Austin360 blogs > Digital Savant > Archives > 2010 > February > 18 > Entry
New Jersey Web host comments on plane crash-related manifesto site
The New Jersey-based Web host that served “EmbeddedArt.com,” the site where investigators believe Joe Stack posted an anti-tax manifesto before crashing a plane into an Austin building, says it took down the site at the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In an e-mail, the CEO of T35, Alex Melen, said that Stack had been a customer of T35 since early 2004. Melen said that the FBI contacted T35 about the Web site, whose message was dated Feb. 18, and that it was the first time the company was aware of its contents.
“We only found out about the incident and the contents when we were contacted by the FBI,” Melen wrote. “Due to numerous user requests, we have now linked the original article on the site.”
The page that now appears where the site was hosted changed several times through the day. At one point it read, “This website has been taken offline due to the sensitive nature of the events that transpired in Texas this morning. Regards, T35 Hosting.”
It was later amended to read, “This website has been taken offline due to the sensitive nature of the events that transpired in Texas this morning and in compliance with a request from the FBI.”
Later, T35 added a link to the article to the statement. It reads: “If you want to see the original letter, please see the archived version at thesmokinggun.com: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0218102stack1.html.”
Melen invited visitors to the site to post on its forum. In the most recent amendment to the page “EmbeddedArt.com” now points to, it reads, “Please go to our forum if you wish to discuss anything related to this incident: Texas crash pilot left suicide note on Web site - embeddedart.com.”
Before the original post disappeared, it was posted widely on the Web. Statesman.com posted a copy of it, as did the popular social networking news site Mashable.com.
Updated 3:10 p.m.: One new wrinkle — if you go to a similarly-spelled Web site, “EmbededArt.com” (with one D), a copy of the manifesto comes up, with a tag at the end: ” APRIL FOOLS! You’ve been Rick Rolled.”
The Alex Jones Web site Infowars speculated today that this Web site might signal that the original “EmbeddedArt” site might be a fake. Conspiracy!
Not so, says California-based Nathan Mallamace, who says he registered the domain name and copy/pasted the manifesto today after seeing the news.
“Basically I went to the original site and copied it over,” says Mallamace when reached by phone. “I don’t really have an agenda behind this. I registered this domain for the purpose of repeating this today. I’m just as fascinated as the next person about what this is about. I’m trying to make sense of this, too.”
Mallamace said he was poking fun at the way people trust information they find on the Web, even on a site with a misspelled domain, not at the incident itself. “I wanted people to know at the end that this was not the official site. This guy’s an extremist. I don’t personally believe in extremist stuff.”
Mallamace was unaware of the post on Infowars, but when told about it had a long laugh, then expressed mixed feelings about the site’s owner, Jones. “It’s a complete joke. But some of the stuff they say is the kind of stuff that this guy’s talking about,” he said. “I can’t believe they picked me up from all this stuff.”
Update: 4:02 p.m. Nathan Mallamace called us to let us know that he removed the “APRIL FOOLS!” tag at the end of his Web page and added this note at the top: “Joseph Stack Manifesto. Not the original site. I registered this domain for the purpose of repeating this today. I’m just as fascinated as the next person about what this is about. I’m trying to make sense of this, too.”
He then posted a link to this blog post.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment Categories: Austin, Internet
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By knot
February 20, 2010 12:37 AM | Link to this
The note from Mr. Stack is also posted on NewYork Post website !
By Mikey
February 19, 2010 10:54 AM | Link to this
LMAO. This guy is surely a Democrat who hates GWB and the conservatives. It's the only way out man. I just can't stop laughing at this moron. I think I'll start my own "church" and see if I can keep all of my money. What an [naughty word] Liberal, non-tax paying [naughty word].
By Omar Gallaga
February 18, 2010 10:49 PM | Link to this
JJ -- yes, the version on embededart.com is a copy of the original note/site. Except for the note at the top, the text has not been altered as far as I can tell.
By SAkip Anderson
February 18, 2010 9:32 PM | Link to this
Goodness sakes I just hope there 's no "fence sitters", just waiting for someone else to "go first" before they follow suit . Goodness sakes, that would be just terrible.
By JJ Stiff
February 18, 2010 9:06 PM | Link to this
So, is the manifesto posted at "embededart.com" (one d) a copy of Joe Stack's original manifesto from "embeddedart.com" or is it an imposter?
I don't believe it is just that the FBI has the authority to remove content at their whim. I've been told this is because of the Patriot Act: that the FBI is permitted to remove information when they see fit. It leads me to be confused about the truth. I wish the site had remained intact and if there was any manipulation by the government: it would be to freeze the site, not remove its content.
By Mark
February 18, 2010 6:59 PM | Link to this
I find the FBI's request to take down the internet site that posted the suspect's manifesto ironic. Why hasn't the FBI asked this newspaper to do the same?
By mikeNW
February 18, 2010 6:15 PM | Link to this
Rob in austin - actually I think what Acevedo was saying was that it was an isolated incident and that any reports saying otherwise were false. He was correct.
By mikeNW
February 18, 2010 6:10 PM | Link to this
anonymouse - great point on your first paragraph, the man was delusional.
Not sure about the comparisons to tea party folks. Might want to reread his suicide note. Lots of anti capitalist, anti GWB, anti religion, pro marxist rants.
Let's be thankful there are no fatalities, hopefully the 2 injured have a speedy recovery.
By LfromAustin
February 18, 2010 5:19 PM | Link to this
I am from Austin and have just read the posted letter on the Statesman Blotter site. This was a very tormented and angry person, very angry with our system of Government, and many of his points were right on, it is unfortunate though that his frustration and loss of hope was aimed one section of Government IRS and that he was no longer willing to go on.
I hope (as the optimist I am) that this event turns into something positive, opens the eyes of our Government officials or more the actual people of this country to say enough of the bickering, enough of the back stabbing, enough of the hate. Lets begin to heal,to become united again.
I pray for his wife and family, and for those effected by this tragedy.
By Mark
February 18, 2010 5:11 PM | Link to this
If we had a FairTax, paid point of sale with NO Tax offices, there would be fewer Government TARGETS for the domestic terrorist crowd.
GO FairTax! And thank God this attack was not worse.
By Nathan
February 18, 2010 5:05 PM | Link to this
Here's the original article... Alex is a little nutty about conspiracy theories http://www.flickr.com/photos/mallamace/4368287329/sizes/o/
By anonymouse
February 18, 2010 4:51 PM | Link to this
It's ironic that the pilot apparently had no problem utilizing the FAA, driving on streets, and taking advantage of other government provided services, yet thought the IRS was trying to rip HIM off?
Isn't that pretty much the same opinion about the IRS that the tea baggers have?
By justjen
February 18, 2010 4:29 PM | Link to this
i figured it out as soon as i heard a plane hit the building....well not all of it but the part that someone was mad at the IRS. Im not the cheif of police but it wasnt that difficult.
By Omar Gallaga
February 18, 2010 4:21 PM | Link to this
Google (if that's your real name): I print stuff all the time. Constantly. Some people say I can't shut up. And I'm part of the media.
Your definition of "NOTHING" seems a bit loose.
By google won't allow Jones to sell via their site
February 18, 2010 4:13 PM | Link to this
Cool article. It will be archived and used in an alex jones movie which google is CENSORING.
Is alex jones a crazy conspiracy nut? think about this... the media did not or would not report on the John Edwards presidential affair and baby making scandal which BTW was worse then Clinton.
So who do you trust? the guy that prints something? or the media that prints NOTHING ?
By Rob in austin
February 18, 2010 3:46 PM | Link to this
Funny, In his 12:30pm press conference, Austin PD Chief Art Acevedo tells the media to quit talking about anything intentional and says the media is "telling lies" about anything other than an accidental plane crash. And yet while he's making these statements, the FBI is making inquiries about the website and the posting. It seems like Art should try to get more current on what's going on before he make a statement to the press. This "lack of information" from the officials is what causes all the speculation that Art was concerned about. But when the police Chief is so far off base on the current events, the media is left with no choice but to see out other sources. APD and City press conferences are a big waste of time. People want to know what is going on and what is the latest information. Very disappointed on the updates from the city in this situation.