Governor orders end of terrorism contract

Harrisburg — After a newspaper found a state homeland security contractor was surveilling the activities of Marcellus Gas anti-drilling groups, on Tuesday Governor Ed Rendell ordered an end to a state contract for the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response. The Harrisburg Patriot-News reported that the state agency and its Philadelphia contractor: tracked anti-drilling groups attendance at township and zoning meetings, and showings of the film “Gasland;” monitored web traffic of drilling opponents; and shared related “intelligence bulletins” with gas drilling interests. Expressing dismay with some of the types of information contained in the reports, the Governor apologized to groups and individuals included in the reports who were simply expressing their freedom of speech rights and not posing any threats.