[Ppnews] Sherman Austin detained for "terrorist ties"

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Original article is at 
<http://la.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/127422.php>http://la.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/127422.php 
<http://la.indymedia.org/?id=127422&comments=yes>Print comments.


Sherman Austin detained for "terrorist ties"
Sherman Austin (former webmaster of raisethefist.com) detained for 
"terrorist ties"


Sherman Austin (former webmaster of raisethefist.com) detained for 
"terrorist ties"

Edited and posted by Akawla

"I was pulled over by a police car on my way to work. The cop said he 
stopped me because I pulled out of a parking lot into an intersection too 
quickly (this was a bogus traffic stop). He then asked if I had any drugs 
or anything illegal in the car. I told him I had nothing illegal on me 
including any drugs. He insinuated I was lying and tried to make me admit I 
had drugs on me. He then asked if I was on probation. I told him yes (it's 
a violation to lie to law enforcement when being asked this). He took my 
drivers license and registration back to his car and said he would be right 
back. 2 more units pulled up - a motorcycle cop and another police car 
before he came back to my window and asked me to step out of the car. I was 
told to put my hands behind my back so they could search my pockets. He 
asked if I had any explosives on me or in my car and asked what exactly my 
charges were. I explained that the statue which I was convicted under was 
for the distribution of information which I didn't even do, and nonetheless 
had nothing physical to do with explosives. However that didn't seem to 
matter. They told me to sit on the curb while one officer searched my car 
and the other two stayed next to me. I didn't have any choice to argue 
about a warrant because if you're on probation (supervised release) or 
parole you have to consent to a search. While my car was being searched I 
asked the other two officers what exactly came up on the screen when the 
other officer ran my name.

They looked into his squad car and told me "it say's you have terrorist 
ties." I asked them again if those were the exact words and they said yes 
it say's "terrorist ties". My car was still being searched by the other 
officer. A few residents in the area looked on , puzzled at the scene for 
this wasn't a common occurrence in this particular "nice" neighborhood of 
Burbank. The two other officers asked me exactly where I worked and asked 
questions about my case. The other officer searching my car came back and 
asked for my personal information as he filled out a field interrogation 
card. The detention lasted about 30 minutes before I was handed my bogus 
traffic ticket and the police decided to leave.

The initial reason why I was targeted and stopped and harassed are obvious. 
This happens every day in Los Angeles. When the officer found out I didn't 
have any drugs and ran my name on his computer the situation took a 
different turn.

It is important for all activists, organizers, radicals, revolutionaries 
and just plain concerned citizens to take careful note of the reactionary 
forces that continue to target and categorize political dissidents as 
"terrorists".

This type of police state activity is nothing new however it continues to 
intensify. Graffiti artists are being labeled "domestic terrorists". Anyone 
suspected of being even remotely involved with 'gang activity' is labeled a 
"domestic terrorist". If you voice your opinion in the wrong way it can be 
labeled a "terrorist threat". The war on terrorism is a war on us. It is a 
war on you and me. If those in power have decided to draw a line between 
those who submit and march to the orders of fascism and those who rebel 
against it, then we need to draw the line between the problem and the 
solution and initiate change now. "


Sherman was convicted under the statue "Distribution of information related 
to explosives or weapons of mass destruction" because of a LINK on his web 
site. The explosives information existed on a web site not authored by 
Sherman but another individual who the FBI interviewed and decided not to 
prosecute. Sherman was setup by the FBI in a fabrication of evidence in 
cahoots with Dianne Fienstine, Ashcroft and prosecutors to persecute him 
for not staying silent amidst the levels of political repression that he 
faced for keeping Raisethefist.com online and continuing his organizing 
work within the community. Added onto his 1 year prison sentence was also 3 
years of strict probation where he is not allowed to access a computer. For 
more information visit 
<http://www.raisethefist.com>http://www.raisethefist.com or 
<http://www.freesherman.org>http://www.freesherman.org

Edited and posted by Akawla

Author: Akawla
Link:<http://>
Posted: Thursday May 26, 2005 11:07 AM


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