WOULD YOU HELP ME TAKE BACK THE SENATE??
Posted on 10/02/2002 6:45:13 PM PDT by Freedom4USA
Very disturbing article -- Federal funding for this????!!!!
Mass Destruction 101
College Professor Puts up Federally Funded Website that Teaches How to Kill
As the nation faced the searing memory of September 11th, a Pittsburgh college professor has put up a federally funded website that teaches lethal bomb building techniques to anyone who has access to the Internet.
Under the guise of academic freedom and freedom of speech, Carnegie Mellon Professor David S. Touretzky, has put up a copy of chilling website whose author is facing federal felony charges for publishing what essentially is a bomb making manual on the Web.
Nineteen-year-old Californian Sherman Austin, author of the “Raise the Fist” website, was arrested during an FBI raid earlier this year, held for several days of FBI questioning, and is currently facing two felony charges: distribution of information relating to explosives with the intent that such information be used in furtherance of a federal crime of violence; and possession of a firearm which is not registered to him. If convicted, Austin could serve 2-25 years.
On August 7, 2002, prosecutors offered Austin a plea agreement that included dropping other charges and only 1 month of custody in exchange for his guilty plea to violation of 18USC 842 (P) (2) (A). This law makes it unlawful to “teach or demonstrate to any person the making or use of an explosive, a destructive device, or a weapon of mass destruction with the intent that the teaching, demonstration, or information be used for or with the knowledge that the person intends to use it for an activity that constitutes a Federal crime of violence.”
However, Austin rejected the plea offer and on August 26, 2002 federal prosecutors charged him with two felony violations; distribution of information relating to explosives with the intent that such information be used in furtherance of a federal crime of violence; and possession of a firearm which is not registered to him.
Apparently attempting to taunt the FBI, Touretsky, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, copied the offensive portions of the “Raise the Fist” website in what is called a “mirror”. The cmu.edu website funded by the University now has the following statements, “…Many readers will find their content objectionable…. The information provided in these pages may be technically unsound. No one lacking proper training in munitions technology and safe handling of explosives should attempt to carry out the activities described herein. …. Much better information on explosives is available at your local public library, or from booksellers, so please do not rely on anonymous political radicals for amateur chemistry advise.” Following this “disclaimer” the site goes on to give “basic chemistry” instructions including construction directions for Molotov cocktails, smoke bombs, fuel-fertilizer explosives, pipe bombs, Drano bombs, soda bottle bombs, and match head bombs.
While Prof. Touretzky states on his controversial federally funded site that he doesn’t encourage anyone to use the information, he gives Internet links and addresses for other websites that in his opinion offer “better” information on bomb making.
Instructions include comments such as “These will create an overwhelmingly large explosion and should be practiced in large faraway places like the desert being used. Make sure that you will not injure anyone that you do not intend to injure” and “Don’t blow yourself up, or any of your comrades! Don’t get caught!”
Touretzky’s site includes links to purchase copies of such books as Home Workshop Explosives, Improvised Munitions Black Book, Silent Death (book on chemical and biological weapons manufacture & distribution), and the Anarchist Cookbook.
Touretzky’s controversial site, which exists on a university website funded almost exclusively by federal and state grants, raises several serious questions.
What will Carnegie Mellon University’s grant makers do when they discover public funds are being used to support the publication of information that could be used to kill hundreds or thousands of innocent Americans?
How can federal funds be used to prosecute Sherman Austin on the one hand for publishing his online bomb manual, yet on the other, fund Touretzky’s publication of Austin’s potentially deadly material? Shouldn’t Touretzky also be prosecuted?
In the current climate of fear and concern, why would any loyal American publish such information on the Web? Indeed, as we reflect on the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist strike, including the tragic crash of United Flight 93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, less than 100 miles from Carnegie Mellon University where Touretzky teaches, one can only wonder what his true intentions really are.
-end-
If there isn't a lot more to the story than related here, then I actually applaud his integrity not to plead guilty to something he is not guilty of. I could see a "no contest" plea but not a "guilty" plea. His activity probably ought to be illegal, and if anybody ever used these plans to create mayhem he should have his pants sued off, but I don't think it's illegal since the only apparent intent is to be stunningly tasteless.
It's at http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/DeCSS/Gallery/.
Bomb making would seem to be a more serious matter. I'd like to see a link for it.
There you go. According to the site:
I'm a registered Republican, so needless to say, I don't agree with Sherman Austin's politics, much less his actions. But I'm curious why the FBI would include this Reclaim Guide as part of their justification for raiding a private citizen's home and carting off all his computers and political literature. Since when is it illegal to write about explosives? According to the search warrant, Austin was violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 842(p), which makes it unlawful to: ...
There you go. According to the site:
I'm a registered Republican, so needless to say, I don't agree with Sherman Austin's politics, much less his actions. But I'm curious why the FBI would include this Reclaim Guide as part of their justification for raiding a private citizen's home and carting off all his computers and political literature. Since when is it illegal to write about explosives? According to the search warrant, Austin was violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 842(p), which makes it unlawful to: ...
In the current climate of fear and concern, why would any loyal American publish such information on the Web? Indeed, as we reflect on the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist strike, including the tragic crash of United Flight 93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, less than 100 miles from Carnegie Mellon University where Touretzky teaches, one can only wonder what his true intentions really are.
Maybe because --
First, terrorists aleady know how to make bombs.
Second, those aircraft were brought down with $1.99 boxcutters available at your local True Value hardware store, not bombs.
Wow, that's damning.
I bought some of them in high school.
I am always amazed by how many people are willing to give away everyone's freedom so quickly.
My understanding is that most of the instructions in the Anarchist Cookbook if followed will result in death of the would-be anarchist. I don't have a problem with that.
Bomb making instructions have been public for a long time. Whether they're on the Internet or not makes little difference. I have a much greater problem with government-funded abortion which guarantees the death of an innocent.
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