Los Angeles Webmaster, Sherman Austin, has been released from the Federal Corrections Institute in Tuscon, Arizona. He was sentenced to one year in August 2003, after federal authories raided his home in January 24, 2002. Most of the contents of his room were confiscated, including his computer equipment and literature, as innocous objects such as ice tea bottles and a toy car were painted as terrorist devices by the FBI and a joint task force of police officers. Added to these spurious charges was the fact that rudimentary bomb making information was posted on his server, not by Austin, but by an Orange County teen that was not charged with a crime.
The FBI also used the testimony of a militia man, who assisted them in their efforts to entrap Austin, to justify the January, 2002 raid. The Terrorism Enhancement Clauses enacted with the aid of Senator Diane Feinstein were interpreted by the prosecution to mean that Austin would be forced to spend a manditory twenty years in prison if he didnt plead out to a year in prison and an extremely restrictive three years probation which is still pending and fully in effect. Sherman is also regarded as one of the first casualties of the USA PATRIOT ACT. His case sparked controversy among those concerned with human rights and freedom of expression. Democracy Now, The Electronic Frontier Foundation, CounterPunch, Zach de da Rocha, the infoshop, and Not In Our Name, are just some of the activists and media venues that spoke out about Sherman's case. Austin will remain in a halfway house until sometime in August when he can finally return home! Sherman Austin's dynamic website, Raise the Fist has been forced off of cyberspace by the authorities.
For more info and to give much needed support, go to freesherman.org
San Fransisco Indymedia also has a feature on this story. Read the LA IMC Interview
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