Universities and colleges are “nodes for radicalization” being monitored

[omega minimo]

Fusion Center Declares Nation’s Oldest Universities Possible Terrorist Threat
Internal Document Warns Against Virginia Student Organizations And Associations

WASHINGTON – A recently published “terrorism threat assessment” from a Virginia fusion center says the state’s universities and colleges are “nodes for radicalization” and encourages law enforcement to monitor First Amendment-protected activities of educational and religious foundations as terrorism threats. The document, which drew concern today from the American Civil Liberties Union over its constitutional implications, also characterizes the “diversity” surrounding a Virginia military base and the state’s “historically black” colleges as possible threats. The March 2009 document, which claims there are currently at least fifty active “terrorist and extremist” groups in Virginia, is posted on the website www.cryptome.com.

The federal government has facilitated the growth of a network of fusion centers since 9/11 to expand information collection and sharing practices among law enforcement agencies, the private sector and the intelligence community. There are currently 70 fusion centers in the United States.

“If we are to believe this exaggerated threat assessment, Virginia’s learning and religious institutions must be hotbeds of terrorist activity,” said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “This document and its authors have displayed a fundamental disregard for our constitutional rights of free expression and association. Unfortunately, it’s not the first time we’ve seen such an indifference to these basic rights from local fusion centers. Congress must take the necessary steps to institute real and thorough oversight mechanisms at fusion centers before we reach a point where we are all considered potential suspects.”

********

In 2007, the ACLU released a report entitled, “What’s Wrong With Fusion Centers?” which was updated last year. The report identifies specific concerns with fusion centers, including their ambiguous lines of authority, the troubling role of private corporations, the participation of the military, the use of data mining and the excessive secrecy surrounding the centers.

The Virginia Terrorism Threat Assessment is located at: http://cryptome.sabotage.org/
To read the ACLU’s letters to the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, go to: www.aclu.org/privacy
To read the ACLU’s report on fusion centers, go to: http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/32966pub20071205.html
http://www.aclu.org/legislative/index.html

[aquart]

1. "Fusion center"?

WTF is that?

[smoogatz]

3. GFQ

Good fucking question.

[omega minimo]

5. link in OP (edited to fix) and below on Fusion Centers

http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/32966pub20071205.html

[Echo In Light]

2. Oh this is just more ramblings of the "loony left" & their delusional police state "conspiracies!"

:sarcasm:

[omega minimo]

4. isn't it tho?

[Echo In Light]

7. If the "threat" of "First Amendment-protected activities of educational and religious foundations"..

...stems from a govt agency {Fusion(?) center}...who is "encouraging law enforcement to monitor" them, I'd hardly think that qualifies as stemming from the so-called conspiracy crowd.

[flor de jasmim]

6. They overestimate the power of university professors!

[omega minimo]

8. who needs 'em! when you've got "diversity" and "historically black"

:sarcasm:

[Echo In Light]

9. How many other such "centers" are currently "monitoring" universities around the country?

[amborin]

10. is this related to the right's campaign against liberal/left profs at universities?

they initiated this campaign several years ago....arguing that the universities are propagandizing and turning students left

[omega minimo]

11. an idealogical campaign against "liberal" education?

After the Dittoheads demonized the word Liberal and "PC" etc. the campaign against "liberal" education continues...

[Uncle Joe]

12. Are Fusion Centers nodes for radicalization?

It seems to me using intimidation to threaten the American People's First Amendment Rights are McCarthyesque in their radicalism.

Thanks for the thread, omega minimo.

[omega minimo]

14. ah

:think: good point, Uncle Joe

[Echo In Light]

13. Is the reason behind the lack of activity in this thread due to this making it clear who our govt...

...considers "terrorists?"

[omega minimo]

15. the students are studying?

:shrug:

[friendly_iconoclast]

16. Here are two links to the document itself

http://cryptome.sabotage.org/va-terror-09.zip

And if you don't care to use WinZip or similar:

http://www.infowars.com/media/vafusioncenterterrorassessment.pdf

Ironically, the above is Alex Jones' site. Sometimes, even the paranoids are right.

[Echo In Light]

17. bump