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Intelligence


A Review of the FBI's Investigations of Certain Domestic Advocacy Groups



TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

    I. Background
    II. Scope and Methodology
    III. Organization of the Report

CHAPTER TWO: AUTHORITIES GOVERNING FBI INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES
    I. Prior Review
    II. FBI Authorities
    III. General Principles and Policies Addressing Investigative Activities
    IV. Authorities Establishing Types of Investigations
      A. Prompt and Extremely Limited Checking Out of Initial Leads
      B. Preliminary Inquiries
      C. Full Investigations
        1. General Crimes Investigations
        2. Terrorism Enterprise Investigations
      D. General Authorities for Using Investigative Techniques During Preliminary Inquiries and Full Investigations
      E. Counterterrorism Authorizations under Part VI of the 2002 Attorney General's Guidelines
        1. Visiting Public Places and Events
        2. Research and Online Searches
      F. Authorities Governing Special Events Investigations
        1. Special Events Classifications and Investigations
        2. FBI Policies Relating to Collection, Retention, and Dissemination of Special Events Information
    V. Statutes and Rules Governing the FBI's Collection, Maintenance, and Dissemination of Information about the First Amendment Activities of Individuals or Groups
      A. The Privacy Act of 1974
      B. Attorney General's Guidelines
      C. FBI Policy
        1. Collection of Information Concerning First Amendment Exercise
        2. Collection of Publicly Available Information
        3. Characterization of Groups or Individuals in FBI Records
    VI. FBI Terrorism Classifications
      A. Terrorism Enterprise Investigations
      B. Act of Terrorism - Domestic Terrorist
      C. Placement of Individuals on Terrorist Watchlists

CHAPTER THREE: THE THOMAS MERTON CENTER
    I. Background
    II. The Anti-War Rally in Pittsburgh
      A. Factual Chronology
        1. FBI Surveillance of the Anti-War Rally
        2. The November 2002 EC
        3. Pittsburgh Division Legal Staff Drafts Routing Slip Regarding FOIA Response (February 2006)
        4. Source of the Routing Slip Information
        5. FBI Headquarters Issues Press Response (March 2006)
        6. Director Mueller Testifies About Merton Center Surveillance (May 2006)
        7. FBI Responds to Follow-Up Question From Senator Leahy (May and June 2006)
        8. The Counterterrorism Division Response
      B. OIG Analysis
        1. Issues Raised by the FBI's Attendance at the Anti-War Rally
        2. Issues Raised by the FBI's Statements to the Public
    III. Other FBI Activities Related to the Merton Center
      A. The 2003 Pittsburgh Field Division Letterhead Memorandum
        1. Facts
        2. OIG Analysis
      B. Surveillance Relating to the 2003 Miami Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Meeting
        1. Facts
        2. OIG Analysis
      C. Pittsburgh FBI Investigations of Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) Members Meeting at the Merton Center 2004 - 2005
        1. Facts
        2. OIG Analysis
    IV. CDC Response To Merton Center Document Release

CHAPTER FOUR: INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES DIRECTED AT PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
CHAPTER FIVE: INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES DIRECTED AT GREENPEACE
    I. Background
    II. Specific FBI Activities Relating to Greenpeace
      A. FBI Anchorage Division Investigations of Individuals Associated with Greenpeace - 1999 - 2002
        1. Facts
        2. OIG Analysis
      B. FBI Dallas Field Division Investigations of Individuals Associated with Greenpeace - 2004 - 2007
        1. Facts
        2. OIG Analysis

CHAPTER SIX: INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES DIRECTED AT THE CATHOLIC WORKER MOVEMENT
    I. Background
    II. Specific FBI Activities Relating to the Catholic Worker
      A. Investigations in Which Catholic Worker Groups or Their Members Were Made the Subject of an FBI Investigation
        1. Milwaukee, WI Military Recruiting Station - Milwaukee Field Division
        2. Ithaca, NY Military Recruiting Station - Albany Field Division
      B. "Special Events" at which Catholic Worker Organizations Participated in Protests
        1. USS Ronald Reagan Commissioning - Norfolk Field Division
        2. Strategic Command Conference, Offutt Air Force Base
      C. The FBI Recorded Information Provided by other Organizations Regarding the First Amendment Activities of Catholic Worker Organizations or their Members
        1. Offutt Air Force Base Protest
        2. Norfolk Naval Station Protest

CHAPTER SEVEN: INVESTIGATION OF PROTESTS BY GREENPEACE AND THE CATHOLIC WORKER AT VANDENBURG AIR FORCE BASE
    I. Facts
    II. OIG Analysis
      A. Predication for the Investigation
      B. Characterizations of the Catholic Worker
      C. Classification as an Act of Terrorism Matter

CHAPTER EIGHT: INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES DIRECTED AT GLEN MILNER
    I. Facts
    II. OIG Analysis

CHAPTER NINE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
    I. Findings Regarding Individual Groups
      A. Thomas Merton Center
        1. Surveillance of the November 2002 Merton Center Anti-War Event
        2. The 2003 Letterhead Memorandum
        3. Surveillance Relating to the 2003 Miami Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Meeting
        4. Investigation of POG Members and Surveillance of First Amendment Activities
      B. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
      C. Greenpeace
      D. The Catholic Worker
      E. Vandenberg Air Force Base
      F. Glen Milner
    II. Conclusions and Recommendations
      A. Targeting for First Amendment Views
      B. Predication
      C. Collection and Retention of Information
      D. Characterizations of Groups
      E. Classification as Terrorism Matters
      F. OIG Recommendations
        1. Address False and Misleading Statements to Congress and the Public
        2. Establish Procedures to Track Source of Facts Provided to the Public and Congress
        3. Require Identification of Federal Crime as Part of Documenting Predication
        4. Consider Revising Attorney General's Guidelines and DIOG to Reinstate Prohibition on Retention of Irrelevant First Amendment Material from Public Events
        5. Clarify When First Amendment Cases Should Be Classified as "Acts of Terrorism" Matters
        6. FBI Inspection Division Should Review Pittsburgh Division Cases
      G. Conclusions

APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
APPENDIX D

Access Full Report [2.37 MB PDF]



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