CHICAGO, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- The FBI has searched the homes of anti-war activists in Chicago and Minneapolis in an investigation for possible links to terrorist groups, a spokesman said.
The FBI said it is looking for possible links to terrorist organizations in the Middle East and South America, The Chicago Tribune reported Saturday.
Chicago FBI spokesman Ross Rice confirmed two homes in Chicago were searched, and declined to give details, but an FBI spokesman in Minneapolis elaborated on the raids.
"The warrants are seeking evidence in support of an ongoing Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation into activities concerning the material support of terrorism," said Minneapolis FBI spokesman Steve Warfield.
Anti-war activists said the raids were to intimidate people from using their Constitutional rights, which include the right not to speak with the FBI.
"Activists have the right not to speak with the FBI and are encouraged to do so," activist Steff Yorek said in a statement in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. She called the searches "an outrageous fishing expedition."
In Chicago, the FBI searched the home of Hatem Abudayyeh, executive director of the Arab American Action Network, and issued a grand jury subpoena for community activist Thomas Burke's payments to Abudayyeh, or his group, reports said.
Burke is a stay-at-home father, and also belongs to the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Tribune said.
