FBI Questioned Columbia Residents

An FBI official in Kansas City says several people inColumbia were interviewed by FBI agents last month. Jeff Lanza tells the Columbia Tribune that the individuals were questioned in relation to potential terrorist threats made “regarding the Democratic National Convention.” He would not, however, say why those “roughly five” peoplewere interviewed. The FBI carried out interviews across the nation when there was information in late July that terrorist groups might be planning to attack new vehicles. A civil rights group spokesman out of Kansas tellsthe Tribune that the people interviewed are all anti-war andanti-globalization in their views. Dave Strano with the Kansas Mutual Aid Collective says the Columbia residents had prior affiliations with the group. He claims the FBI conducted the interviews as a form of intimidationand not in relation to the prevention of any legitimate terrorist threat.