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SANTA CRUZ — The city of Santa Cruz has joined Berkeley, Cambridge, Mass., and Denver, Colo. in opposing parts of the USA Patriot Act, passed by Congress last year shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 

The Santa Cruz City Council unanimously passed a resolution by Mayor Christopher Krohn to oppose certain justice department directives and executive orders. 

The Patriot Act gave the federal government, international intelligence agencies and domestic law enforcement sweeping new powers to prevent terrorism. 

According to the City Council, there are a number of problems with the provisions of the USA Patriot Act and how it is being implemented that threaten basic civil rights and liberties. 

The council agreed with Krohn that the Patriot Act defines “domestic terrorism” too broadly, thereby affecting the rights of lawful advocacy groups.  

The council also expressed concern that the act places limitations on the Freedom of Information Act, authorized federal prison officials to eavesdrop on the confidential attorney-client communications of people in federal custody, eased long-standing intelligence guidelines and established a secret military tribunal for terrorism suspects.  

Those things add up to an attack on Americans' civil rights, the council found. 

By passing Krohn's resolution, the Santa Cruz City Council believes it is affirming its commitment to the protection of civil rights. The council is also calling upon the city to ensure that federal and state law enforcement officials working within the city cannot engage in activities permitted by the Patriot Act that allegedly violate the civil liberties of  

Santa Cruz residents. 

In addition, the council is calling on federal and state legislators to monitor the implementation of the Patriot Act and directives from Attorney General John Ashcroft that could be considered civil violations. 

Krohn will be sending a copy of the resolution to President Bush, local congressional representatives and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The council's decision makes Santa Cruz the 14th city in the nation to declare that the USA Patriot Act violates human rights.