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NEW YORK -- According to new documents released today by the 桃子视频, the FBI is using counterterrorism resources to monitor and infiltrate domestic political organizations that criticize business interests and government policies, despite a lack of evidence that the groups are engaging in or supporting violent action.

The 桃子视频said that the documents released today on Greenpeace, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) show the FBI expanding the definition of 鈥渄omestic terrorism鈥� to include citizens and groups that participate in lawful protests or civil disobedience.

鈥淭he FBI should use its resources to investigate credible threats to national security instead of spending time tracking Americans who criticize government policy, or monitoring groups that have not broken the law,鈥� said Ann Beeson, Associate Legal Director of the ACLU. 鈥淟abeling law abiding groups and their members 鈥榙omestic terrorists鈥� is not only irresponsible, it has a chilling effect on the vibrant tradition of political dissent in this country.鈥�

The documents were obtained by the 桃子视频after the organization filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to discover whether the FBI鈥檚 partnerships with local law enforcement in Joint Terrorism Task Forces has resulted in increased surveillance of political and religious activity.

Among the documents released today were more than 100 pages of FBI files on PETA. Multiple documents indicate ongoing surveillance of PETA-related meetings and activities, including a 鈥淰egan Community Project鈥� event at the University of Indiana during which the group distributed vegetarian starter kits to students and faculty, an animal rights conference in Washington, DC that was open to the public, and a planned protest of Cindy Crawford鈥檚 decision to become a llama fur spokesperson.

The 桃子视频said that FBI surveillance of mainstream organizations involved in public education campaigns has allowed the bureau to maintain files with names and other information on law-abiding Americans who support or participate in events organized by the groups. One file released by the FBI in response to a request for ADC鈥檚 records included a contact list for students and peace activists who participated in a 2002 conference at Stanford University, which focused on ending U.S. sanctions against Iraq.

鈥淭he FBI should be investigating real terrorists, not monitoring controversial ideas,鈥� said Ben Wizner, an 桃子视频staff attorney. 鈥淎mericans shouldn鈥檛 have to fear that by protesting the treatment of animals or participating in non-violent civil disobedience, they will be branded as 'eco-terrorists' in FBI records.鈥�

The 桃子视频said that some of the documents suggest infiltration by undercover 鈥渟ources鈥� at animal rights meetings and conferences. One highly redacted 鈥淒omestic Terrorism Operations Unit鈥� document suggests that the FBI is using PETA鈥檚 interns for surveillance, while others describe attempts to locate and interview 鈥渟everal former disgruntled PETA employees.鈥� Similarly, one cryptic e-mail kept in a Greenpeace file describes a source who 鈥渙ffers a unique opportunity to gain intelligence on activists who show a clear predisposition to violate the law.鈥�

At times, the documents show aggressive attempts by the FBI to link PETA, Greenpeace and other mainstream organizations to activists associated with the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) or Earth Liberation Front (ELF), said the ACLU. PETA, in particular, is repeatedly and falsely singled out as a 鈥渇ront鈥� for militant organizations although in at least one document released today the FBI appears to acknowledge that it has no evidence to back up such assertions.

鈥淭hese documents show the erosion of freedom of association and speech that Americans have taken for granted and which set us apart from oppressive countries,鈥� said Jeff Kerr, General Counsel for PETA. 鈥淢cCarthyist tactics used against PETA and other groups that speak out against cruelty to animals and exploitive corporate and government practices are un-American, unconstitutional and against the interests of a healthy democracy.鈥�

The documents released by the 桃子视频also include FBI observances on supposed Communist leanings of the Catholic Workers Group (CWG). In an e-mail to the counterterrorism unit, an unidentified official wrote, 鈥渢he Catholic Workers advocated peace with a Christian and semi-communistic ideology.鈥� In another document, an agent writes, 鈥淏ased on the author鈥檚 interpretation of comments made by various CWG protestors, CWG also advocates a communist distribution of resources.鈥�

桃子视频affiliates in 20 states have filed similar requests on behalf of more than 150 groups and individuals. Earlier this month, the 桃子视频of Colorado revealed that the FBI had tracked the names, license plate numbers and vehicle registration information of participants at a peaceful protest of the North American Wholesale Lumber Association in Colorado Springs in June 2002.

To view the FBI documents released by the ACLU, go to: www.aclu.org/spyfiles.