Indymedia Ripped Offline

POLITECHBOT -- Evidence is beginning to mount that the authorities of at least four countries (Switzerland, Italy, U.K and U.S.A.) are involved in last week's seizure of two of Indymedia's servers that brought down more than 20 of the Indymedia network's web sites and several internet radio streams. Indymedia has yet to receive any official statement or information about what the order entailed or why it was issued.

An FBI spokesperson, Joe Parris confirmed to Agence France-Presse that the FBI issued a subpoena to the provider who hosted the Indymedia servers in the U.K., but that it was "on behalf of a third country." [1] Cyberspace used to be "where you are when you're on the phone." Now it appears to be "where your data is when it gets handed over to the FBI". It appears that the prosecutor was merely requesting information, and the FBI got the wrong end of the big, globalised stick.

Daniel Zapelli, senior federal prosecutor for Geneva (Switzerland), confirmed that he has opened a criminal investigation into Indymedia coverage of the 2003 G8 Summit in Evian. [2]

Federal prosecutor of Bologna (Italy) Marina Plazzi has also stated that she is investigating Italy Indymedia because it may "support terrorism." [3]

Meanwhile, international journalist associations have come forward in support of Indymedia. "We have witnessed an intolerable and intrusive international police operation against a network specialising in independent journalism," said Aidan White, General Secretary for the International Federation of Journalists. [4]

Indymedia is consulting with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) on how to retrieve its servers and prevent further government attacks on free speech. "EFF is deeply concerned about the grave implication of this seizure for free speech and privacy, and we are exploring all avenues to hold the government accountable for this improper and unconstitutional silencing of independent media.," said EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl.

As of Monday, October 11, five of the downed websites have been restored, including Brasil, Euskal Herria, Poland, UK and Nice.

Indymedia volunteers are working around the clock to restore the remaining sites, however at least four of them - Uruguay, Italy, Western Massachusetts and Nantes - have suffered data loss as a result of the governments' action.

"This FBI operation gives us even more reason to continue with what we have been doing for several years," says an activist from Italy Indymedia.

"Uruguay has a long history of media repression. We don't have the money to pay for web hosting and so we rely on the solidarity of other countries. Actions like the seizure of the servers make the whole world insecure for free media," says Libertinus, an Indymedia volunteer from Uruguay, one of many Indymedia web sites that was caught in the FBI actions as a bystander. "Uruguay's national elections will take place on October 31st. It's a bad time for this to happen."

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Indymedia -- "Indymedia to US, UK, Swiss and Italian Authorities: Hands Off Our Websites'"
[1] On October 7, 2004, Rackspace, a web hosting provider based in San Antonio (USA), turned over two servers at its London office after it was issued a court order under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. Rackspace officials claim that the order prevents them from divulging the reasons for the seizure and to whom the servers were actually given. They stated, "Rackspace is acting as a good corporate citizen and is cooperating with international law enforcement authorities."
[2] For more examples see: http://www.indymedia.org/en/static/fbi.shtml
[3] Yahoo has dozens of mainstream news reports on the closures.
[4]International Federation of Jounalists -- "‘More Intimidation Than Crime-Busting’ Says IFJ As Police Target Independent Media Network"
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