(AP) - PHILADELPHIA-Federal prosecutors sought
court action Tuesday to force a Web site to
remove postings they said exhorted readers to kill a former abortion provider by shooting her in the head.
One posting targeted a former clinician for the Philadelphia Women''s Center and featured the provider''s name, photo and address, stating that "while it does not sound good to say go shoot her between the eyes, it sounds even worse to say let her alone," according to the request.
This type of intimidation and scare tactic, regardless of one''s beliefs or religious convictions, simply cannot be condoned," U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan said. "Using a public forum, such as the Internet, to incite and instruct people to kill is tantamount to a form of domestic terrorism."
The postings constitute a violation of the Freedom of Access to
clinic Entrances Act, Meehan said in a
statement.
He wants the court to force John Dunkle, 72, of Reading, to remove the material from his Web page and prohibit him from publishing similar messages containing names, addresses or photographs of health clinic staff members.
Dunkle said that he did not write the message on the blog, but that he did post it. He said that, if asked, he would take it down and identify its author.
"If they tell me not to
print it, I won''t print it," he said. Dunkle said he was not sure whether he agreed with the statement.
Patty Hartman, a spokeswoman for Meehan, declined to say whether criminal charges would be filed.