New Terrorist Threat - Star Wars Pirates?

I feel a little ignorant here, as if I missed something. Wasn't the Patriot Act and the resulting Homeland Security Agency meant to protect all of us from terrorist plots around the world? Didn't we just give up more of our rights for protection against the evil lords of terror that threaten to destroy our lives, our property, and our country in the name of their religion, politics, or other some such silly reason?

Then answer me this...why was it that Home Security Agents went forth in the last few days to shut down a popular Web site that allegedly had been distributing copyrighted music and movies, including versions of "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith." It was Homeland Security agents from several divisions that served search warrants on 10 people around the country suspected of being involved with the Elite Torrents web site, and took over the group's main server.

The Homeland Security Agency said it was the first criminal enforcement action aimed at copyright infringers who use the popular BitTorrent file-swapping technology. According to the investigators, "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" was made available through the Elite Torrents site before being shown in theaters and was downloaded more than 10,000 times. Investigators said that the site had 133,000 members and that it distributed more than 17,000 individual movie, software and music titles.

"Our goal is to shut down as much of this illegal operation as quickly as possible to stem the serious financial damage to the victims of this high-tech piracy--the people who labor to produce these copyrighted products," Acting Assistant Attorney General John Richter said in a statement. "Today's crackdown sends a clear and unmistakable message to anyone involved in the online theft of copyrighted works that they cannot hide behind new technology."

"Today's actions are bad news for Internet movie thieves and good news for preserving the magic of the movies," said Motion Picture Association of America Chief Executive Officer Dan Glickman in a statement. "Shutting down illegal file swapping networks like Elite Torrents is an essential part of our fight to stop movie thieves from stealing copyrighted materials."

I am just having a small problem with Homeland Security being used to do Hollywood's dirty work. But, I guess a little pressure from the Hollywood-owned Congress can work wonders. I just wish they would focus their energies on protecting us from the real evil that's out there in this world, waiting to release their havoc.

Maybe I am just mad I didn't get a chance to get the new Star Wars movie before the site was shut down. No, not really. It is a very good film, by the way and I will happily lay down my $20 bucks for it when it comes out on DVD.