Three Political Websites Downed
After Government “Homeland Security” Threat

by Celeste
October 9, 2001
http://www.iraradio.com, the web site which archives all Radio Free Eireann broadcasts, has been taken down because the web service provider was threatened with seizure of their assets if they continued to host "terrorist" radio programs. Travis E. Towle, the Founder and CEO of Cosmic Entertainment Company, which put up IRARADIO.COM, was told by their internet service provider, Hypervine, that they had been "strongly advised" to take the web site down.

A Hypervine representative read Mr. Towle a statement that, under an Executive Order recently signed by President Bush, the newly created Office of Homeland Security can seize all assets "without any notice and/or any real un-reasonable evidence of any company or person that helps, supports, or does anything that can be called or labeled terrorism or is found to be connected to terrorism in any way or means possible." Hypervine is a subsidiary of the New York based Skynet.

These threats have also caused Cosmic Entertainment to close the web sites archiving two other WBAI radio programs, "Our Americas" and "Grandpa Al Lewis Live." "Our Americas," hosted by Mario Murillo, is an acclaimed news magazine covering Latin America. "Grandpa Al Lewis Live" features commentary by the actor and political activist who starred in "The Munsters" and "Car 54 Where Are You."

Radio Free Eireann, which broadcasts Saturday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. on WBAI 99.5 FM has covered the conflict in Northern Ireland for over twenty years. Guests have included Bernadette Sands, the sister of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands; Rauri O'Bradaigh, the President of Republican Sinn Fein; Sinn Fein chief negotiator Martin McGuinness and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

Update: it seems that this (mostly) is not a hoax. http://www.iraradio.org and http://www.allewislive.com have been taken down, although http://www.ouramericas.org is still running with no notice of this event.

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