Peaceful dissidents entered into terrorism databases

Is it Nazism yet?

The head of the Maryland Police State Police has now acknowledged that the department classified 53 nonviolent activists as terrorists and entered their personal information into state and federal terrorism and drug trafficking databases.

This revelation came during a meeting before the state legislature about this growing scandal. The illegal spy operation targeted antiwar activists and death penalty critics.

Now the department has been forced to notify the activists so they can review their files before the files are purged. "The names don't belong in there," the police chief admitted. "It's as simple as that."

Who authorized the KGB-like spy operation?

It happened under the administration of right-wing then-Gov. Robert Ehrlich. The operation itself was authorized by Ehrlich's state police superintendent Thomas E. Hutchins. Hutchins continues to arrogantly defend the program, despite it being clearly illegal. He cried that the activists were dangerous "fringe people."

And the Free Republic terrorists aren't? The Freak Rethuglic fascists regularly conduct roadside rallies in Maryland in which they have started fights with dissidents. Why aren't the police keeping an eye out for them?

Needless to say, the surveillance failed to turn up any illegal activities.

The fact that the antiwar activists were also placed in a drug trafficking database is yet more proof that the War on Drugs is being used to wield against innocents.

Hutchins, Ehrlich, and others involved in the spy operation need to be tossed in prison. If anyone is "fringe people", it's them.

(Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/07/AR2008100703245.html)