The Times report also revealed that the FBI has sent memos to local police departments seeking their cooperation in gathering information on the anti-war movement. These revelations hark back to the days of J Edgar Hoover and COINTELPRO and the FBI campaign against Central America activists in the 1980’s. These discredited domestic intelligence gathering efforts all included the use of informants acting as provocateurs who sought to disrupt dissenting organizations.

“Routine spying on dissidents is a sign of a police state, and unless we stop this administration’s cavalier attitude towards fundamental rights we face a serious threat to our democracy,” stated CCR President, Michael Ratner.

For 30 years CCR has fought to prevent the FBI and other local and national intelligence agencies from collecting information, surveilling and infiltrating groups that dissent from government policy. In 1987 the Center uncovered a massive spying operation into the activities of groups and individuals opposed to the Reagan Administration’s Central America policies (the CISPES investigation). Those efforts put the FBI on the defensive and led to a more cautious approach to spying on dissent. In the wake of 9/11, however, under the leadership of Attorney General Ashcroft, domestic spying has once again come into favor. In June of 2002, the Attorney General modified guidelines on FBI spying authorizing investigations of political and religious meetings without the necessity of a criminal investigation Following the federal government’s lead, local police departments, including the NYPD, have also done away with the requirement of a criminal investigation before monitoring activities of anti-war protesters.

CCR has taken the lead in challenging the Bush Administration’s post 9/11 positions on civil liberties including it’s treatment of the detainees on Guantanamo, INS detainees, and most recently, its practice of “rendering” suspects to countries that engage in torture.

Earlier this month, CCR launched a web-based campaign, www.peopleVashcroft.org , with the goal galvanizing support for the removal of Attorney General Ashcroft from office, citing his ongoing distain for basic civil liberties. According to CCR Executive Director, Ron Daniels, “It’s time for the American people to say No to John Ashcroft and Yes to the U.S. Constitution.”

CCR Legal Director, Jeffrey Fogel, added, “The resurrection of political spying is an ominous sign for freedom-loving Americans. The Bush Administration needs to be reminded that ours is supposed to be a government of the people. When the government acts to stifle dissent, it is kidnapping democracy.”