Palestine Activism Spammed

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Abby Aguirre's October 10, 2002, web-only piece on e-mail harassment of Palestinian activists inspired many letters to the editor. We have published three below.

Anaheim, California

I manage the FreePalestine@yahoogroups.com list and have been spammed and spoofed in a very big way for more than two months now. I too contacted the FBI and the secret service, to no avail. The FBI wanted to hook my computer to a "sniffer," which, according to them at least, records all my e-mail activity. I declined.

STEPHEN MASHNEY,
Civil rights attorney

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New Bern, North Carolina

I am not even on any pro-Palestine mailing list, but last month, after reading your article on JINSA, I went to their site to read their material and sent them an e-mail questioning the wisdom of their agenda. I received an e-mail back from them asking me why. When I tried to close down my e-mail after reading their reply, I realized something was wrong because my e-mail program would not shut down. I cut off my computer and restarted it and ran my trogan checker but found nothing. The next day, however, I went to the offical Israeli government site to do some research and every time I clicked a link on the Israeli government site I was presented with a snapshot of my hard drive. There is no doubt in my mind that JINSA was responsible. I had been to no other site or had any other e-mails regarding Israel or any political activity.

There is also no doubt in my mind that these are a new breed of childish, junior Israeli terrorists, and something needs to be done about them. Expelling them from the United States would be a good start.

REBECCA RENFRO

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Woodland Hills, California

Jewish Internet Association does not support or recommend spamming or other "hacktivist" methods. Not only are such acts illegal, or at least unethical, but they are counterproductive, inviting retaliation in kind.

The Internet is the most cost-effective communications tool yet invented and therefore is having a profound effect on the war of ideas between supporters of Israel and Israel's enemies. JIA wants the Israeli policy of "purity of arms" to apply in the Internet sphere as well as on the physical battlefield.

CHUCK CHRISS, president
The Jewish Internet Association

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