Anyone else tired of this chit yet?

[signa]

Federal prosecutors seek to indict art professor as a 'bioterrorist'
By Bev Conover
Online Journal Editor & Publisher
June 15, 2004

Steven Kurtz may be an unconventional artist in the eyes of some but, in the Bush-created climate of paranoia about "terrorism," the 46-year old art professor and a founding member of an experimental arts initiative faces the prospect of being indicted, under the USA PATRIOT Act, as a "bioterrorist."

Gary Younge of the Guardian succinctly reported, "On May 10 Steven Kurtz went to bed a married art professor. On May 11 he woke up a widower. By the afternoon he was under federal investigation for bioterrorism."

Today federal prosecutors convened a grand jury in Buffalo, NY, in an attempt to indict Kurtz for allegedly violating section 175 of the US Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, which has been expanded by the USA PATRIOT Act.

Kurtz's personal nightmare began in the early morning hours of May 11 when he awoke to find his wife of 25 years unresponsive. Kurtz, a professor of art at the University at Buffalo and a founder of the internationally acclaimed Critical Art Ensemble (CAE). called 911. The arriving paramedics, who found the 45-year old Hope Kurtz beyond their help, became alarmed at seeing petri dishes and scientific equipment in the Kurtz home and called local and federal hazardous material authorities, who forced Kurtz out of his residence and sealed it, and removed biological samples for testing.

In the ensuing panic, public health officials, the FBI and the suited-up FBI hazardous materials team FBI agents called in all turned a deaf ear to Kurt's explanation that the materials were part of a CAE exhibit. Even after the biological samples were tested and proved harmless and his house was deemed safe, in the days following, agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force carted away his books, personal papers, computer and his work.

It even took Kurtz a week to retrieve his wife's body after an autopsy determined she died of cardiac arrest from natural causes, not anything in the Kurtz home. His house, car and cat, which also had been seized, were also returned to him.

The CAE bills itself as a "collective of artists dedicated to exploring the intersections between art, technology, radical politics and critical theory." This is not conventional art in the sense of paintings or sculptures, but, according to member Claire Pentescost, art that uses "scientific processes to demystify them and make them accessible to audiences."

Penetescost, in the introduction to CAE she wrote, said, "When the Joint Task Force on Terrorism searched Kurtz's home, he was in the midst of researching the issue of biological warfare and bioterrorism, to assess the actual danger these weapons pose and to bring U.S. policy on such threats into public dialogue. To do this research, he had many books on the subject and had legally acquired three bacteria commonly used as educational tools in schools and university biological departments. One might conjecture that these are the 'biological agents' indicated in the charges against Kurtz. They are bacillus globigii, serratia marcenscens and e.coli." All are harmless substances.

Instead of apologizing to Kurtz and dropping the matter, federal prosecutors subpoenaed Kurtz, Pentecost and seven others, from around the country, associated with CAE to appear before a grand jury. The Los Angeles Times today reported, "Justice Department lawyers are expected to argue to a federal grand jury in Buffalo today that what Kurtz viewed as artistic expression was a national security threat and that he should be indicted under the Patriot [sic] Act."

His crime? The US attorney in Buffalo wants to prosecute him under a USA PATRIOT Act provision that prohibits possession of "any biological agent, toxin or delivery system . . . not reasonably justified by a prophylactic, protective, bona fide research or other peaceful purpose, " the Times said.

Kurtz's attorney, Paul Cambria, told The Scientist that it is Kurtz's message the prosecutors are concerned about. "I know that because they're looking at past things that he's written and so on, and they're trying to use that to circumstantially show that he's some kind of terrorist, which is kind of ridiculous."

According to The Scientist, "Cambria said Kurtz objects to spending money on bioterrorism defense at the expense of the public health agenda of conquering natural killer diseases, and he opposes genetically modified crops that give the companies who create them a monopoly on selling them. Previously, Cambria successfully defended Hustler magazine founder Larry Flynt in the Supreme Court, and he won suits against municipalities that tried to block the performances of rock star Marilyn Manson."

If the grand jury goes along with this madness, no one is safe.

A CAE defense fund has been set up at to help Kurtz and the others to pay mounting legal expenses.
http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special...04conover.html

[Oxford]

Thanks for the report. From what you posted...this case appears to be a case of extreme over-reaction on the Fed's part.

However, I would be interested in studying other reports on this case to determine their consistancy in the details. Obviously the information you relayed has not made the news in my part of the country.

[colt45]

hay OX i live only 52 miles from Buffalo and have yet to hear of this myself.
its kinda local and i may still have a few friends that still work in the federal building up there, maybe they can shed some light on this. the feds are only three floors down from them. see what i can find out.

[ScottD]

When is this madness gonna stop?

[Rufus Rhastus J]

Just one more example of why the PA should be dropped! It's evil, vile and full of opertunity for abuse. Heck, it's just plain un-American!

[ScottD]

Rufus you ain't seen nuthin' yet. Wait for Pat-2.

We live in absurd times

[Lord Shrike]

Hmm if hes got books on bio weapons petry dishes full of who knows what and he is a known radical I'd like him looked into as well. E. Coli is not harmless either it can kill you.

[dhermesc]

Originally Posted by Lord Shrike

Hmm if hes got books on bio weapons petry dishes full of who knows what and he is a known radical I'd like him looked into as well. E. Coli is not harmless either it can kill you.

Not to mention a dead wife.

If my house can searched on the rumor I have an automatic weapon, my property analyzed and seized by the EPA for bad septic system and my car removed from the road ways because the engine light is on (California Emissions) then the unauthorized research and developement of bacterial warfare should have a few regulations too. As the liberals say about gun control - can't you accept "reasonable regulation"?

[Snakebite]

They were tested and proved harmless. Why pursue it any further!!!!!

My kitchen sink is probably more of a bio hazard.

She died of natural causes. I think it should be "case closed"

If this kind of crap isnt fought then I can guarantee you that many Americans can be found guilty of bio terrorism and have property siezed. I spilled some oil and gas last week....time to rope off my house and let the feds spend your money to check me out and clean up the entire neighborhood. I could be the cause of the next cancer cluster. Spilled gunpowder, too many weapons,...the list goes on

[Lord Shrike]

Look the guy had books on the makeing of bio weapons. The samples could have been harmless or maybey he was just doing a trial run with those mediums to perfect his technique before the production of actual weapons was to begin. He is a known radical. His wife was dead for unknown reasons at the time. The intial search and seizure seems more than legit to me. If there gruonds for a inditment are meritless than the grand jury should reject it. Perhaps the Feds know more than the paper?

[Rufus Rhastus J]

Originally Posted by ScottD

Rufus you ain't seen nuthin' yet. Wait for Pat-2.

You are right on. I hear they plan to intercept mail [snail] and search it too! They seem to be keeping most details to themselves.....no need to get everyone whipped up until it is already law! Right? :uzi:

[Rave]

Man we know that's right! What could possible go wrong with "reasonable" regulation or the enforcement thereof?

[Rufus Rhastus J]

Well, possibly the gumint could target everyone except them that are the clear problem....kinda like they have been doing. I guess I'm just paranoid. After all, if you can't trust the gumint, who can you trust?

[signa]

Originally Posted by Rufus Rhastus J

Well, possibly the gumint could target everyone except them that are the clear problem....kinda like they have been doing. I guess I'm just paranoid. After all, if you can't trust the gumint, who can you trust?

Welcome to the police state some of us warned others about15 to 20 years ago. Saw it coming
So is martial law...be if due to civil strife, crash the economy or some fake "ET attack" ( Thank you Ronald Reagan) LOL Sounds stupid I know but there is such a plan afoot. Wait and see. Order Ab Chaos. Order out of chaos.
At some point, paranoia becomes the only rational response.

[Rufus Rhastus J]

I agree, Signa. It seems they lay awake at night floating trial ballons to see what they think they can sneak by us. Problem is, we let them! At least I understand people are beginning to view this silly war as another VN and are tired of it! Well, duh! I heard on the radio, last night, the latest poll, if you believe that stuff, says most Americans [53%]] are not in support of the war. And, with yesterday's murders and unrest, six police stations hit and many killed, it will become, as I have already said, impossible to turn over the gumint to those morons because they can't even protect a police station. How in hell can we expect them to govern? What's next? Those animals gona kill the new gumint too? So, only thing left is for this mess to drag on and on....et nausium.......

[Lord Shrike]

More of the SOS from the peanut gallery president eh. Thank god you weren't in charge of WWII we would have surrnedered after pearl harbor....well you might have made it to wake island.