Indymedia Seizures Initiated In Europe

daveschroeder writes "According to this Indymedia.org article and AFP report, the request to seize Indymedia servers hosted by a U.S. company in the UK (covered in this previous slashdot story) originated from government agencies in Italy and Switzerland, not the United States. Because Indymedia's hosting company, Rackspace.com, is a U.S. company, the FBI coordinated the request and accompanied UK Metropolitan Police on the seizure under the auspices of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), an international legal treaty, but, according to an FBI spokesman, 'It is not an FBI operation. Through [MLAT], the subpoena was on behalf of a third country.'" Read on below for more.

daveschroeder continues: "Rackspace's statement reads, 'In the present matter regarding Indymedia, Rackspace Managed Hosting, a U.S. based company with offices in London, is acting in compliance with a court order pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which establishes procedures for countries to assist each other in investigations such as international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering. Rackspace responded to a Commissioner's subpoena, duly issued under Title 28, United States Code, Section 1782 in an investigation that did not arise in the United States. Rackspace is acting as a good corporate citizen and is cooperating with international law enforcement authorities. The court prohibits Rackspace from commenting further on this matter.'"

Comments

This is classic

[HangingChad]

Now the FBI has become the lackies of the Italian police? The FBI raids an American business at the behest of a foreign government. Anyone see a probblem with that?

I can't wait to hear the Bushies defend this one. Let's hear a justification for something like this from the Mighty Whitey Righty. And don't give me that crap about Democrats voted for it, too. All this is happening on YOUR watch and YOU own it.

Re:Hosting provider is a US corporation...

[CPM User]

A subpoena from the US is useless in the UK. The FBI chose to do this bit of enforcement themselves. Presumably getting their hands on all these 'subversives' details was too tempting for them to overlook.

Re:What's really unbelievable

[Hao Wu]

Try telling that to the inmates of Belmarsh Prison who have been imprisoned under our shiny new anti-terrorism laws here in the UK.

(All together now...) "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."

Re:Cry wolf

[killjoe]

You keep believing that if it makes you sleep better.

Re:Cry wolf

[BizidyDizidy]

That's because you don't think criminals are gonna fuck with you. You're a fuckwit.

Re:Cry wolf

[Chandon Seldon]

You seem to think that common criminals fucking with you is a bigger problem than goverments fucking with you. I think you're the fuckwit.

Re:Just like Echelon . . .

[maxpublic]

A. Move the UN headquarters out of New York and to Europe without giving the U.S. the option to veto in the security council

Please, do so. I'd very much like to see the U.N. move to a place where it belongs, like Tobago.

B. Place the U.S. on probation to end its imperial ambitions or be removed from the security council

Oooooh, probation! As if that meant shit. It's not like there's a nation, or even a coalition of nations, capable of challenging the U.S. either militarily or economically and winning.

Go ahead, put us on "probation". Watch as we laugh our asses off at you.

C. If U.S. behavior continuesand eject the U.S.from the U.N. all together.

Sounds good to me. It's not like the jackasses in the U.N. are capable of stopping us from doing whatever the hell we feel like, whenever the hell we feel like it. The only thing on this Earth capable of putting the hurt on the U.S. is ourselves; and your only hope of ending 'U.S. imperialistic ambitions' is to appeal directly to U.S. citizens. Anything else is pissing into the wind.

Max