“Patriot” groups, militias surge: report

The number of militias and other extremist groups in the US exploded in 2009, according to a report issued this week by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

Pentagon attacker was 9-11 conspiranoid

The man who shot two police officers at the Pentagon was apparently a devoted follower of the 9-11 “Truth” movement—who had proposed that the Pentagon fund his “research.”

Congress approves Patriot Act extension absent new privacy measures

The House of Representatives approved an extension of the USA Patriot Act with no new privacy measures—a move protested by the ACLU and other civil rights groups.

Anti-Semitic incidents reach record high in Canada: report

B’nai Brith Canada’s 2009 “Audit of Antisemitic Incidents” reports over 1,200 incidents last year, an 11% increase over 2008 and a five-fold increase over the last decade.

Austin IRS attacker: “hero” or terrorist?

While politicians and law enforcement equivocate on whether the Austin attack was an act of “terrorism,” Teabaggers and Patriots are hailing Joe Stack as a “hero.”

Vancouver: anarchist “ringleader” arrested in Olympic violence

Guillame Joseph-Marc Beaulieu, 27 of Vancouver, has been arrested as “ringleader” of the “Black Bloc” anarchists who rioted in the city in protests against the Winter Olympics.

Ninth Circuit rules “millennium bomber” sentence too lenient

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the 22-year prison term for so-called “millennium bomber” Ahmed Ressam, finding that a district court imposed a too lenient sentence.

Tenth Circuit splits on injunction against Oklahoma immigration law

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction against an Oklahoma anti-immigrant law, but did permit the state to enact provisions mandating employer use of E-Verify.

Maximum sentence for SOA protesters

US federal magistrate G. Mallon Faircloth surprised observers by sentencing three activists to six-month prison terms for trespassing on the US Army’s Fort Benning base.

US officials concealed details of immigrant deaths in detention: NYT

The details surrounding the deaths of several individuals inside US immigration detention centers were intentionally concealed, the New York Times reports—despite Obama pledges of openness.

New airline passenger screening unconstitutional: rights groups

Civil rights groups opposed stricter screening procedures for passengers entering the US from 14 countries, calling the measures unconstitutional “religious profiling” against Muslims.

California: Iraq vets oversee anti-gang “surge” in Salinas

Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans are advising police in Salinas on “counterinsurgency strategy” in the wake of deadly gang violence in the California city.