Activist Secretly Videotapes FBI Visit Investigating Mink Liberation

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Actual video of an FBI visit last week, seeking information on the release of 1,200 mink in Iowa

Any time I do a repost I feel compelled to apologize, because I want Animal Liberation Front-line to focus on exclusive content. But this one was too good to pass on, and there is nothing I can say here that Will Potter didn’t already cover, so here it is: Video of an FBI visit surreptitiously recorded by a video store owner in Des Moines, Iowa.

The store owner has been frequently visited by the FBI over the years, and refused to talk on every occasion. He is the same store owner featured in a previous Animal Liberation Front-line article, when agents attempted to bribe him into talking by giving him a $50 gift card, as part of the investigation into the 2004 ALF raid of the University of Iowa.

Here’s the video:

From Green is the New Red

Best Place Ever, a video store, and questioning him about last night’s release of mink from a fur farm in Jewel, Iowa. The agents suspect the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) was behind the raid, and question the man about any communication he may have with former ALF prisoner Peter Young. The FBI is investigating the mink release as “domestic terrorism.”

The video is pretty funny <!–more–>and worth a watch (and kudos to the gentleman at the store for taping it!). But I think it’s really important to point out that, if you are ever visited by the FBI, for any reason, the best thing to do is to say absolutely nothing. Not a little bit, not a sentence or two — nothing.

I’m not saying this because of what the person in the video says (I actually can’t make out anything he says, because it has been dubbed over) but because it is always, without a doubt, the best way to protect your rights and the rights of those in your community. As a lawyer friend of mine noted, anything you say could be twisted against you: “If, for instance, this gentleman said he knew nothing but actually did, they could get him on lying to a federal officer. So, like the overdubbing says, just say you’re not interested in talking to them.”

FBI Offers Informant Deal to Former Animal Rights Activist

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A woman was arrested recently by state police on a non-activist charge and received a jail visit – from the FBI. They promised a “deal” in which they could “make all [the charges] go away” if she would work to provide them information about myself other activists.

The woman has not been involved in any public campaigns in approximately 3 years. Her arrest was not activist related, but the FBI took the opportunity to use her imprisonment as leverage to induce cooperation. It is not clear what information the FBI sought. They specifically asked about several activists by name, including myself. The woman refused to talk with them and told them to speak her lawyer.

A little over a year ago I wrote about the increasing trend of police and FBI attempting to exploit conflicts among activists to induce them to provide information. One attempted questioning in Los Angeles was profiled in this article, in which I wrote:

This recent visit is (at least) the fifth case in recent weeks of police and/or the FBI interviewing or attempting to interview activists who have either dropped out or been ostracized. The recent campaign appears to target those viewed as weak links.

Talking to law enforcement will always hurt you and others. The FBI only talks to people for one reason: to put you or another activist in jail. Answering even seemingly benign questions is extremely dangerous. Any information you provide them will incriminate other activists or yourself.  There is one rule: nobody talks, everybody walks.

Educate yourself on why it is never ok to talk with the police or the FBI by reading If An Agent Knocks.

– Peter Young

FBI Makes Visit Seeking Information on AETA 4 Defendant

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The FBI makes a visit in Oakland seeking information on Joseph Buddenberg of the AETA 4

This week, the FBI made a home visit seeking to question an unnamed person in Oakland about Joseph Buddenberg of the AETA 4. Buddenberg was indicted on Animal Enterprise Terrorism charges in 2009 as part of the case, charged with participating in a protest campaign against UC-Berkeley animal researchers. The case was thrown out just over a year ago. The government has not officially declared the case closed and has the option to re-indict, however there has been little if any visible movement in the case until this incident.

This is the report of the person who answered the door for the FBI:

“This morning (8/10) I was visited at my house in Berkeley, CA by a woman who quickly identified herself as an FBI agent. She was looking for a housemate who was not home, and mentioned that she had some questions about Joseph Buddenburg. Her demeanor was nice and she assured me a couple times that my housemate was in no trouble and that she “just wanted to talk” and “just had a couple questions.” When I told her that my housemate was not around she asked if I knew Joseph. After I told her I had no idea who Joseph is, the agent gave me her business card, asked my housemate to get in touch with her and left.”

Most lawyers agree the best way to handle a visit by law enforcement is to get their card and then shut the door. There are many reasons why speaking to the FBI is never a good idea. I recommend everyone read the primer on dealing with law enforcement called If An Agent Knocks.

Let’s hope this visit does not indicate a renewed interest in the AETA 4 case, perhaps the most farcical charges in the history of the animal liberation movement.

– Peter Young

Alert: FBI Seeking Informants in Florida

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Law enforcement exposed offering to pay informants in Florida

There were two reports this week of the FBI / police in Florida seeking informants to provide intelligence on the local animal rights movement.

In the first instance, a woman in West Palm Beach who is active in dog rescue was visited at home by an FBI agent. They told her anti-vivisection activists are “crossing the line,” becoming “dangerous” and will “hurt someone.”  The agent told her, “You have access that I don’t have.” She was told that she would be “rewarded” for any information she provided The agent also offered to take her to lunch. She told the agent she wasn’t interested. Before leaving, the agent warned her not to associate with animal rights activists.

Earlier in April,  an activist who does web design for a living was contacted by a “fitness trainer” looking for help creating a website. The activist met the woman at a cafe and they spoke for an hour about the project. The “trainer” supplemented her story with photos of her working out, etc.  During a second meeting, out of the blue, the woman mentioned that her boyfriend was friends with someone who works for the FBI, and that the FBI would “pay really well” for information about local animal rights activists. She claimed to be concerned that activists “could get violent.” The activist quickly ended the conversation.

It is important to raise awareness when the FBI starts making the rounds. The best defense is always silence, and stories like this should provide a prompt for activists to remind themselves why it is never ok to talk to the police. If you have not already, please read If An Agent Knocks.

If you have been visited by the FBI, please call the NLG’s Green Scare hotline: 888-NLG-ECOLAW.

– Peter Young

FBI Rewards Silence In Iowa A.L.F. Investigation

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FBI attempts to bribe a man in the Iowa A.L.F. investigation with a $50 gift card.

FBI agents have visited one man in Iowa “a handful of times” (to quote him) in recent years, attempting to question him about the 2004 Animal Liberation Front raid of the University of Iowa animal research labs. Realizing he was not going to talk, this week they returned with a new incentive to cooperate: handing him a $50 gift card for a neighboring coffee shop.

The two agents first visited two weeks ago. They approached him at the business he owned in Des Moines, asking where they could get a copy of the A.L.F. film Bold Native. By their suspicious behavior, he immediately suspected them of being FBI.

The next week they returned. He describes the exchange from there:

They asked if I would sit down and have a cup of coffee with them. When I said no and that I wished for them to leave to continue running my business. I said, “who did you say you were with again?” to which they replied “we didn’t” with a smile.

After his fourth request for them to leave, they did.

They returned 10 minutes later, for yet another attempt at questioning. To grease the wheels, they handed him a $50 coffee shop gift card.

It didn’t work.

The lesson: It never pays to talk to the FBI. But it does pay to not talk, sometimes literally. And one man in Iowa has $50 in free drinks as a reward for his silence, courtesy of the FBI.

– Peter Young

Note: To be fair (despite the FBI never having been fair with me), the two men mentioned here did not identify themselves as FBI. The agency they were representing, whether government or private, is left to speculation.

FBI Surveillance: What Tracking Devices Look Like

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In a ruling that affects all of us, in August the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that placing tracking devices on cars does not violate the Fourth Amendment. Law enforcement only has to believe you are a criminal, and can place a GPS tracking device on your car without a warrant – even if your car is parked in your own driveway.

Thanks to the Civil Liberties Defense Center for much of this information.

GPS tracking device have been used in numerous animal rights legal cases, including the cases of Andreas San Diego and Kevin Olliff. This recent ruling is affects law enforcement rules in nine western states, and allows the FBI and other law enforcement in Washington, Idaho, Montana, California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii to place tracking devices on vehicles without a warrant. Another circuit court has disagreed, and the issue will likely end up in the Supreme Court.

Until then, in the above-mentioned nine states, the FBI now has free reign to track us warrantlessly. The best defense now is to know what FBI GPS tracking devices look like. If you find devices like these on the underside of your vehicle (often held with magnets), you are being tracked by police or the FBI:

Surge in Government Repression: FBI Visits, Warrants, More

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A roundup of recent FBI visits, subpoenas, and other government assaults on the animal liberation movement in August:

New AETA 4 DNA warrant

This week, Joseph Buddenberg of the AETA 4 was the target of a warrant for his DNA. A quote from the agent who authored the affidavit:

“I believe probable cause exists that Buddenberg was involved in the February 24, 2008 altercation at the L.H./J.R. residence in Santa Cruz…. The samples from the bullhorn found in Khajavi’s vehicle will yield evidence that Buddenberg was involved in force, violence, and threats involving animal enterprises, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 43 & 371”

Read the full affidavit here.

Buddenberg submitted himself to FBI agents this week, who took four swabs of DNA.

While the AETA 4 indictment was recently thrown out, this recent government offensive indicates the case is not yet over. If continued, this stands to be a precedent-setting Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act case with implications for all activists.

Carrie Feldman  re-subpoenaed

Last week, Carrie Feldman was approached by FBI agents in Rock Island, IL, and handed a subpoena,ordering her to testify at the trial of Scott DeMuth. DeMuth is charged with a conspiracy role in the A.L.F. raid of the University of Iowa, in which 401 animals were rescued. The trial is set to begin on September 13th.

Feldman was previously jailed for four months after refusing to testify to the grand jury investigating the Iowa raid.

FBI visit

The FBI reportedly visited a former east coast activist last week, inquiring about an animal rights activist in Utah. The questioning appears to be related to the recent raid of an activist house in Salt Lake City.

Rod Coronado sent back to prison

Rod Coronado has been sentenced to four months in prison for a probation violation. A judge found him guilty of adding well-known Earth First! co-founder Mike Rosselle as a friend on Facebook, which the judge found violated his probation conditions. The conditions bar Coronado from associating with anyone involved with Earth First. He was also found to have used a computer which was not approved by the probation department.

Another FBI Visit

An activist in Minneaoplis was approached by two FBI agents at a gas station August 16th. The report does  not specify what the agents were investigating, or what information was sought. The person refused to speak to them, and drove away. Read the full report below.

****

Here’s what I recall about my encounter with the FBI today: I was topping off a full tank of gas at the Holiday Gas Station in Plymouth (Rockford Road and HWY 169) at 10:28am this morning when two FBI agents approached me. They identified themselves. One was heavset with dark short hair. The other was skinnier with a goatee and shorter dark hair. The skinnier agent did all the talking. I mostly ignored their presence by looking at them and stating, “I have nothing to say to you guys.” I then hung up my gas pump and walked into the Holiday Gas Station to pay. The two agents followed me as I walked across the parking lot to pay inside the gas station. They stopped at the door and waited for me when I went inside to pay.

After I paid and exited the building, the two agents followed me to my vehicle. They were persistenly asking me to cooperate with them and repeatedly mentioned that they wanted to give me an “opportunity.” Again, I ignored their presence as I walked to my vehicle, opened my door, and drove away. It was 10:32am when I left the parking of the gas station. To my knowledge, they did not follow me.

They were standing by a red (metallic red) four door (pontiac?) with licence plate # MNB 615 (or a combination of those letters and numbers).

Dialogue I remember them saying to me as I was ignoring them:

“Dominoes are starting to fall all around,” and “we want to give you an opportunity,” and

“it would be shame if you didn’t talk to us.” My daughter was concerned because she heard them say the word “kids” when I was getting into the car and shutting the door. I don’t know what exactly they said, but it was probably something to push my buttons. My two children were with me when the agents approached me today. All three of us are fine now.

Feel free to pass this info on to any lists or groups that you wish.

Dr. Toxic

If you have been conctacted by he FBI, call the National Lawyers Guild Green Scare Hotline at: 1-888-NLG-ECOL.

– Peter Young

COINTELPRO, Provocateurs, and Prisoners: An Interview

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I recently did an interview with Vegan Police that is timely and worth reposting. The interview covered subjects that have become increasingly relevant with recent events, including: provocateurs, critics, informants, COINTELPRO, how to deal with suspected informants, and much more.

Reposted from Vegan Police.

Your website has been inter woven in Walter Bond’s case, with Walter allegedly telling an informant to check Animal Liberation Front-Line (formerly Voice of the Voiceless) to see “what he has been up to.” Do you feel a burden of responsibility knowing that the site is that well known and a hub or is that how you measure effectiveness?

This question became more relevant in the last 24 hours, after the FBI raided my home for the second time in five months yesterday. The new search warrant named certain communications to Animal Liberation Front-Line as among the items to be seized. This is the second time VOV has been mentioned in an FBI document in recent months.

Since its launch, Animal Liberation Front-Line has focused on original content. I rarely repost articles, or post anything that isn’t offering some value, some insight or layer to the story no other source is offering. The internet is well past the point of data saturation, and I don’t want to add to it with unoriginal or redundant content.

The burden of increased site-traffic comes in having to be increasingly cautious in my reporting. Several times in recent months the media has picked up on stories that I’ve broken on Animal Liberation Front-Line, and I’ve become much more hesitant to post any exclusive / breaking information without being 100% certain it is 100% accurate.

As an example, for weeks there was fairly solid speculation that the mystery informant in Walter Bond’s case was his brother. I was 95% certain based on what I was hearing, but I held off on reporting this until getting confirmation from Walter himself. Within minutes of posting, I was getting calls from the media, reporters who would likely never look at the site again if they were to catch me in one inaccuracy. Before Animal Liberation Front-Line was getting decent traffic, I would have been less likely to hold myself to professional standards.

The burden comes in having to hold back on the stories I want to write. I’m sitting on several bombshell pieces of info that I’ve been waiting for 100% confirmation on before reporting. Were I doing just another blog, I would not have to be so restrained.

After Walter was charged by the FBI I was expecting a show of support from the vegan community. Instead I got a lot of criticisms about his personal appearence (face tattoo’s) as well as his adherence to straight edge and his past arson convictions. A “vegan” celebrity can endorse and promote products which brutally test on animals and be revered as a God, but an activist with a face tattoo allegedly sets three fires (which harm no human or animal life) and is ostracized. Do you think there is a larger comment on appearance based activism at work here?

One thing I learned early on: There are people who do, and people who criticize. And those two character types rarely overlap. The critic-to-doer ratio is easily 20-to-1. Anyone who steps up and brings their beliefs into action – whether as a grassroots activist or A.L.F. operative – subjects themselves to the attention-seeking chatter of the other 98%. I don’t think those critics are relevant because they don’t do anything. And I think in activism, you forfeit your right to have an opinion about what others are doing when you don’t do anything yourself.

That is my opinion of anyone who would deny an A.L.F. prisoner support because of a tattoo. Critics do damage with their hit-and-run internet slander assaults and whisper-campaigns. They exist because they know they can escape being confronted about what exactly they are contributing to the movement. When I see people who only show up at meetings to obstruct everyone else’s ideas, or make a name for themselves slandering people, I think they should either show us what value they are offering animals, or be shown the door.

Along those same lines, Walter has entered a plea of “not guilty” and IS innocent until proven guilty, however, many people feel like he MUST be guilty because of his appearance, past history, etc. Why are we so quick to internalize the messages authorities and major media send out about people in our own communities?

(more…)

Grand Jury Resister Pleads Guilty

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Jordan Halliday pleads guilty for his refusal to testify to a grand jury investigating the A.L.F.

Jordan Halliday has been under indictment for “criminal contempt” since last year for refusal to testify at a grand jury investigating mink liberations in Utah. The raids were claimed by the Animal Liberation Front. It is one of the only times in U.s. history anyone has been charged with “criminal contempt” for refusal to testify.

The little-used charge is unique in that the crime carries no maximum sentence. Sentencing rests on the judge’s discretion,and is entirely open-ended. Halliday’s sentencing is scheduled for October 19th.

Prosecutors say Halliday either responded with “no comment” to most questions or involved a Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to innocuous questions.

Two men, Alex Jason Hall and William James Viehl, pleaded guilty to a mink release at the McMullin Fur Farm. Hall was sentenced earlier this year to 21 months in prison and Viehl to 24 months.

The arbitrary application of the charge has every appearance of an attempt to either coerce testimony from Halliday, or a tool of revenge for his defiance.

Background on Jordan Halliday’s case, from his support group:

“This particular grand jury was allegedly established for the purpose of investigating mink releases in Utah. However, the questions asked of Jordan went far beyond inquests on criminal activity. The prosecution is clearly using the grand jury as a witch hunt to investigate the activities of animal rights activists generally. These tactics are employed to chill free speech activities and intimidate people from standing up for the rights of themselves and animals. Jordan made a commendable principled stand for his refusal to cooperate with this abridgment of rights. He has committed absolutely no acts of violence or property destruction. The government has even expressed that he is NOT considered a suspect in the mink release or any other illegal activity. He was held in contempt simply because he refused to acquiesce to the abridgment of his First and Fifth Amendment rights. The government criminally indicted him now with criminal contempt of court to send a message to political activists that the weight and the authority of the government should not be resisted. This use of criminal law and federal subpoena power is a serious threat to our constitution rights of free association, free speech, and against self-incrimination.”

Jordan Halliday’s sentencing info:

October 19th, 2010 at 2pm
At the Frank E. Moss Federal Court House.
350 South Main St.
SLC, UT 84101

– Peter Young

FBI Targeting Ex-Activists: New Campaign Underway

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Authorities in CA on campaign of exploiting rifts among animal rights activists, another person visited

This recent visit is (at least) the fifth case in recent weeks of police and/or the FBI interviewing or attempting to interview activsts who have either dropped out or been ostracized. The recent campaign appears to target those viewed as weak links.

Reposted from NAALPO.

Recently, a trusted activist and ally in the So Cal community was coerced into the local police station to talk. The cops claimed (falsely) to have an arrest warrant, and convinced the activist to come down to the station – or face arrest. Agents and cops will say anything to terrorize people and it is completely legal for the authorities to lie to you. This particular activist was targeted due a recent falling out with other activists. Authorities most likely suspected the activist would give information since they were drifting from the movement due to previous intimidation*. The activist should have slammed the door in the cops’ faces and called an attorney. Among the many mistakes that were made by this activist, the biggest one of all was opening their mouth.

In addition to the police visit, former activists in the So Cal area were part of a swoop of visits by the FBI just this month. Agents targeted a former vegan – who has dropped out of the movement entirely – hoping to gain information on people still active. We must prepare ourselves for such harassment by agents and cops or continue to face dire situations that could have been easily prevented.

Talking to law enforcement will always hurt, you and others. The Feds or the local police are not your friends no matter how much they ensure you that they are trying to help you. Even when some answers may seem “innocent” or you work off the assumption that they have “nothing”, any information you provide them will incriminate other activists or yourself.  In the activist community, we have once simple rule: nobody talks, everybody walks. Many people often speak freely of this rule yet when the time comes to walk, they fall flat. It seems that everything discussed at security culture workshops is forgotten and a state of panic overrides common sense.

Law enforcement will always resort to fear and intimidation and we must resist such divisional tactics. They will instill paranoia of infiltration, government surveillance, pit activists against each other, or use activist drama as leverage. Although some of their advanced technology is a reality, interrogation is their primary form of dividing communities. Even if you think they know it already, don’t be fooled because they most likely do not. If they had all the information they needed, they wouldn’t be asking any questions, now would they? Talking to the Feds or local police puts you on the defense and nothing you say will ever help a situation.

In addition, answering Johnny Law’s questions presents a problem for fellow activists, many who will no longer trust someone who talks to the cops. This cripples activists’ ability to organize once they are consumed with thoughts about what was said and who will be visited next. Activists must then distance themselves from an individual who is willing to talk to the authorities due to future security concerns, thus weakening the community.

There are several consequences of talking and none should be taken lightly. It cannot be stressed enough that volunteering information or answering any questions for the cops and/or agents will result in isolation from the community and your activist friends. This in turn diminishes our effectiveness as a movement and strengthens the opposition. When you talk, connections are made where there weren’t any to begin with. Even reciting what you think is “common knowledge” to the police or Feds not only gets you talking, but can get others raided, arrested or injunctions filed. Talking translates into prison time, restraining orders, or lawsuits and a guaranteed loss of trust and alienation.

In order to resist the urge to talk, there are a few things you can do:

Unfortunately, this article was written in response to a close friend and great activist making a catastrophic and irreversible mistake. This activist was well liked in the community and now must be distant due to the serious nature of talking to cops. We can no longer ignore security culture as if it doesn’t matter – it does.

For more information concerning security culture and activist safety, check out “If an Agent Knocks” by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR).

* The activist was called and sent a letter by the PD before authorities visited their home.

More FBI Visits in California

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Following up on last week’s post, there is a report of a third person visited by the FBI in California. The FBI appears to be seeking information on an animal rights activists believed to be known by those visited.

In this latest incident, the person was an ex-vegan, and the FBI attempted to capitalize on this “revision of belief” by requesting this person speak to them. The person reportedly refused to talk. The FBI stated in this interview attempt that they were aware this person was no longer vegan.

It is clear the FBI is attempting to exploit weaknesses and conflicts in our movement to gather intelligence which will aid them in their goal of imprisoning the A.L.F., and other facets of our movement they deem a threat. It should be expected the three reports received so far are only the tip of the iceberg, and that many more activists or former activists have been contacted.

Be vigilant, and know why it is never OK to speak to the FBI.

– Peter Young

FBI Making the Rounds in California

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Information is still coming in, but today the FBI visited at least two individuals in California apparently seeking information on another activist.  The FBI reportedly left a business card on the doorstep of one person, and contacted the parents of a second. The person the FBI is apparently seeking information on has been a recent and visible FBI target in connection with an out-of-state Animal Liberation Front action.  More information will be posted as it is available and cleared to make public.

It is important to make news of FBI visits immediately public and bring a spotlight on FBI intrusion into our movement.

More info to come.

– Peter Young