An MIT doctoral researcher takes on FBI secrecy and their "domestic anti-terrorism" campaign

With new space for questioning and challenging the National Security State apparatus opened up by Wikileaks, Bradley-now-Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden, this is a timely look at another front in the battle for transparency and against police state intrusion into and repression of political activity.

Ryan Shapiro is a Ph.D student at MIT who has succesfully  "liberated" an unprecedented number of files on animal rights and environmental activists going back several decades, as part of his dissertation research. According to the Justice Department, he's the FBI's "most prolific" Freedom of Information Act requester. The FBI has fought his research at every turn, claiming that his many requests, taken together, constitute a "mosaic" of information that could "significantly and irreparably damage national security" and would have "significant deleterious effects" on the bureau's "ongoing efforts to investigate and combat domestic terrorism."

The story of how Shapiro was able to win so many document releases is fascinating. But at a certain point, the FBI stopped complying with his requests, so in 2012 Shapiro sued the FBI to release the documents they were blocking. A ruling on the case is expected in the next few months.

Will Potter, author of "Green is the New Red," is one of the main investigators into and exposers of government repression of the animal rights/environmental movements.  His site www.greenisthenewred.com is a go-to place for cutting-edge information and exposes. His book, website and articles have talked extensively about the "Green Scare" and other so-called "anti-terrorism" campaigns that have hit Pacific Northwest activists and their communities especially hard.

Join guest-host Paul Roland for a wide-ranging discussion with these two courageous freedom-of-information fighters. Call-ins will be welcome towards the middle of the program.