A disturbing flyer puportedly authored by the FBI's Phoenix anti-terrorism
task force has been circulating in the conservative community. The flyer
instructs the reader to report as a possible terrorist anyone who asks why
they were stopped by police or anyone who dares to defend "the U.S.
Constitution against federal [sic] government." See it for yourself:
http://www.keepandbeararms.com/images/FBI-MCSOTerroristFlyer-Front.jpg
http://www.keepandbeararms.com/images/FBI-MCSOTerroristFlyer-Back.jpg
So I gave the FBI field office a call. FBI spokesman Ed Hall confirmed the
flyer was produced by the joint anti-terrorism task force in Phoenix. But
he said it dealt with domestic terrorism: "That flyer was put out two years
ago. Someone picked it up, and put it on the Internet like it was put out
this week."
Hall admitted the section that said anyone spotting a defender of the U.S.
Constitution "should call the Joint Terrorism Task Force" was perhaps a
tiny bit ill-advised. "It could have been a bit better foundation worded
saying you're not a right-wing extremist if you defend the Constitution...
or if you ask a police officer why they're stopping you. There's some
misinterpretation there."
He added: "Not that a person who defends the Constitution is a criminal or
terrorist, or a person who askes you, 'Why did you stop me' may be a
terrorist, but certain things, I don't want to use the word common, certain
characteristics that these people who were legitimately investigated
reflect it."
