by TChris

Josh Connole thinks the FBI viewed him as a suspect in an arson at a Chevrolet-Hummer dealership in West Covina, California because of his liberal politics. West Covina police arrested Connole at the direction of the FBI. He was detained for four days. A Caltech graduate student has since been arrested as a suspect in the crime.

Although the City of West Covina maintains that its officers did nothing wrong, the City paid Connole $20,000 to settle his false arrest lawsuit. Now Connole plans to sue the FBI. He's angry that he was labeled an "environmental terrorist."

Why did the FBI issue a warrant for Connole? Connole is described as "an outspoken environmentalist and antiwar activist who matched the general description of one of two men caught on a security videotape at one of the dealerships." Large numbers of people match "general descriptions," so it's difficult to believe that Connole's politics didn't motivate the FBI to view him as a suspect.