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FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force
In connection with the litigation over the Denver Police Department's
Spy Files, the ACLU of Colorado obtained documents that indicate that
the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) has been gathering information
and building files on the activities of peaceful protesters who have
no connection to terrorism or any other criminal activity.
The FBI has set up 66 JTTFs around the country that are staffed with
FBI agents as well as detectives from local law enforcement agencies
who are assigned to work full-time with the FBI. Detective Tom Fisher
of the Denver Police Department's Intelligence Unit has been assigned
to the Denver JTTF since 1997. As
Detective Fisher explained in a statement signed in connection with
the Spy Files case, his only responsibilities as a law enforcement
officer since 1997 have been as part of the FBI's JTTF. In 2003, Denver doubled its contribution to the JTTF by assigning Denver police detective Stephen MacKenna to work full-time for the FBI. Detective Donald
Estep of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is also assigned to the
Denver JTTF.
The Aurora Police Department, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Colorado State Patrol also contribute personnel to the Denver JTTF.
The following documents from the Denver police department's Spy Files
provide a peek into the secretive world of the JTTF and the kind of
information it has been collecting about peaceful First Amendment activities.
Names and license numbers of peaceful demonstrators protesting NATO's
bombing of Serbia
In April, 1999, JTTF agent Tom Fisher, joined by two members of
the Denver Intelligence Unit, monitored two peaceful demonstrations
protesting the bombing of Serbia. According
to the report, detectives followed one participant to her car three
blocks away, apparently to get her license number so she could be identified.
Names and license plate numbers of peaceful demonstrators
Fax dated June
25, 2002, from Colorado Springs Intelligence Unit to Kathy Miklich of
the DPD Intelligence Unit. The North American Wholesale Lumber Association
held its annual convention at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs
in June, 2002. Environmentalist and conservationist groups organized
a peaceful demonstration to express their concern that practices of
the lumber industry pose a threat to endangered old-growth forests.
The Colorado Springs police provided the Denver Intelligence Unit with
a two-page list of names and license plate numbers of participants in
the nonviolent protest. The cover sheet indicates that the list of names
and plates would be forwarded to Tom Fisher of the JTTF, who was apparently
expecting the information. An FBI spokesperson admitted that the agency requested the list of plate numbers.
Report on person promoting documentary film that criticizes FBI
Intelligence Bureau Information
Summary, Oct. 19, 1999, reporting on an individual handing out flyers
advertising the showing of a documentary that criticizes the FBI. A
handwritten note indicates the report will be faxed to Tom Fisher at
the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Intercepted email announcing protest by animal rights organization
Email sent to members
of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense about Fur Free Friday, dated November
7, 2001. This email was intercepted by Tim DeLaria of the CU Boulder
police department. DeLaria forwarded it to Kathy Miklich and George
Kennedy of the DPD Intelligence Unit. He also forwarded it to Tom Fisher
of the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Intercepted email announcing rally about Palestine
Email announcing
a rally about Palestine at the state capitol in Denver on April 5, 2002.
This email was intercepted by Scott Matthewson of the Federal Protective
Service, who forwarded it Ahmad Taha of the same agency, who then forwarded
it to David Pontarelli of the DPD Intelligence Unit. Matthewson also
forwarded the email to the FBI.
Colorado and Local Links: JTTF Active Case List
A 3-ring binder maintained by the Denver Intelligence Unit contains
a section labeled "Colorado and Local Links: JTTF Active Case List."
The pages in that section consist of printouts made in April, 2002,
from the web sites of such local Colorado groups as Colorado Campaign
for Middle East Peace, American Friends Service Committee, Denver Justice
and Peace Committee, Rocky Mountain Independent Media Center, and the
Human Bean Company. The circling and highlighting in the documents was
provided by the Denver police Intelligence Unit after the pages were
printed out from the internet.
"Extremists" listed in FBI's Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization
File
In anticipation
of the 2002 Olympics, the Joint Terrorism Task Force added "anarchists"
and eight separate categories of "extremists" (such as "environmental
extremist" and "Black extremist") to the FBI's computer database known
as the Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File (VGTOF). When patrol
officers routinely check the name of a driver or a suspect in the computer
of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the VGTOF database
is automatically searched, too. According to the Wall Street Journal,
there are more than 7000 individuals listed in VGTOF as "terrorists,"
many of whom have no criminal records. Ann Davis, "Data Collection Is
Up Sharply Following 9/11," Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2003, at B1.
Colorado Springs peace activist Bill Sulzman is apparently listed in
VGTOF as a "terrorist," according to an
article in the Colorado Springs Independent.
Intercepted email regarding a protest of the Aspen Institute's Summit
on Globalization and the Human Condition
On the morning of July 13, 2000, Pavlos Stravropolous sent an email
to supporters of the Direct Action Network (DAN) announcing an informational
meeting to discuss events that the Aspen Institute was sponsoring the
following month. The email was forwarded a few hours later to the Waake-up
list, with additional information saying that the meeting would discuss
plans for a protest and counter-conference to be conducted in Aspen.
This email was intercepted by Tim DeLaria of the CU Boulder police department,
who quickly forwarded it to George Kennedy of the Denver Police Department's
Intelligence Unit. Kennedy replied that he would forward the email to
Tom Fisher of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, who was expected to
"contact someone" in Aspen.
Intercepted email regarding plans for Transform Columbus Day
In August, 2002, Scott A. Matthewson of the Federal Protective Service
intercepted an email
containing information about the Transform Columbus Day events planned
for Denver in October. He forwarded the intercepted email to the
intelligence unit of the Colorado Springs Police Department as well
as JTTF officer Don Estep and the Denver FBI office. Ahmad Taha of the
Federal Protective Service forwarded the same email to David Pontarelli
of the Denver Police Department's Intelligence Unit.
Intercepted email regarding schedule for Denver activist event
In the summer of 2002, Denver activists planned a several-day event
billed as the "Flying Circus." On July 30, Scott A. matthewson of the
Federal Protective Service intercepted
an email containing a schedule for the event. He forwarded it to
the intelligence unit of the Colorado Springs Police Department as well
as JTTF officer Don Estep and the Denver FBI office. Ahmad Taha of the
Federal Protective Service forwarded the same email to David Pontarelli
of the Denver Police Department's Intelligence Unit.
JTTF trains Denver police about "criminal tactics of protest extremists"
In connection with the ACLU's litigation over the Denver police
Spy Files, JTTF agent Tom Fisher signed a three-page
statement, explaining that he trains Denver police on "domestic
terrorism" and the tactics of what he calls "protest extremists."
More on political surveillance by JTTFs and other anti-terrorism units
FBI asks police to monitor “possible indicators of protest activity” and send reports of “potentially illegal acts” to the Joint Terrorism Task Force
With antiwar rallies scheduled to take place around the country, the FBI issued a detailed “Intelligence Bulletin” to state and local law enforcement agencies in October, 2003. The memo, titled “Tactics Used During Protests and Demonstrations,” asks police to “be alert” to “possible indicators of protest activity.” Although the memo discusses some specific forms of possible criminal activity such as trespass and vandalism, it warns that even peaceful civil disobedience “can create a climate of disorder.” The memo also details legitimate activities that are protected by the First Amendment, such as “us[ing] the internet to recruit, raise funds, and coordinate their activities” and “fundraising in support of the legal defense of accused protesters.” It describes activists’ videotaping of police officers as an “intimidation technique” and warns that it may be used “for documenting potential cases of police brutality and for distribution of information over the internet.” After asking law enforcement to be on the lookout for “these possible indicators of protest activity,” the memo concludes by asking all law enforcement officers to “report any potentially illegal acts to the nearest FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.”
JTTF knocks on doors to question and intimidate activists
In the summer of 2004, the Denver JTTF, as part of an organized program in at least six states, visited at least a dozen Denver activists and posed the same series of three questions. Are you planning to commit any crimes at the upcoming Democratic and Republican conventions? Do you know anyone who is planning any crimes? Are you aware that you commit a crime if you have some information but fail to tell the FBI? After the New York Times wrote a front-page article, the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee asked the Justice Department to investigate whether the JTTF was engaged in “systematic political harassment and intimidation of legitimate antiwar protesters.”
JTTF agent serves subpoena for records of university anti-war conference
In February, 2004, an Iowa deputy sheriff assigned to the JTTF, who identified himself as working for the JTTF, served a federal prosecutor’s subpoena demanding that Drake University turn over records from an anti-war conference hosted by the school’s chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) the previous fall. The information subpoenaed included the names of the leaders of the school chapter of the NLG; records of the NLG chapter dating back to January 2002; and the names of everyone who attended the conference. After public outcry, the subpoenas were canceled.
Undercover "anti-terrorism" agent infiltrates Fresno peace group
Members of the organization Peace Fresno learned in August, 2003
that an undercover detective working for the Fresno County Sheriff's
Department had infiltrated their group and attended their meetings using
a fake name, apparently as part of his assignment to work for the local
anti-terrorism unit.
City's participation in JTTF prompts controversy in Portland, Oregon
Revamped intelligence units a growing trend
Click here to review sample documents from
the Spy Files that relate to the Multi-Agency Group Intelligence Conference
(MAGIC)
Click here to review additional sample documents
from the Denver Police Spy Files
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