'Who's a Rat': Intimidation or Information?

May 25, 2007— -- The Web site www.whosarat.com promotes itself as the "largest online database of informants and agents," listing 4,727 profiles of "rats" -- 426 of whom are purportedly of undercover law enforcement agents.

The information, submitted by users "may not be 100 percent accurate and should be used for information/entertainment purposes only," according to the site.

But the Department of Justice isn't amused.

"Witnesses are the lifeblood of the work of the Department of Justice," said Associate Deputy Attorney General Ronald Tenpas.

"And anything that makes people fearful that coming forward and providing information is something that's of great concern to us."

The purpose of the site, it says, is to compile a database of informants, designed to assist attorneys and defendants in their research.

The site's disclaimer states: "The information contained within is definitely not an attempt to intimidate or harass informants or agents or to obstruct justice. This Web site's purpose is for defendants with few resources to investigate, gather and share information about a witness or law enforcement officer."

The government's concern, however, stems from cases such as that of a Philadelphia drug courier, who was arrested and agreed to testify against one of his associates. Shortly thereafter, fliers with information on the man available at the Who's a Rat site, including his photo, appeared in his neighborhood on utility poles, cars and in the mail.

"That situation got so serious we had to relocate the witness, we were so concerned about the witness' safety," said Tenpas.

"The solution is not to scare witnesses so they won't come forward and won't tell their stories at all, and that's what this appears to be about... preventing people from stepping forward because they're afraid the next thing that'll happen is there'll be posters up in their neighborhood labeling them a rat or a snitch," he said.

"If people got hurt or killed, it's kind of on them. They knew the dangers of becoming an informant," a site spokesman identifying himself as Anthony Capone told the Associated Press in November 2006.