Man takes on tribe over domain names

MIAMI, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A Florida Indian tribe is considering a lawsuit against a former bodyguard who has staked claims to Web domain names.

Steve Thiele has registered www.miccosukeetribeofindians.com and www.miccosukeetribeofindiansofflorida.com. He has also staked out www.billycypress.com, with the name of the tribal chairman, The Miami Herald reported.

''I told them I'm not looking to sell it, but you can buy it,'' said Thiele.

The sites all lead viewers to 1stunna.com, which includes a picture of Thiele and information about his past, including a 7-year prison sentence for assault.

Thiele said he wants $500,000 from the tribe, while the Miccosukee have offered him amounts that started at $5,000 and have hit $100,000 so far.

The Miccosukee, who live in the Everglades, operate a casino on the Tamiami Trail near Miami.

Howard Neu, a lawyer specializing in domain disputes, said Thiele's chances in court are poor because the tribal name is trademarked. But Thiele is adamant.

"If they think they got a case, let's have a jury decide," he said. "I'm not worried about that. I've been in court before.''