The FBI is casting a wide net in its search for terrorists: Environmental demonstrators, anti-war protesters, and food for homeless programs make the list of suspected and surveilled. But so far, nary an anthrax-tossing, WTC bombing, jet hijacking, seaport-destroying enemy of freedom in the crowd. The ACLU has gotten hold of documentation of FBI surveillance of anti-globalization and anti-logging protesters. From the L.A. Times:

Denver-area activists said that since the surveillance documents became public, there had been a subtle chill, with some people avoiding protests for fear of ending up in an FBI file. Some activists think the FBI has been watching their groups to intimidate them.

“We’ve kind of gathered up our skirts and pulled in,” said Sarah Bardwell, who works for the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group. … “In our house, we don’t talk about politics anymore,” Bardwell said. “There’s been a toning down of everything we do.”

That change came after six FBI agents and Denver police officers visited her house in July 2004.

Six FBI agents! Thank goodness the FBI is working overtime for our protection. The FBI also assures us that only the guilty have something to fear:

[FBI spokeswoman Kelso] dismissed the idea that agents were spying on activists for political reasons.

“We don’t have enough agents,” Kelso said, “to go out there to monitor and surveil innocent people.”

I feel safer already.