<html>
<body>
<font size=3><br>
Original article is at
<a href="http://la.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/127422.php">
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/127422.php</a>
<a href="http://la.indymedia.org/?id=127422&comments=yes">Print
comments.</a> <br><br>
<br>
</font><font size=5><b><a name="127422"></a>Sherman<a name="127422"></a>
Austin detained for "terrorist ties"<br>
</b></font>
<dl>
<dd><font size=3>Sherman Austin (former webmaster of raisethefist.com)
detained for "terrorist ties"<br><br>
<br>
</dl>Sherman Austin (former webmaster of raisethefist.com) detained for
"terrorist ties" <br><br>
Edited and posted by Akawla <br><br>
"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.
<br><br>
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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
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". <br><br>
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. " <br><br>
<br>
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
<a href="http://www.raisethefist.com">http://www.raisethefist.com</a> or
<a href="http://www.freesherman.org">http://www.freesherman.org</a>
<br><br>
Edited and posted by Akawla <br><br>
Author:</b> Akawla<br>
Link:</b><a href="http://"> </a><br>
Posted:</b> Thursday May 26, 2005 11:07 AM<br><br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3 color="#FF0000">The Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
</font><font size=3>
<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.freedomarchives.org</a></font></body>
</html>