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Army Probes Charges That Worker Spied on Protesters

Members say employee used alias to get names, email addresses

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 2, 2009 9:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – Officials are investigating charges by two anti-war groups that a civilian employee for the Army spent more than 2 years infiltrating their organizations under an assumed name, reports the New York Times. The groups, active near one of the nation’s largest military bases close to Tacoma, Wash., say criminal intelligence analyst John Towery gained access to their personal information and plans to disrupt nearby military shipments.

When the groups inadvertently discovered his true identity, Towery said he was under pressure by local law enforcement to share intelligence on protesters, said a member of one of the organizations. The Army is prohibited from conducting law enforcement among civilians except in very narrow cases. “Infiltration is a really big deal,” says one expert, because “it raises fundamental questions about the role of the military in American society.”

The Army has opened an inquiry into a claim that one of its employees spent more than 2 years infiltrating anti-war groups near Tacoma, Wash.
The Army has opened an inquiry into a claim that one of its employees spent more than 2 years infiltrating anti-war groups near Tacoma, Wash.   (Shutter Stock)
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Mr. John Towery performs sensitive work within the installation law enforcement community, and it would not be appropriate for him to discuss his duties with
the media. - Army statement regarding charges that an employee infiltrated protest groups

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
cognitivefilter
Aug 3, 2009 12:23 PM CDT
gov. officials infiltrating peaceful civilian interest groups is nothing new. check what naomi wolf has to say on the subject............. 10 steps to fascism !!!!
Mad
Aug 2, 2009 4:36 AM CDT
What? You think he acted alone? No way. The brass was sure to be part of his espionage, just as surely they are now claiming: "Who, me?"
emptycalm
Aug 2, 2009 3:57 AM CDT
What a jerk.

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