Why was Assault Video website pulled?
This email received today from service provider of crowdedtheater.com

We wanted to offer you this press release on crowdedtheater.com.

BECamation, the original provider of service for crowdedtheater.com, will be re-enabling the site. This decision was made after re-examining facts and being made aware of all of the events that transpired with all parties involved. We regret we had to make the decision to pull the site, but without all the information available to us at the time, we felt we had no choice.

At the time we were called by the FBI, we attempted to contact the owner of the site. Even though he was aware of the FBI inquiries and had already been contacted by them, he did not tell us that or provide us with any information as to that fact. Not knowing what had transpired or what his standing with the FBI was, we were left to try to determine if legal action had already been taken, if we were in violation of a court order, or what our rights and responsibilities were. Therefore, without that information and not knowing if legal action had been taken or was being taken, we felt we had to comply with the FBI's request.

When the FBI and US Attorney's office called BECamation, they announced who they were and asked if we were the owners of crowdedtheater.com. We said no, then they proceeded to tell us that they had traced the site through GTE and back to us. We informed them who the owner of the site was, they informed us that they already knew who he was, they had contacted him and asked him to pull the site down and he refused. They also mentioned that they were in current contact with Mr. Ziephers lawyers.

They proceeded to tell us that the tape contained racial slurs and could possibly incite a riot and their jobs were to insure that this did not happen. We responded that we had viewed the tape, was told that it was a farce and that was all it was meant to be. It was similar to X Files or Blair Witch Project and meant only to show the artists cinematography skills. They laid out several negative scenarios and asked that the site be removed.

The FBI also told us they had contacted our service provider and left a message asking them to pull the site as well. Not knowing what had transpired with our provider, without any information from Mr. Ziepher, and with the FBI's pressure, we felt we had no choice but to pull the site until further clarification could be obtained. Until we could talk to all parties involved, obtain the information to make a informed choice, we kept the site down.

Now with the information needed to make the decision, we are re-enabling the site.

We were distressed at the partial information concerning this situation that was posted to the Village Voice, Slashdot, and Hot Wired news. It resulted in inciting some very disturbed people who sent hate e-mail, e-mail viruses, threatening phone calls, e-mail bombs, posts to our guestbook and bulletin board service on our web site, etc. We were displeased that the press made BECamation out to be the "bad guy" and seemed to encourage the harassment aimed toward us. Perhaps with the "other side of the story" available to them, they can write more informed articles.

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Mark William Wieger
BECamation
Web Design-Web Hosting-Internet Access
http://www.becamation.com

Download the video at www.crowdedtheater.com

Military Assault On Times Square New Years Eve 1999? - Transcripts