Spied on by government, Florida group demands congressional inquiry

[Synnical]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pspy21dec21,0,6121564.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

Spied on by government, S. Florida activist group demands congressional inquiry

Pentagon scrutiny may lead to lawsuit

By Mike Clary
Staff Writer
Posted December 21 2005

A Palm Beach County group known to have been spied on under a secret Pentagon program has launched a campaign to seek a congressional investigation of what members allege are blatant infringements of civil liberties.

Attorneys for the Truth Project Inc., formed last year to counter military recruitment in high schools, say they also are exploring a lawsuit that could put the Lake Worth-based group at the center of a wider effort to reveal a pattern of Bush administration surveillance of anti-war and activist organizations in South Florida and elsewhere.

The group plans a news conference at 5 p.m. today in front of the federal courthouse in West Palm Beach, where members intend to discuss their legal strategy.

"We expect this to be a springboard for litigation with a national impact," attorney Rob Ross said.

Also:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/12/21/1221govspy.html

Spying target plans to sue

By Kevin Deutsch

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Lawyers for a Lake Worth activist group targeted under a Pentagon spying program plan to file a suit in federal court to combat surveillance against its members.

The Truth Project, whose inaugural 2004 meeting was listed as a "threat" in a classified database of information compiled under a secret Pentagon program, plans to take legal actions that could launch them into the center of nationwide efforts by activist groups to combat recently revealed domestic spying programs.

"The Truth Project believes that we have been defamed by agents of the federal executive branch by being designated a credible threat to military recruiters and recruiting facilities," said Truth Project member Marie Zwicker. "We believe that this has done irreparable damage to the legal, political and educational activities of (the group)."

Before any suits are filed, the group hopes to request and compile government records that show the extent of the surveillance, said Rob Ross, attorney for the Truth Project.