October 8, 2004 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Independent media group Indymedia (indymedia.org) confirmed that US authorities issued a federal order to Web hosting provider Rackspace Managed Hosting (rackspace.com) on Thursday morning, ordering the company to turn over Web servers hosting Indymedia Web sites. Reports on Indymedia and elsewhere did not specify the number of servers handed over. Rackspace, with operations in the US and UK, hosts more than 20 Indymedia Web sites out of its London, UK facility, the group said.
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Rackspace has complied with the request and turned over the servers to US authorities. The company told Indymedia that it is restricted from disclosing any information with regards to the order.
In a statement sent to the Web Host Industry Review, Rackspace said it is "acting in compliance with a court order pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which establishes procedures for countries to assist each other in investigations such as international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering. Rackspace responded to a Commissioner's subpoena, duly issued under Title 28, United States Code, Section 1782 in an investigation that did not arise in the United States. Rackspace ... is cooperating with international law enforcement authorities. The court prohibits Rackspace from commenting further on this matter."
According to Indymedia, an additional server was taken down at the same time. This box hosted streaming radio sites, BLAG (a Linux distribution) and a handful of other "miscellaneous things."
The server seizure occurred just two weeks after the FBI requested that Indymedia take down posts on the Nantes Indymedia site that included photos of Swiss undercover police officers. Indymedia said FBI agents paid a visit to the organization's volunteers in Seattle for the same reason.
Indymedia, formally known as Independent Media Center, is a collective of media organizations and journalists committed to non-corporate media coverage. The organization was established in 1999.
The list of local media collectives affected by the server seizure, Indymedia said, includes Ambazonia, Uruguay, Andorra, Poland, Western Massachusetts, Nice, Nantes, Lilles, Marseille (all France), Euskal Herria (Basque Country), Liege, East and West Vlaanderen, Antwerpen (all Belgium), Belgrade, Portugal, Prague, Galiza, Italy, Brazil, UK, part of the Germany site, and the global Indymedia Radio site.
