[govinfo] GovInfo News 8-16-06
- From: "Patrice McDermott" <pmcdermott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "govinfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <govinfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:48:51 -0400
Patrice McDermott, Director
OpenTheGovernment.org
202-332-OPEN (6736)
www.openthegovernment.org
Federation of American Scientists Removes Anti-Missile Report From Site
http://www.nysun.com/article/37885
By JOSH GERSTEIN - Staff Reporter of the Sun
August 15, 2006
WASHINGTON A scientific watchdog group has removed from its Web site an
unclassified government report on anti-missile technology after receiving a
warning letter from the Department of Homeland Security.
The Federation of American Scientists said yesterday that it decided to take
down the report while reviewing the agency's concerns.
"I have no interest in the absolute disclosure of absolutely everything," the
head of the association's program on government secrecy, Steven Aftergood,
said. "I think that's a ridiculous position to hold."
[.]
The 74-page report was delivered to Congress late last month and summarizes the
Department of Homeland Security's response to the threat posed by
shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, referred to by specialists as
Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or Manpads.
On August 3, Mr. Aftergood posted the report to his organization's Web site.
Last week, the group's president, Henry Kelly, received a letter from a
Department of Homeland Security attorney, William Anderson.
"Due to the sensitive nature of the report, I request that your organization
immediately remove the report from its Web site," Mr. Anderson wrote. "If the
report is not removed from your Web site within two business days, we will
consider further appropriate actions necessary to protect the information
contained in the report."
[.]
Mr. Aftergood said his decision to acquiesce to the government's request was
influenced by a recent ruling in a criminal case against two former lobbyists
for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Steven Rosen and Keith
Weissman. Judge Thomas Ellis III declared that individuals could be prosecuted
for obtaining or distributing closely held information related to national
defense, even if it is unclassified.
Asked if the keeping the anti-missile report on the Web could have triggered
criminal charges, Mr. Aftergood said, "Until last week, I would have laughed
and said, 'Of course not.'"
The scholar and critic of government classification policy said he is no longer
so sanguine..
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