Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 16:32:31 -1000
From: lambda@aloha.net (Martin Rice)
Subject: LA 378:  MCVEIGH CASE:  AOL: investigation not "lawful"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE					Contact: John Aravosis, 202/328-5707
January 13, 1998, 8:00PM EST				

America Online Says McVeigh Investigation Was Not "Lawful"
Advocates Demand McVeigh Charges Be Dropped

In a surprising turn to the Timothy McVeigh/AOL privacy case, America
Online announced today that the Navy's investigation of McVeigh (not
related to the Oklahoma City bomber) was not "lawful."

On ABC's World News Tonight television show for Tuesday January, 13, 1998,
America Online Senior Vice President George Vradenburg told ABC's John
McWethy that: "[if] the United States government wants personal information
about one of our members, there's a lawful process and a lawful procedure
to follow -- it was not followed in this instance."

Internet experts are demanding that the case against McVeigh now be
dropped.  "America Online has admitted that McVeigh was railroaded.  It
would be the ultimate in hypocrisy for the Navy to now discharge this
decorated sailor when it's they who seem to have broken the law," said John
Aravosis, an Internet consultant and adviser to McVeigh.

"This is the Internet version of illegal search and seizure," said Bob
Hattoy, gay Clinton appointee.  "The evidence should be thrown out, this
patriot should be set free, and AOL and the Navy should be investigated
because it's the fourth amendment that's being threatened, not national
security."

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