South Florida peace groups called `threats'
By Robert Nolin
and Sean Gardiner Staff Writers
Posted December 15 2005
South Florida's anti-war activists are few in number. Many are retirees, veterans or students. They carry puppets, wave placards or hand out pamphlets to potential military recruits.
But these activities have been labeled a "threat" by the Defense Department. Local peace-mongers, like many around the country, have come under surveillance by the Pentagon.
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The military's domestic surveillance was disclosed this week in a report on NBC Nightly News, which obtained a 400-page Department of Defense document outlining the surveillance of peace groups. Acting on a complaint from the Truth Project, Florida Sen. Bill Nelson posted a letter Wednesday to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, demanding an accounting.
"I am very concerned that the military's apparent expansion of domestic intelligence gathering could lead to unprecedented invasions of privacy of lawful citizens simply for exercising their right of free speech," the Democratic senator wrote, citing the NBC report as well as "other major media services" as the source for his concern.
The Defense Department's chief spokesman, Gregory Hicks, initially promised to make a statement. By Wednesday night, however, none had been issued.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-scspy15dec15,0,108348.story?coll=sfla-news-broward