ACLU Warns: Don't Be Deceived
House Leadership Maneuvers on Anti-Terrorism Bill
Continues To Threaten Civil Liberties, Personal Freedom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 12, 1996
WASHINGTON -- Reacting to furious maneuvering by House Republicans as a
critical floor vote nears, the American Civil Liberties Union today
warned that the anti-terrorism legislation now being discussed continues
to threaten personal freedom and civil liberties in the name of fighting
terrorism.
Press reports today suggest that the House leadership -- fearful of
losing on the House floor -- may support an amendment by Rep. Bob Barr,
R-GA, that would supposedly strip most of the so-called counter-terrorism
provisions from the legislation.
But ACLU Legislative Counsel Gregory T. Nojeim, who has been following
the legislation, said that even if the Barr amendment is approved, the
bill would continue to present serious civil liberties problems, including:
-- A "green light" for FBI investigations of activities protected by the
First Amendment.
-- The destruction of the writ of habeas corpus, which permits federal
courts to review potential miscarriages of justice and mistaken
incarceration.
-- An over broad definition of terrorism that would raise the possibility
of improper and arbitrary labeling of political groups as "terrorist."
-- Harmful immigration provisions that have nothing to do with fighting
terrorism.
Nojeim added that many of the provisions that would be removed under the
Barr Amendment are contained in other legislation pending in the House.
"The House Leadership is engaged in a classic bait-and-switch operation,"
Nojeim said.
For example, Nojeim added, the immigration bill now being debated in the
House would allow the government to use secret evidence in deportation
proceedings. And the State Department Authorization bill would make mere
membership in a group designated as "terrorist" grounds for exclusion
from the United States.
"Existing laws already empower the federal government to effectively
combat terrorism," Nojeim said. "The House must not approve legislation
that will do nothing to make us safer, but everything to make us less free."
Transmitted: 3/16/96 8:20 PM (n031296a)
--
Stanton McCandlish
mech@eff.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Online Activist