submitted anonymously –
Community PSA regarding recent contact with the FBI in King County/Seattle.
In mid-October 2024, a comrade was contacted by FBI agents representing themselves as investigating a right wing agitator in regards to a public-record interaction the comrade was involved in. The agents identified themselves as members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. While there is no known direct evidence that these agents are investigating the Seattle leftist movement, previous contacts publicized by Puget Sound Prisoner Support have suggested that federal agents have made contact in other capacities in recent months (see link at bottom for further info). We are therefore taking this opportunity to make sure we are refocusing on operational and personal security (opsec and persec) and steps to take if an agent knocks on your door.
1) Cops, including feds, can and will lie to you about anything, including what they’re investigating, whether you’re a subject, suspect or witness in an investigation, whether you need a lawyer present, etc. The safest thing to do is not talk to them and to seek legal representation if they insist. This is true even if they’re asking about oppositional figures, public events and information, and other innocuous things. Even the simplest question can establish whether you were in a specific place at a specific time, are aware of a particular person or event, etc. If an agent knocks on your door, ask for a business card and end the questioning there. You can and should set the parameters by which you might speak with them, AFTER securing legal representation. The National Lawyers Guild maintains a federal defense hotline to contact if you are approached by a federal agency: [email protected] or (212) – 279 – 2811.
2) The US government has incredibly powerful digital and physical surveillance capabilities, and their exact limits are unknown. Using signal is better than alternatives, but signal is only as encrypted and secure as the user makes it. Whenever possible, going offline (and away from tech) for important meetings is better. There are many things that can and should be done to minimize risk with signal including: disable ‘find me by phone number’ in signal, disable face/finger ID, change your signal notification settings to only show chat names and not message content in notifications, set a passcode for signal and set it to be required every time you open it. Make sure your phone is encrypted and habitually locked!
3) We cannot assume that these measures are sufficient, especially in larger group chats where there are members you don’t personally know and trust. Be careful about what you say. If you aren’t willing to hear it read back to you in court, think long and hard before you say it on signal (or in person, without taking careful measures first).
4) Protesting is not necessarily illegal. You have a right to freedom of expression and assembly. This does not mean that the government will not try to characterize your actions as criminal! Just because you “haven’t done anything wrong” or “don’t have anything to hide” doesn’t mean you can’t be a target, or that your comrades will not be targeted. Our personal and operational security is what keeps all of us safe for each other, not just for ourselves. For the sake of our whole community, especially its most vulnerable and marginalized members, please do not talk to cops, be careful about opsec, and inform your community right away if you get contacted by law enforcement.
Puget Sound Prisoner Support’s recent piece about a FBI contact with a community member: https://pugetsoundanarchists.org/statement-from-psps-on-recent-fbi-snooping-in-pnw/
Thank you for reading. Free Palestine.
submitted anonymously –
Community PSA regarding recent contact with the FBI in King County/Seattle.
In mid-October 2024, a comrade was contacted by FBI agents representing themselves as investigating a right wing agitator in regards to a public-record interaction the comrade was involved in. The agents identified themselves as members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. While there is no known direct evidence that these agents are investigating the Seattle leftist movement, previous contacts publicized by Puget Sound Prisoner Support have suggested that federal agents have made contact in other capacities in recent months (see link at bottom for further info). We are therefore taking this opportunity to make sure we are refocusing on operational and personal security (opsec and persec) and steps to take if an agent knocks on your door.
1) Cops, including feds, can and will lie to you about anything, including what they’re investigating, whether you’re a subject, suspect or witness in an investigation, whether you need a lawyer present, etc. The safest thing to do is not talk to them and to seek legal representation if they insist. This is true even if they’re asking about oppositional figures, public events and information, and other innocuous things. Even the simplest question can establish whether you were in a specific place at a specific time, are aware of a particular person or event, etc. If an agent knocks on your door, ask for a business card and end the questioning there. You can and should set the parameters by which you might speak with them, AFTER securing legal representation. The National Lawyers Guild maintains a federal defense hotline to contact if you are approached by a federal agency: [email protected] or (212) – 279 – 2811.
2) The US government has incredibly powerful digital and physical surveillance capabilities, and their exact limits are unknown. Using signal is better than alternatives, but signal is only as encrypted and secure as the user makes it. Whenever possible, going offline (and away from tech) for important meetings is better. There are many things that can and should be done to minimize risk with signal including: disable ‘find me by phone number’ in signal, disable face/finger ID, change your signal notification settings to only show chat names and not message content in notifications, set a passcode for signal and set it to be required every time you open it. Make sure your phone is encrypted and habitually locked!
3) We cannot assume that these measures are sufficient, especially in larger group chats where there are members you don’t personally know and trust. Be careful about what you say. If you aren’t willing to hear it read back to you in court, think long and hard before you say it on signal (or in person, without taking careful measures first).
4) Protesting is not necessarily illegal. You have a right to freedom of expression and assembly. This does not mean that the government will not try to characterize your actions as criminal! Just because you “haven’t done anything wrong” or “don’t have anything to hide” doesn’t mean you can’t be a target, or that your comrades will not be targeted. Our personal and operational security is what keeps all of us safe for each other, not just for ourselves. For the sake of our whole community, especially its most vulnerable and marginalized members, please do not talk to cops, be careful about opsec, and inform your community right away if you get contacted by law enforcement.
Puget Sound Prisoner Support’s recent piece about a FBI contact with a community member: https://pugetsoundanarchists.org/statement-from-psps-on-recent-fbi-snooping-in-pnw/
Thank you for reading. Free Palestine.