On Thursday morning, US authorities issued a federal order to Rackspace ordering them to hand over Indymedia web servers to the requesting agency. Rackspace, which provides hosting services for more that 20 Indymedia sites at its London facility, complied and turned over the requested servers, effectively removing those sites from the internet.

Since the subpoena was issued to Rackspace and not to Indymedia, the reasons for this action are still unknown to Indymedia. Talking to Indymedia volunteers, Rackspace stated that “they cannot provide Indymedia with any information regarding the order.” ISPs have received gag orders in similar situations which prevent them from updating the concerned parties on what is happening.

It is unclear to Indymedia how and why a server that is outside the US jurisdiction can be seized by US authorities.
(Source and full story: UK Indymedia)

This is another sinister development in the way that Bush’s “War On Terror” is becoming a “war on anyone who dares to oppose me.” How is it possible for the bloody FBI to start censoring media across the world, without having to declare any specific reason or go through the due legal process in each country?

And if you’re reading this thinking, “Maybe there was some terrorist connection, maybe it’s only right those servers were seized?” then the fascist mindset Bush and Blair are promoting has taken root in your mind and they’ve won.

We have the right to free speech. We have the right to criticise anything we want. Why do we have those rights? Because ordinary people fought and died for those freedoms in many wars. Those rights weren’t handed down as benevolent gifts from the high tables of Kings, Queens and Fuhrers, we fought for them against every flavour of tyranny imaginable. Now those same rights are being whittled away in the phony war on terrorism and if anyone dares ask why, they’re labelled a supporter of terrorism. Much as anyone who dared to criticise Stalin’s regime was labelled ‘counter-revolutionary’ and conveniently disappeared by agents of his secret police. FBI = KGB.

This attack on our sovereignty and free press is yet another reason to march next Sunday in London. Against Bush, against Blair, for peace and for our rights.

Team America – world police?