access a computer of any kind without prior approval of his
probation officer, (2) if his probation officer gives permission, the equipment is subject to monitoring and is subject to search and seizure at any
time, without notice, (3) he cannot alter any of the software or hardware on any computer he uses, (4) he must surrender his phone, DSL, electric, and
satellite bills, (5) he cannot associate with any person or group that seeks to change the government in any way (be that environmental, social
justice, political, economic, etc.), and (6) he must pay over $2,000 in fines and restitution. Austin must surrender himself to the Federal Bureau of
Prisons by September 3, 2003.
To contact sherman, email
[email protected]
FROM SHERMAN AUSTIN:
On Jan 24, 2002 , my home was surrounded and raided by approximately 25 heavily armed FBI and Secret Service agents in one of the governments first
attempts to exercise the new US Patriot Act. I was interrogated for several hours while they ransacked my room and they seized a network of computers
which I used to run my web site raisethefist.com. They also seized protest signs, and political literature. Their excuse was a protest guide (which I
didn't author) that was posted to my site which a small portion contained information on explosives. The FBI had been monitoring the site long before
this was ever posted, and long before Sept 11. The "explosives information" on my site (again which I didn't author) doesn't compare to what you
an find on any other web sites such as howthingswork.com, Loompanics.com, Bombshock.com, Totse.com, Amazon.com, or the many neo nazi web sites which
cover everything from assassinations, explosives, fraud and firearms. It's obvious a web surfer interested in making a bomb or taking part in other
extra-illegal activities would not have to rely on Raisethefist.com. So how could the "bomb making information" on raisethefist.com be a concern to
authorities? It wasn't a concern, it was simply used an excuse to exercise the new Patriot Act and take down the site. And that's what they did when
federal agents spent 5-6 hours interrogating me while they disassembled each computer one by one , mirrored each hard drive, then loaded everything
into a big white truck. During this whole process I was told I wasn't going to be arrested, and that I could even leave if I wanted to. Once the
agents finished packing everything up, Special Agent John I. Pi, who was conducting the investigation and raid said that I had crossed a line, and as
long as I got back on the other side of that line I'd be okay..... more at link