http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain? action=article&ARTICLE_ID=789923
Multnomah Deputy to Serve on Terrorism Task Force By Kristian Foden-Vencil PORTLAND, OR 2005-06-29 (Oregon Considered) - The FBI says a Multnomah County Sheriff's deputy will start work Friday on the Portland area Joint Terrorism Task Force. The force, which looks for local terrorist activity, has been short two officers since the Portland City Council voted to withdraw their forces this spring. Civil liberties groups are upset the county appears to be doing an end run around the city. The FBI boosts its chances of snagging terrorists by working with more than 100 local jurisdictions across the country. Indeed, the so- called Joint Terrorism Task Forces have had some successes. Portland's local branch helped investigate the Portland Seven,' who confessed in 2003 to planning to go into combat against U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. But this spring, the Portland City Council voted to withdraw from the group. Mayor Tom Potter was concerned he didn't have the high- level clearance needed to be sure his officers weren't violating state law. FBI spokeswoman, Beth Ann Steele, says her agency is pleased Multnomah County is helping fill the gap. Beth Ann Steele: They definitely are sending at least one person, that person will start on Friday, pending a security check ... And the FBI and the sheriff's office are in continuing discussion as to what other forms assistance may take. Steele says the county deputies will be working under the same conditions as other jurisdictions around the country. Beth Ann Steele: We welcome any other jurisdiction that wants to provide folks to work with us, not only on the joint terrorism task force, but we have joint terrorism working groups all throughout the state. Steele says having extra local staff makes Portland safer. Lieutenant Mike Shults, with Multnomah County Sheriff's office, confirmed the plan, but says details are still being worked out. Mike Shults: On Friday we should have a more clear picture of the role of our deputy who should be going in there. And all the resources that the Sheriff's office can help bring to the federal government to help fight crime nationally and locally. The announcement should help calm Portlanders who were concerned the city might be considered a soft target without task force help. But other people, like Andrea Meyer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, are frustrated by the county's move. Andrea Meyer: The concerns that we have expressed for the last five years, namely that there be oversight and compliance with Oregon law, exist whether it's the Multnomah County Sheriff or Portland Police officers. Oregon law prohibits law enforcement from collecting and maintaining information on the legal activities of people, purely because of their political, religious or social activities. So, says Meyer, oversight is far from a mere nicety. Andrea Meyer: We know that the JTTF across the country have tracked people and chilled the speech of political and religious legal activity. And that has been documented in numerous states. Meyer believes that without adequate oversight, such abuses could easily happen again. Portland Mayor, Tom Potter, declined to comment on the Multnomah County Sheriff's plan. Portland is the only jurisdiction in the nation to have pulled out of a Joint Terrorism Task Force agreement. -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
