Internet Attacked as Tool of Terror

[aggiesal]

Source: Truthout.org

Friday 30 May 2008

by: Matt Renner, t r u t h o u t | Report

A controversial plan to study and profile domestic terrorism was scrapped after popular push back, however, the spirit of the legislation lives on in Senator Joe Lieberman's office.

HR 1955, "The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007" passed the House in October 2007 with almost unanimous support. The bill immediately came under fire from civil liberties watchdogs because of what many saw as a deliberate targeting of Muslims and Arabs and the possible chilling effect it might have on free speech.


(Artwork: For Sunday Midday)

The original bill intended to set up a government commission to investigate the supposed threat of domestically produced terrorists and the ideologies that underpin their radicalization. The ten-member commission was to be empowered to "hold hearings and sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and administer such oaths as the Commission considers advisable to carry out its duties." The bill also singled out the Internet as a vehicle for terrorists to spread their ideology with the intention of recruiting and training new terrorists.

After significant public pressure, the bill stalled in the Senate. However, Senator Joe Lieberman (D-Connecticut), the current chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has embraced the thrust of the legislation and has been working to push forward some of the goals of the original bill, including an attempt to weed out terrorist propaganda from the Internet.

...

The report repeatedly blames Internet web sites and chat rooms for "radicalization," calling the web sites "portals" through which potential terrorists can "participate in the global violent Islamist movement and recruit others to their cause." As civil liberties groups have pointed out, the report focuses solely on terrorism seen as associated with Islam.

...


Read more: http://www.truthout.org/article/internet-attacked-tool-terror

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Sen. Lieberman is at it again.

The bill also singled out the Internet as a vehicle for terrorists to spread their ideology with the intention of recruiting and training new terrorists.

That's you and me, folks. They want to make sure that the "Internets" aren't used to spread terrorism,
so they'll probably try to take it away from us.

I can't wait until Nov. when Lieberman's power is diminished.
You know he'll try to do as much as possible until then.

[liberal N proud]

1. You know if this were to happen, they would target sites like this one

[bdamomma]

6. maybe we should start exchanging phone numbers.

just my crazy idea, just to keep in touch.

[eleny]

Information in the hands of the public terrorizes Joe

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. I find the bill number sadly ironic. 1955 = height of the McCarthey Era

For the less historically educated, read the Wikipedia article on McCarthyism and see how little has really changed.

[LaurenG]

3. Wow he is such a cowardly little man, he seems afraid of everything he can't control.

however, the spirit of the legislation lives on in Senator Joe Lieberman's mind.

[LiberalFighter]

4. Too bad there aren't a thousand websites dedicated to labeling Lieberman a terrorist and scumbag.

[Cal Carpenter]

5. Oxygen is a tool for terror too, ya know.

I mean, without it, the terrorists would die of asphyxiation :shrug:

:eyes:

[aggiesal]

7. LOL n/t

[RoseMead]

10. So's the human brain. Ban brains!

Oh, wait...

[Highway61]

8. The little weasel that he is

is trying to stop websites like this from the REAL unfiltered news and speaking the truth....why doesn't he just come out and say that.
Check your motives assmunch. God, I am so sick of it all...

[Uncle Joe]

9. Portals through which democracy might seep out is what Lieberman truly fears.

Who determines legitimate dissent, some McCarthyite commission!? There can be no dissent if people aren't allowed to exchange points of view, ideology or views of religion, so get off your fascist streak Joe, have some faith and quit trying to kill the democratic evolution of information.

They came for the people of Islamic faith first, who do they come for after that?

What does radicalization mean? People that get angry at their government? If that's the case Limbaugh should have been arrested years ago but I believing that bloviating bag of puss should have as much right to radicalize as anyone else in America.

"A New York Times editorial called Lieberman's claims about the Internet "ludicrous," and warned of an attempt to censor the Internet. Lieberman defended himself in a response letter, saying, "the peril here is not to legitimate dissent but to our fundamental right of self-defense."

[logosoco]

11. so, this time instead of blaming clinton

they can blame gore, since he invented the internets, right?

[Kelvin Mace]

12. Why stop at the Internet? I propose a new law

which will ban all fiber-cellulose data storage devices. These devices are easy to make, readily available in million of stores across the US for as little as a penny a piece, and have been used by terrorists, criminals, child molesters, atheists, Satanists, Communists, and many others dangerous people and groups. Using a graphite data inscribing device (so easy to obtain that even children can get them with no questions asked), FCDS devices can be used to create the most diabolical plans to commit mass murder, overthrow democratic governments, design bombs, deadly bio-agents, even mind-control devices.

FCDS devices are lightweight, easy to conceal, and are frequently sent THROUGH THE U.S. MAIL!!!!!!

The use of these devices by Karl Mark, Adolph Hitler, Charles Manson, Jack the Ripper, The Unabomber, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin-Laden, Mao, John Wayne Gacy, Pol Pot, the Zodiac Killer, and Jeffrey Dahmer has been THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED!!!

Even without the deadly mind of a terrorist directing these devices, they have frequently inflicted painful lacerations on people simply handling the devices.

Some people argue that the devices themselves are not only benign, but of considerable value in the right hands. My friends, we cannot take that kind of chance with our children's lives at stake.

Paper must be banned NOW!!!!

[aggiesal]

15. LOL. I knew you were referring to paper ...

BTW, the US mail is the most secure delivery system we can currently use,
and it's run completely by the government. How ironic!

[aquart]

13. As are teenagers and donkeys. So?

[conspirator]

14. fucking fascists. They are losing power over the media. And now they regret they unleashed

the internet. Too late you fucks.