Subpoena order stirs activists

Members of the IU community who have discussed politics in student organizations were put on alert last week. According to a story by The Chronicle of Higher Education, four people who attended an anti-war meeting in November at Drake University received subpoenas, which were later dropped, that ordering them to face a federal grand jury. \nThe judge's actions stirred members of the Des Moines community, many of whom thought the demands were unusual and troubling. The New York Times reported that the subpoenas were dropped Feb. 10 because of pressures from civil liberties advocates.\nThe day following the antiwar meeting, 12 protesters were arrested at the headquarters of the Iowa National Guard.\nA former member of the now inactive IU group Coalition to Oppose the War in Iraq said he'd be "less than happy" if the government ordered him to provide information about COWI meetings.\nDjoko Wirosoetisno, an IU mathematics research associate, said in the event "a meeting plans to inflict serious physical harm to other people," the government has authority to request information from a meeting. \n"It certainly (doesn't have authority) to persecute people based on their political beliefs," he said.\nSenior Angel Rivera, chairman of the IU College Republicans, agreed with Wirosoetisno. \n"I think the First Amendment right is sacred and for no circumstances you should be punished for exercising it," Rivera said.\nThe Chronicle said at least one of the subpoenas was delivered by a man who "identified himself as a member of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force."\n"I do believe if authorities have evidence of criminal activities, by all means they should pursue it," Rivera said. "Having a protest doesn't protect you from (the consequences) of illegal activities."\nLike the Drake University meetings -- which met at the student union -- Wirosoetisno said COWI meetings at IU were always public, even when major decisions were made. No formal membership existed, but the meetings' attendance was mostly comprised of IU students, some staff and a few Bloomington residents.\n"We had war sympathizers attend some of the meetings," he said. "They were quite well-behaved, though, for the most part."\nThe meetings' discussions consisted of the latest war developments and the planning for public events.\n-- Contact staff writer Ashley Rhodebeck at arhodebe@indiana.edu.