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FBI probed Catholic Worker groups

Carol Zimmermann | Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON – A handful of Catholic Worker groups across the
country were among the anti-war activists, environmentalists
and animal-rights groups wrongly investigated by the FBI,
according to a lengthy report released Sept. 20 by the
Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General.

According to Inspector General Glenn Fine, there was “little
or no basis” for the investigations.

The groups included the anti-war Thomas Merton Center in
Pittsburgh, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the
Catholic Worker, Greenpeace, People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals and an individual Quaker peace activist.

Fine’s office reviewed 8,000 pages of FBI documents from 2001
to 2006 related to these groups in its 191-page document: “A
Review of the FBI’s Investigations of Certain Domestic
Advocacy Groups.”

The FBI’s investigation of nonviolent civil disobedience of
some of these groups placed them under an “acts of terrorism”
classification, which automatically put them under government
watch lists.

The report concluded that these advocacy groups were not
specifically targeted by the FBI, but that agents used
inaccurate or insufficient reasons to open investigations and
even after no basis to investigate a group was found, the
agency kept the investigation open for several years.

In a letter to the inspector general, FBI Deputy Director
Timothy Murphy said the bureau had not targeted any groups on
the basis of their First Amendment activities but instead on
concerns about potential criminal acts. He also said the FBI
regretted that incorrect information had been provided.

Domestic terrorism investigations were opened against members
of various Catholic Worker groups beginning in 2003 following
incidents of vandalism and trespassing at military recruiting
offices in Milwaukee; Ithaca, N.Y.; Norfolk, Va.; and Offutt
Air Force Base near Omaha, Neb.

FBI agents also monitored rallies or events where protests or
acts of civil disobedience might be expected; and recorded
and retained data about Catholic Worker members obtained from
other agencies.

The FBI classified “peaceful trespass on a military facility”
and acts of vandalism, including the spilling of purported
human blood, as potential acts of terrorism. According to the
inspector general’s report, acts that went beyond simple
trespass to include destruction of government property could
be classified acts of terrorism.

In a case of vandalism at a military recruitment center in
Milwaukee, at least one member of the Casa Maria Catholic
Worker community was investigated by the FBI for possible
involvement.

Michael Komba, the unnamed Catholic Worker member in the
report who was part of this FBI investigation, told Catholic
News Service Sept. 23: “It was a little frightening to me to
think I was labeled a terrorist when I wasn’t even involved
(in the vandalism incident).”

When asked about the investigation into the activities of
several Catholic Worker groups, he said: “Technically,
Catholic Workers are more pacifists, but some do more
activist work. I can see looking into it, but calling it a
terrorist organization? That’s (going) way too far.”

He also said he was glad the Justice Department’s report was
issued because the “FBI needs to be held accountable.” He
said he was troubled by many other incidents of FBI
investigations especially since 9/11.

That the Casa Maria Catholic Worker house was even mentioned
in the report, he said, was “surprising.”

“It was special in a weird way,” he said, adding that it
makes him “a little worried.”

He said Casa Maria members are primarily involved in
providing shelter to homeless women and refugee students, and
distributing food and clothing in the city along with
anti-war protests.

Another group mentioned in the report was the environmental
activist organization Greenpeace. On its website the
organization praised the Justice Department’s report and was
critical of the FBI’s actions.

“Greenpeace appreciates the steps taken by the Office of the
Inspector General to illuminate the nature of these improper
investigations. But, it’s troubling that the FBI has been
targeting peaceful protest, when our government should be
supporting public participation, dissent, and First Amendment
rights,” it said.

The American Civil Liberties Union said the new report proved
the FBI “improperly spied on American activists involved in
First Amendment-protected activities and mischaracterized
nonviolent civil disobedience as terrorism.”

“It is a very alarming report and (shows) incompetence and
confusion within the FBI,” said Michael Drohan, president of
the board of directors of the Thomas Merton Center. Founded
in 1972 by Catholics committed to social justice, the center
today is ecumenical, he said.

“Instead of actually trying to help to keep the country safer
by tracking down the real threats to security, they target
peace activists,” he told CNS Sept. 24.

The FBI monitored the center’s activities and “falsified the
records” about those events, according to Drohan, a Catholic
who has been associated with the center for 25 years. He said
the FBI’s description of an anti-war leafleting event that at
most involved five people, for example, became an anti-war
action carried out by several people.

For the FBI “to have the audacity to associate us in any way
with terrorism … is very offensive,” he added, especially
because the center is “completely devoted to nonviolence,” in
keeping with the philosophy of its namesake, Trappist Father
Thomas Merton.

Contributing to this story was Julie Asher.

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