Some strange copying

My text appears in serps but not in page

[tbear]

I just found a site in the google serps and recognised original text from my site in the desription, yet when I open the page , where the text should apparently be I find the following message "[an error occurred while processing this directive]".

Now, they only show on 'geographicaly restricted' searches (for this persons name), not on a search just for his name, but the text is seemingly taken from the whole page, not just a snippet!

As it happens the page has PR0 and in all the serps I have have found it comes well below mine. On a search for this guy's name (he is a well known musician, friend of mine) I arrive 3rd in a listing of 26,000, the other site doesn't show in the first 10 pages at least.
Can anyone tell me, firstly, is this a common hack method for google serps?
Secondly, Is this theft of my personal copyrighted (on each page of mine there is a notice) work, even though the text only shows in Google's description, failing to show (to me) on the web page.?

[tbear]

On checking one of the backlinks from this site I find a whole bunch of hidden text and links including references to 'Open Directory Project' finishing with
"Modified by Google - ©2002 Google"
All hidden at the bottom 95% of the white backgrounded page.
This page is similar to many of the other 88 backlink pages.....
Can anyone tell me what they would do in this situation?

[engine]

You have several points there.

Firstly, it could be:-
Cloaking gone wrong.
A set of links that are all banned and a copied page..
A genuine software error at Google.

Have you tried to find the same text in All the Web, or somewhere else?

Once you've got a clearer picture on that, then we can assess things further.