Scientologists may subpoena anonymous remailer records

[John Gilmore <gnu@toad.com>]

I thought that most or all of the cypherpunk anonymous remailers don't
keep records.  Not even on backup tapes.  The whole idea is that there
aren't logs.  But maybe they have found some remailers that are
non-cypherpunk.  And I haven't verified the truth of what's in the msg
below.  If anyone hears anything, please let me (or eff@eff.org) know.

	John Gilmore

Date: Tue, 9 Apr 1996 18:27:02 -0700
To: fight-censorship+@andrew.cmu.edu, eric@remailer.net,
        farber@cis.upenn.edu (Dave Farber)
From: jwarren@well.com (Jim Warren)
Subject: (fwd fyi - NOT verified!!)  very urgent news

Seems like it's just a tad overbroad, if true.  Another example of, "all
the 'justice' that one can buy"?

--jim

>Date: Tue, 9 Apr 1996 15:44:52 -0700 (PDT)
>From: shelley thomson <sthomson@netcom.com>
>Subject: very urgent news
>To: jwarren@well.com
>
>Hello, Jim Warren:
>
>        The church of scientology plans to subpoena the records of every
>anonymous remailer in the USA.
>
>        I publish a news/black humor magazine on the net called **Biased
>Journalism**.  As a journalist I have covered the collision between the
>church of scientology and the net.  My last three issues have focused on
>legal action by the church against Grady Ward and Keith Henson.
>
>        Today I had a note from Grady Ward, whose deposition was finished
>today.  He said that they asked him a lot of questions about me, and
>warned me that they may issue a subpoena for me and a demand for my
>email.
>
>        The church presumably intends to claim that I am not a real
>journalist because I only publish on the net.  I need to prepare a legal
>defense, and needless to say, can't afford a lawyer.  If you can direct
>me to any resources, I would appreciate it very much.
>
>        On the basis of events today, Ward believes the church will
>issue subpoenas for the records of every anonymous remailer in the USA.
>
>        If these records are delivered to the church, our First Amendment
>rights go with them.
>
>        Shelley Thomson
>
>        publisher, **Biased Journalism**
>        800-731-0717 voice message