FBI OFFICIAL SAYS TEXAS PROGRESSIVE GROUPS ARE ON 'TERRORIST WATCH' LIST

AUSTIN INDYMEDIA - In a guest lecture at the University of Texas School
of Law on Wednesday, FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent G. Charles
Rasner listed Indymedia, Food Not Bombs, and the Communist Party of
Texas as "Terrorist Watch" cause groups in Austin. Rasner gave a
presentation entitled "Counter-Terrorism Efforts in Texas" to a U.S. Law
and National Security class at the Law School. He used Power Point
slides to illustrate the nature of the terrorist threat in Central
Texas. The word "Unclassified" appeared prominently in bold red letters
on the opening slide. Listing three categories of cause groups
potentially linked to terrorist activity, Rasner named white supremacist
groups, Islamic terrorist groups, and anarchists. . .

Rasner used a map of Texas to illustrate the existence of the three
kinds of terrorist groups in the state. Austin was listed as a site of
all three kinds of terrorist activity. Rasner then placed the FBI's
Central Texas "Terrorist Watch List" on the screen. On a list of
approximately ten groups, Food Not Bombs was listed seventh. Indymedia
was listed tenth, with a reference specifically to Indy Conference 2005.
The Communist Party of Texas also made the list. Rasner explained that
these groups could have links to terrorist activity. He noted that
peaceful-sounding group names could cover more violent extremist
tactics.

Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer organization that recovers food that
would otherwise be thrown out and serves vegetarian meals to the public
at no cost. Austin Indymedia is an open newswire in which readers may
publish news, events, and commentary.

In response to a questioner, Rasner stated that the FBI will attend
activist group meetings whenever it suspects that the group might engage
in illegal activity. He said that he saw no problem with an agent
failing to represent himself as a representative of the FBI and implied
that the practice was common.

Student Elizabeth Wagoner requested a copy of the Power Point
presentation at the end of the class. Rasner refused, claiming the
presentation was private government property. He then refused a request
for the contact information of the FOIA officer in his bureau, saying it
"was not worth [his] time".

A copy of the Power Point presentation has been requested via the
Freedom of Information Act. We will publish the presentation on
Indymedia as soon as it becomes available.

http://austin.indymedia.org/feature/display/26838/index.php