FBI seizes servers from UK offices –

‘It is unclear to Indymedia how and why a server that is outside the US jurisdiction can be seized by US authorities.’

But Indymedia suspects the sting could be connected to several recent FBI requests to remove photos posted by an affiliate Nantes-based organisation that had posted photos of undercover Swiss police.

Rackspace says its actions comply with a US court order it received last week under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, mandating cross-border cooperation.

This is peculiar. Why is OUR FBI involved with pictures of the Swiss police? Where is Interpol? None of this makes any sense until you dig deeper.

And apparently the crime, whatever it was, did NOT originate in the USA. Here’s an excerpt from the REGISTER.

In the present matter regarding Indymedia, Rackspace Managed Hosting, a US based company with offices in London, is acting in compliance with a court order pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which establishes procedures for countries to assist each other in investigations such as international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering. Rackspace responded to a Commissioner’s subpoena, duly issued under Title 28, United States Code, Section 1782 in an investigation that did not arise in the United States. Rackspace is acting as a good corporate citizen and is cooperating with international law enforcement authorities. The court prohibits Rackspace from commenting further on this matter.

While Indymedia is not exactly sure what prompted the action, the group does have one strong idea. A French Indymedia site last month posted photos of what it believed to be undercover Swiss police officers photographing protesters at a French event. Indymedia received a request from the FBI to pull those photos down, as they “revealed personal information” about the undercover police, said Indymedia press officer Hep Sano.

“They never clarified what they meant by personal information,” she said. “The photos were taken on a public street.”‘

“We have witnessed an intolerable and intrusive international police operation against a network specialising in independent journalism,” said Aidan White, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists. “The way this has been done smacks more of intimidation of legitimate journalistic inquiry than crime-busting.”

Indymedia (AKA Independent Media Center) was set up in 1999 to provide grassroots coverage of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) protests in Seattle. It has continued to report on controversial subjects often under-reported in the mainstream media since then; but this week has marked the most controversial chapter in its operations.

Meanwhile, here in the USA, we have wide-open borders with potential terrorists walking right in.

Alas, if you read this posting, it appears that the real reason for all this is so some Swiss can initiate a lawsuit. Somehow they’ve managed to use American law agents to help them get evidence. If true, this is a scandal. Taxpayer money?

FBI INDYMEDIA Web-Server Seizure: Real Reason Is Private Lawsuit
by C.L. Hallmark
11 Oct 2004
Events this week in Geneva, Switzerland, will reveal that the FBI’s seizure of two Internet servers of Indymedia Web sites in England (!) was to provide evidence for a private lawsuit in Switzerland (!). A Swiss judge will receive a civil complaint on behalf of two Geneva undercover men who say they were wrongfully outted, insulted, and threatened on Indymedia. Indymedia observers have been baffled by the FBI seizure, since the post seems harmless. But there are other posts, presented here for the first time, that could be the real targets.

(Mon., Oct. 11, 2004) As early as today, examining magistrate Isabelle Cuendet in Geneva will be ready to receive a complaint from attorney Marc Oederlin on behalf of two local policemen known only by the first name of one, Mike, and of course by their photographs on the Indymedia website for Nantes, France. (Indymedia is a moderated forum on which independent journalists post articles on globalization, war, and social injustice.)

The officers are suing, presumably for monetary damages, unknown person(s) by whom they say they were insulted and threatened, as well as exposed by having their pictures and the name and address of one of the pair published. Translations of known — and new, for the first time — posts are included toward the end so the reader can judge along with magistrate Cuendet. Posts that prompted these claims are the apparent object of the FBI raid. (Yes, we know, the FBI is supposed to investigate crimes and it is a *US* law enforcement agency.)

And here is the Swiss reportage complete with the offending photos.

[IUPDATE] John Lettice of the Register wrote me to correct my fear saying, If you check the Ts & Cs of the MLAT I think you’ll find the requested country handles the tab. So it’s taxpayers’ money. Mine. )-: