Anti-terrorism office: Political spying unit.
LA Times is running this as its lead story.
http://www.latimes.com/...
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office in charge of protecting California against terrorism has been tracking demonstrations staged by political and anti-war groups, a practice that senior law enforcement officials say is an abuse of civil liberties.
Daily reports prepared for the state Office of Homeland Security in recent months contain details on the whereabouts and purpose of a number of political demonstrations throughout California. The source of the information is listed in some cases as federal law enforcement agencies, including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, an investigative arm of the U.S. Homeland Security department.
Is this the prophesized suede/denim secret police?
This could be the tip of the iceberg.
Federal agencies spying on political and anti-war groups too? Perhaps more than previously disclosed?
More from LA Times:
Political activities cited in the reports include:
- An animal-rights rally outside a Canadian consulate office in San Francisco to protest the hunting of seals.
- A demonstration in Walnut Creek at which U.S. Congressman George Miller (D-Martinez) and other officials spoke against the war in Iraq.
- A Women's International League for Peace and Freedom gathering at a courthouse in Santa Barbara in support of an anti-war protester - a 56-year-old Salinas woman - facing federal trespassing charges.
California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer's office on Friday condemned the office's actions, saying they violated the groups' Constitutional right of free speech.
Now what do THESE activities have to do with terrorism?
State homeland security officials said details about the rallies were reported by SRA International, a company hired to provide counter-terrorism analysis. The officials said such information made it into only the two reports The Times obtained, out of 60-some daily intelligence reports produced since March.