Brian Tokar on Murray Bookchin

Murray Bookchin, the visionary social theorist and activist, died this Sunday, July 30.

By Brian Tokar

Murray Bookchin, the visionary social theorist and activist, died during the early morning of Sunday, July 30th in his home in Burlington, Vermont. During a prolific career of writing, teaching and political activism that spanned half a century, Bookchin forged a new anti-authoritarian outlook rooted in ecology, dialectical philosophy and left libertarianism.

During the 1950s and ‘60s, Bookchin built upon the legacies of utopian social philosophy and critical theory, challenging the primacy of Marxism on the left and linking contemporary ecological and urban crises to problems of capital and social hierarchy in general. Beginning in the mid-sixties, he pioneered a new political and philosophical synthesis—termed social ecology—that sought to reclaim local political power, by means of direct popular democracy, against the consolidation and increasing centralization of the nation state.

From the 1960s to the present, the utopian dimension of Bookchin’s social ecology inspired several generations of social and ecological activists, from the pioneering urban ecology movements of the sixties, to the 1970s’ back-to-the-land, antinuclear, and sustainable technology movements, the beginnings of Green politics and organic agriculture in the early 1980s, and the anti-authoritarian global justice movement that came of age in 1999 in the streets of Seattle. His influence was often cited by prominent political and social activists throughout the US, Europe, South America, Turkey, Japan, and beyond.

Even as numerous social movements drew on his ideas, however, Bookchin remained a relentless critic of the currents in those movements that he found deeply disturbing, including the New Left’s drift toward Marxism-Leninism in the late 1960s, tendencies toward mysticism and misanthropy in the radical environmental movement, and the growing focus on individualism and personal lifestyles among 1990s anarchists. In the late 1990s, Bookchin broke with anarchism, the political tradition he had been most identified with for over 30 years and articulated a new political vision that he called communalism.

Bookchin was raised in a leftist family in the Bronx during the 1920s and ‘30s. He enjoyed retelling the story of his expulsion from the Young Communist League at age 18 for openly criticizing Stalin, his brief flirtation with Trotskyism as a labor organizer in the foundries of New Jersey, and his introduction to anarchism by veterans of the immigrant labor movement during the 1950s. In 1974, he co-founded the Institute for Social Ecology, along with Dan Chodorkoff, then a graduate student at Vermont’s Goddard College. For 30 years, the Institute for Social Ecology has brought thousands of students to Vermont for intensive educational programs focusing on the theory and praxis of social ecology. A self-educated scholar and public intellectual, Bookchin served as a full professor at Ramapo College of New Jersey despite his own lack of conventional academic credentials.He published more than 20 books and many hundreds of articles during his lifetime, many of which were translated into Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Turkish and other languages.

During the 1960s - ‘80s, Bookchin emphasized his fundamental theoretical break with Marxism, arguing that Marx’s central focus on economics and class obscured the more profound role of social hierarchy in the shaping of human history. His anthropological studies affirmed the role of domination by age, gender and other manifestations of social power as the antecedents of modern-day economic exploitation. In The Ecology of Freedom(1982), he examined the parallel legacies of domination and freedom in human societies, from prehistoric times to the present, and he later published a four-volume work,The Third Revolution, exploring anti-authoritarian currents throughout the Western revolutionary tradition.

At the same time, he criticized the lack of philosophical rigor that has often plagued the anarchist tradition, and drew theoretical sustenance from dialectical philosophy—particularly the works of Aristotle and Hegel; the Frankfurt School—of which he became increasingly critical in later years—and even the works of Marx and Lenin. During the past year, even while terminally ill in Burlington, Bookchin was working toward a re-evaluation of what he perceived as the historic failure of the 20th century left. He argued that Marxist crisis theory failed to recognize the inherent flexibility and malleability of capitalism, and that Marx never saw capitalism in its true contemporary sense. Until his death, Bookchin asserted that only the ecological problems created by modern capitalism were of sufficient magnitude to portend the system’s demise.

Murray Bookchin was diagnosed several months ago with a fatal heart condition. He will be remembered by his devoted family members—including his long-time companion Janet Biehl, his former wife Bea Bookchin, his son, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter—as well as his friends, colleagues and frequent correspondents throughout the world. There will be a public memorial service in Burlington, Vermont on Sunday, August 13th. For more information, contact info@social-ecology.org.

Murray Bookchin RIP

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Murray Bookchin, an early proponent of what he described as social ecology, died at home early Sunday at the age of 85.

He was surrounded by family when he died of heart failure at home, said his daughter, Debbie Bookchin.

Murray Bookchin long was a proponent of left-leaning libertarian ideas and was among the first people in the early 1960s to promote the then-emerging field of ecology into political debate.

He published "Our Synthetic Environment" under the pseudonym Lewis Herber in 1962 in which he called for alternative energy supplies among other environmental proposals. It was in that book, which predated by five months the better known work Rachel Carson "Silent Spring," that Bookchin introduced the notion of social ecology.

He argued that only a completely free and open society can resolve the problems that confronted the environment at that time.

Bookchin's views, often well ahead of their time, never got wide play because they were so closely linked to his leftist political thought.

Bookchin was born in New York City in 1921 of Russian immigrant parents. He joined a communist youth organization at age 9, although he dropped out a number of years later, disillusioned at what he believed was the authoritarian nature of the movement.

He was a foundry worker and union organizer in New Jersey before joining the U.S. Army. In civilian life, he became an autoworker, but left the industry and its labor organization after the General Motors strike of 1946.

He eventually turned to his interest in the environment and writing, eventually publishing more than two dozen books ecology, history, politics, philosophy, and urban planning.

He taught at Ramapo College of New Jersey from 1977 through 1981.

In Burlington, Bookchin was instrumental in helping to organize the Green Party. He also co-founded the Institute for Social Ecology in Plainfield in 1971.

Bookchin is survived by his longtime companion, Janet Biehl; son Joseph Bookchin of Burlington; daughter Debbie of Burlington; and ex-wife and longtime friend Beatrice Bookchin.

ALF action in England

Gosport, England - Animal Liberation Front activists rescued nine goats from the Centre for Human Sciences. The center which is operated by QinetiQ, a contractor with the Ministry of Defense, crushes the animals to death in a hyperbaric chamber to simulate the effects of deep ocean depths. The company claims that the tests are necessary for building military submarines. The animal liberationists snipped through fencing and plucked the goats from an outdoor enclosure and into a waiting van.

Photos of NYC Protest against Israeli Terrorism 7/28/06

Photos of NYC Protest against Israeli State Sponsored Terrorism and in Support of the Lebanese/Palestinian People!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=xrrpryh.9vs6kck9&Uy=lntcbi&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Derrick Jensen at Capitol Theater Aug. 25 (Olympia WA)

please post and announce widely:

Derrick Jensen, author and activist

Friday, August 25
Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE Olympia, WA)
Doors open at 7:30pm, Event begins 8:00pm
Tickets are $5.00- $15.00 and are available at the box office night of show.

Come one, come all and put a fire under our community to fight the federal
grand jury coming to town, the occupation of Cheetwood (Black Bear Place,
the Nisqually name for Olympia), and the destruction of the Earth. Come
feel comforted that there are others who realize that the American
occupation started here, and that Iraq is just another page in a long book
of Civilization's death march. Join together with your friends in creating
a wall of resistance against this occupation here in America and against
outrageous state oppression. The Green Scare -- the FBI witch-hunt against
environmental activists -- has come to town, but we are up the challenge.

One person who has helped many realize the total failure of civilization
is author and activist Derrick Jensen. He has two new books about fighting
civilization, called Endgame volume I and II, and will speak about them.

Members of Olympia Civil Liberties Resource, a group formed to support the
civil liberties of activists in response to the Green Scare, will also
speak about how you can help the resistance movement against state
oppression and the grand jury coming to town. Real people, with real
friends and family, are facing 35-400 years in jail for allegedly
committing arson in this area. We need to show support for these people
and let the government know we will not tolerate their outrageous use of
force enabling their occupation and destruction of this placed called
America.

Derrick Jensen is the author of Endgame Volumes I and II, The Culture of
Make Believe, A Language Older than Words, Listening to the Land:
Conversations about Nature, Culture, and Eros, a USA Today Critics Choice
for one of the best nature books of 1995, and Railroads and Clearcuts. He
writes for The New York Times Magazine, Audubon, and The Sun Magazine,
among many others.

Event sponsored by: Done and Done - Proceeds help benefit Olympia Civil
Liberties Resource

For more information visit http://www.derrickjensen.org and
http://www.olycivlib.org .

Olympia Civil Liberties Resource is an Olympia-based organization working
to defend the civil liberties of all citizens -- particularly activists
exercising their constitutional rights. OCLR seeks to educate the public
regarding current threats to civil liberties, and to act as a general
resource for activists.

London Free Press: More sites hit by vandals

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/2006/07/28/1706558-sun.html

More sites hit by vandals

A group called the Earth Liberation Front is suspected in the damage.
By DANIELA SIMUNAC, FREE PRESS REPORTER

The list of London construction sites hit by vandals continues to grow as police investigate if the damage is the work of an eco-terrorist group.

Vandals who cut wires and filled gas tanks and oil systems with gravel caused more than $100,000 in damage at four sites in the south and west ends earlier this week.

Yesterday, Michael Hayman of Hayman Construction Inc. reported two of his sites were also hit by vandals believed to be from Earth Liberation Front, a group claiming responsibility for destruction at construction sites across Ontario, including Toronto, Guelph and Brantford.

"At first we just thought it was our two jobs," said Hayman, after learning from yesterday's Free Press of the vandalism spree in the city.

"We've had mischief vandalism (in the past), but not this particular thing," he said.

Site personnel found damage last Friday at the Home Depot site on Dundas Street and Clarke Road, said John Gautreau, a Hayman superintendent.

Vandals broke into the construction trailer, got cement and filled fuel tanks in excavating equipment with cement powder, he said.

"They got into all kinds of stuff here. It's costing people a lot of money."

Eight pieces of equipment were damaged and Gautreau estimated the value of each to be at least $30,000 -- all of which could have been lost, he said.

A repair crew arrived and "It took them more than an eight-hour day to get the equipment up and running again," he said.

A message smeared in grease was left on the windshield of an excavator, saying "something like 'Save our Earth,' " said Gautreau. The message was written backwards, so the machine operator could read it, he said.

The vandals "must have been on this job site for one to two hours minimum," Gautreau said.

"It's the first time I've ever seen this."

Whoever did the damage "would know gravel would cause a great deal of damage," said Hayman.

At the Toyota dealership on Wharncliffe Road, south of Southdale Road, workers found fuel tanks of four machines filled with gravel, along with pierced tires on a forklift, superintendent Doug Lelacheur said.

The damage was discovered Tuesday morning, he said.

"It's the down time that really hurts," said Lelacheur. About 40 people were temporarily out of work as equipment was repaired.

At a nearby site on Wharncliffe Road, vandals struck again, this time at Elgin Construction, cutting wires in at least two machines and filling fuel tanks with gravel, he said.

"That would bugger things up for a day or two," said Lelacheur.

Making It on the Outside, After Decades in Solitary

Making It on the Outside, After Decades in Solitary

by Laura Sullivan

Audio for this story will be available at approx. 7:30 p.m. ET

Laura Sullivan, NPR

Daud Tulam spent 18 years in isolation in the New Jersey State Prison. Now on the outside, he finds it difficult to make eye contact or make small talk with other people, including his family.

All Things Considered, July 28, 2006 · Daud Tulam likes to sit on the porch of his mother's house in Salem, N.J., and watch traffic whiz by.

"I spent most of the whole summer out here, daytime and night," he says. "After being confined for that long period of time, you really do have an appreciation for the outside."

That "long period" was the past 25 years, which Tulam spent inside the New Jersey State Prison. For most of that time, Tulam was held in isolation. He spent 23 hours a day alone in a cell no bigger than a bathroom and one hour in a concrete exercise yard.

Tulam is one of more than 25,000 inmates who serve their sentences this way in the United States. It's not what these prisoners did on the outside that sends them to isolation: It's how they behave on the inside. And once in isolation, there is often no way out.

Two Decades in Solitude

In Tulam's case, he was sent to prison for trying to rob a gun store. He was sent to isolation after prison officials say they caught him planning to assault officers. He stayed in isolation for 18 years.

New Jersey prison officials say he never participated in any programs that could have gotten him out. Tulam says he tried to participate, but they never let him out, so he gave up.

Now, on the outside, Tulam has trouble making small talk. Even after all those years alone, when faced with people looking for a conversation, Tulam doesn't engage.

Tulam is taking a class on welding at a local community college. During one recent session, he hid in the back of the classroom.

When the teacher comes over to check his work, Tulam only looks at the floor. At one point, the instructor asks Tulam if he understands a welding technique. Tulam does not look up -- or answer. Eventually, the instructor gives up and moves on.

'I Lost My Social Skills'

In many ways, Tulam's days are still filled with this kind of silence. But there is one place where Tulam suddenly has a lot to say: behind the wheel of his car, when his eyes -- and yours -- are on the road.

"I'm certain that I lost my social skills to a certain extent," Tulam says as he drives through the rundown streets of Salem. "Not that I'm unable to socialize. Just that trivial conversation for conversation's sake, I don't have no tolerance for."

Tulam's 6-foot-frame seems too big for the 15-year-old Taurus he's driving. He's wearing what he wears everyday: old jeans and a sweatshirt. He passes boarded-up buildings and liquor stores. Much has changed about this town, but he says even more has changed about him.

Tulam's luckier that most ex-convicts. He has a family, a place to stay and even some occasional construction work. But he finds much about society difficult. He doesn't like grocery stores, busy sidewalks or going to the movies. And he doesn't like parties.

That came as a shock to his family. Tulam's mother, Charlotte Fletcher, says Tulam used to love to socialize.

"He always had a few friends. But as far as I was concerned, it wasn't the right kind," Fletcher says.

Early on, she says, it was hard to keep her son away from kids who wanted to party.

"He was a young kid when he first got in trouble -- last year of high school," Fletcher says. "He was around with these guys. They been doing a lot of drinking and other things, so I guess he did some wild things."

Looking for 'Some Kind of Relief'

On the day Tulam was released from prison, his family threw him a party in the backyard. He spent the whole time sitting alone in a folding chair in the corner, while his nieces and nephews played. That's the other thing Tulam doesn't like anymore.

"You know, in prison there are no children," Tulam says. "The trivial kind of things kids do, the nonsensical things kids do, you don't have a tolerance for that. I'm still trying to really adapt."

Tulam says he struggled to make the days he spent in solitary pass. He began dividing his time into little increments: Make the bed. Write a letter. Do push ups.

"Even if I would have to go to sleep early, just to look for the next day to bring some kind of relief," Tulam says.

He still does that now. He schedules his day into activities: Take a shower. Eat breakfast. Sit outside. Go for a drive.

"I never use alarm clocks," Tulam says. "I've done it for so long, it's almost like second nature."

'You Become Your Best Company'

New Jersey has one of the least restrictive isolation units in the country. Prisoners in solitary are allowed visits with relatives, though Tulam's family could rarely afford the trip. They are also allowed televisions. Tulam says he kept his TV set on every day, morning until night, for 18 years.

"Up until that time, I never owned a TV, never had much interest in TV," he says. "But when I got into solitary, it was so quiet in there, I genuinely had to get me a TV, just to hear some noise."

Now he can't stand television. But he doesn't want to hang out with people, either. He doesn't talk much with his family. He hasn't joined any groups. He doesn't talk about having any friends.

"Having been in isolation, with hardly anybody to talk to, anyway, you just acquire a knack of just being able to -- like with me, you become your best company," Tulam says.

The Odds Against Making It

There are few statistics about how inmates who spend time in isolation adjust on the outside. Only two studies have been conducted; one looked at former inmates in Washington state, the other at those in Texas. The results weren't good.

In both studies, the rate of recidivism for inmates released from isolation was higher than for those released from the general prison population. And in Washington, researchers found these ex-inmates were more likely to commit violent crimes than their general population counterparts.

In that sense, Tulam is doing better than expected. Having a place to live and a mother to make him food has made a big difference. But at 51 years old, he's spent almost half his life in prison, most of it alone.

"I do have some regrets," he says, pausing for a moment before getting out of the car. "But ask me if I would ever want anybody else's life? Nah. I'm comfortable with the life that I've been given. You know, like saying that I'm a realist. I genuinely believe that every individual struggles in this life, anyway."

So after 18 years of isolation, Daud Tulam's greatest struggle may be finding a way not to live an isolated life.Life in Solitary Confinement

A Terrifying Distraction

The FBI's arrest of seven supposed terrorists in Miami last month is a case of governmental entrapment even more threatening than the NSA spying program.

A Terrifying Distraction

By Salim Muwakkil
In These Times

The FBI's arrest of seven supposed terrorists in Miami last month is a case of governmental entrapment even more threatening than the NSA spying program.

The arrest of seven men in Miami last month on specious terrorism charges smells strongly like a case of governmental entrapment. The men, six of whom are of Haitian descent, allegedly planned to blow up various targets—including government buildings and the Sears Tower in Chicago—but officials found no plans, explosives or any equipment whatsoever that could be used to effect the plot. In fact, the FBI informant who infiltrated the group posing as an al-Qaeda representative is the one who initiated the idea of blowing up government buildings.

The seven men are charged with two counts of conspiring to support a foreign terrorist organization, one count of conspiring to destroy buildings by use of explosives and one count of conspiring to wage war against the government.

The indictment contains no indication of an overt criminal act, except swearing an “oath of loyalty to al-Qaeda,” and taking pictures of FBI headquarters in Miami. The plot “was more aspirational than operational,” said FBI Deputy Director John Pistole at a news conference announcing the men’s arrest. In other words, the men committed a “thought crime,” the infamous offense lampooned in George Orwell’s novel 1984, which the U.S. Constitution protects us against. Even worse, an agent provocateur implanted the thought.

The seven men are Narseal Batiste, Patrick Abraham, Stanley Phanor, Naudimar Herrera, Burson Augustin, Lyglenson Lemorin and Rothschild Augustine, and they range in age from 22 to 32. Batiste, 32, is the group’s ringleader. Family members and friends say the men were part of a group seeking to better conditions in their impoverished Liberty City neighborhood and had no connection to al-Qaeda.

By making the connection, the Bush administration is conflating the activities of those fighting the legacy of slavery with those struggling in colonialism’s wake. This is not a random linkage; Mike Brooks, a law enforcement analyst for CNN, revealed on the June 22 edition of “Anderson Cooper 360” that, “on June 13, the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, put out a call, an information bulletin, ‘Black Separatism a Volatile Movement of Node—Node of Domestic Radicalization.’”

According to Brooks, the bulletin named “the Nation of Islam, New Black Panther Party, … the New Black Panther Nation and Five Percenters” as groups of current concern to law enforcement. The focus on black nationalists is a reprise of the FBI’s infamous COINTELPRO program that ran from 1956 to 1971 and was designed to “neutralize” black nationalists and other domestic dissidents.

The program was discontinued in 1971, after a Senate committee found that “many of the techniques used would be intolerable in a democratic society even if all the targets had been involved in violent activity, but COINTELPRO went far beyond that.”

The U.S. government historically has regarded Black Nationalism as a threat because it challenges the white supremacist biases that frame much of American society.

Some nationalists also infused Islamic imagery and terminology into their programs to counterpoint what many considered the “enslaving” religion of Christianity. Organizations like Noble Drew Ali’s Moorish Science Temple of America (begun in Newark, N.J., in 1913) and Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam (Detroit, circa 1931) explicitly rejected organized Christianity. Since self-professed Christians perpetrated the racist oppression suffered by black people, these groups claimed Islamic pedigree. But their race-based belief systems bore little resemblance to mainstream Islam.

According to associates, the Miami Seven were acolytes of Ali’s Moorish Science Temple, although they weren’t formally affiliated. That distinction didn’t prevent the media from branding them “radical Muslims,” implying they shared the ideology of al-Qaeda.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said the group, which neighbors said called itself “Seas of David,” conducted surveillance of several federal office buildings in Miami and discussed bombing the Sears Tower in Chicago. He said they took an oath to al-Qaeda and plotted to create an “Islamic Army” bent on “killing all the devils we can.”

The al-Qaeda impersonator, who, according to the CBS-affiliated television station in Miami, was a Middle Eastern native seeking U.S. residential status by aiding the FBI, wrote the “oath.” He also suggested exploding the FBI buildings, supplied the camera and rented the vehicle to take surveillance photos of the Miami office.

This is a case of governmental entrapment, even more threatening than the NSA spying program. Predictably, the American people, even progressives, seem oblivious to this threat. African-Americans should be particularly vigilant about this COINTELPRO re-run in the name of the war on terrorism.


http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2735/

] URGENT: LEBANON PALESTINE EMERGENCY FUND

[Please Read, Respond and Forward]

URGENT: LEBANON PALESTINE EMERGENCY FUND

For Immediate Release
July 27, 2006

The ongoing invasion of Lebanon by Israel has left hundreds
of its residents either dead or injured. Meanwhile, the
58-year Zionist occupation of Palestine has escalated, bringing
with it more death and destruction for the Palestinian people.

Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians have been rendered
homeless and unable to meet their most basic needs by Israel's
deliberate and conscious effort to destroy Lebanon's civilian
infrastructure. Entire neighborhoods in the south of Lebanon and
Beirut have been literally wiped out using US-supplied weapons.

Since the siege of Gaza one month ago, the Palestinian death
toll includesmore than 31 children, killed by the hand of the
"Israeli" occupier.

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, calls on all
people of conscience to donate to its Lebanon Palestine Emergency
Relief Fund. All donations will be used to help Palestinian and
Lebanese victims of the latest Israeli aggression.

Please make your tax-deductible donation payable to "Al-Awda, PRRC".
Indicate "Lebanon Palestine Emergency Fund" in the memo section.

Checks or money orders should be mailed to:

Al-Awda, PRRC
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA

To make a secure online donation using your credit card, go to
http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html and follow the instructions.
Please email us at info@al-awda.org to let us know that your
online donation is intended for the 'Lebanon Palestine Emergency Fund'.

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC), is a not for profit
tax-exempt educational and charitable 501(c)(3) organization as defined by
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America. Under
IRS guidelines, your donations http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html to PRRC
are tax-deductible

Anti war protestors elect undercover cops to lead protest march

This would also indicate a problem with the method of selecting leaders, i.e., electing cops to plan and direct a march within an hour of meeting them.

Police spies chosen to lead war protest
- Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, July 28, 2006

Two Oakland police officers working undercover at an anti-war protest in May 2003 got themselves elected to leadership positions in an effort to influence the demonstration, documents released Thursday show.

The department assigned the officers to join activists protesting the U.S. war in Iraq and the tactics that police had used at a demonstration a month earlier, a police official said last year in a sworn deposition.

At the first demonstration, police fired nonlethal bullets and bean bags at demonstrators who blocked the Port of Oakland's entrance in a protest against two shipping companies they said were helping the war effort. Dozens of activists and longshoremen on their way to work suffered injuries ranging from welts to broken bones and have won nearly $2 million in legal settlements from the city.

The extent of the officers' involvement in the subsequent march May 12, 2003, led by Direct Action to Stop the War and others, is unclear. But in a deposition related to a lawsuit filed by protesters, Deputy Police Chief Howard Jordan said activists had elected the undercover officers to "plan the route of the march and decide I guess where it would end up and some of the places that it would go."

It was revealed later that the California Anti-Terrorism Information Center, which was established by the state attorney general's office to help local police agencies fight terrorism, had posted an alert about the April protest. Oakland police had also monitored online postings by the longshoremen's union regarding its opposition to the war.

The documents showing that police subsequently tried to influence a demonstration were released Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union, as part of a report criticizing government surveillance of political activists since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The ACLU said the documents came from the lawsuit over the police use of force.

Jordan, in his deposition in April 2005, said under questioning by plaintiffs' attorney Jim Chanin that undercover Officers Nobuko Biechler and Mark Turpin had been elected to be leaders in the May 12 demonstration an hour after meeting protesters that day.

Asked who had ordered the officers to infiltrate the group, Jordan said, "I don't know if there is one particular person, but I think together we probably all decided it would be a good idea to have some undercover officers there."

Several months after the rally, Jordan told a city police review board examining the April 2003 port clash that "our ability to gather intelligence on these groups and this type of operation needs to be improved," according to a transcript provided by the ACLU.

"I don't mean same-day intelligence," Jordan told the civilian review panel. "I'm talking about long-term intelligence gathering."

He noted that "two of our officers were elected leaders within an hour on May 12." The idea was "to gather the information and maybe even direct them to do something that we want them to do," Jordan said.

"I call that being totalitarian," said Jack Heyman, a longshoremen's union member who took part in the May 12 march. He said he was not certain whether he had any contact with the officers that day.

Jordan declined to comment when reached at his office Thursday. In his deposition, he said the Police Department no longer allows such undercover work.

City Attorney John Russo said he was not familiar with the police infiltration of the protest, but said the city had made "significant changes" in its approach toward demonstrations after the port incident. Police enacted a new crowd-control policy limiting the use of nonlethal force in 2004.

The ACLU said the Oakland case was one of several instances in which police agencies had spied on legitimate political activity since 2001.

Mark Schlosberg, who directs the ACLU's police policy work and wrote the report released Thursday, cited previously reported instances of spying on groups in Santa Cruz and Fresno in addition to the Oakland case. He called on state Attorney General Bill Lockyer and local police to ensure that law-abiding activist groups don't come under government investigation.

"It's very important that there be regulation up front to prevent these kinds of abuses from occurring," Schlosberg said at a news conference.

Schlosberg said the state needs an independent inspector looking into complaints and keeping an eye on intelligence gathering at such agencies as the California National Guard and the state Department of Homeland Security.

Tom Dresslar, a spokesman for Lockyer, said the attorney general had not yet read the ACLU report. But he said his boss "won't abide violations of civil liberties. There's no room in this state or anywhere in this country for monitoring the activity of groups merely because they have a political viewpoint."

Following the Oakland port protest and disclosures about the monitoring of activists, Lockyer issued guidelines in 2003 stating that police must suspect that a crime has been committed before collecting intelligence on activist groups.

But Schlosberg said the ACLU had surveyed 94 law enforcement agencies last year and found that just eight were aware of the guidelines. Only six had written policies restricting surveillance activities, he said.

Paul Wright, Editor

Prison Legal News

972 Putney Rd. PMB 251

Brattleboro, VT 05301

(802) 257-1342

pwright@prisonlegalnews.org

www.prisonlegalnews.org

Seattle Office:

2400 NW 80th St. PMB 148

Seattle, WA 98117

(206) 246-1022

Josh Wolf - Journalist facing Jail

For more info, press releases, and updates about Josh's case:

http://www.joshwolf.net/grandjury/
http://www.fbiwitchhunt.com

Support Josh Wolf!
Journalist Faces Jail Time for Resisting Grand Jury
Subpoena Contempt
Hearing Tuesday August 1

Where: Federal Building; 450 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco
When: August 1, 2006

9:00 AM Civil Contempt Hearing

Josh Wolf's civil contempt hearing was continued until
Tuesday August 1st. He still faces over a year in jail
for refusing to testify or turn over video out takes to a
Federal Grand Jury investigating a July, 2005, anti-G8 demonstration.
At Josh's last hearing over 30 supporters, family and press filled
the courtroom.  Judge Alsup (in contrast to his last performance)
was less abrasive and we feel this is due to the large turn out
in the courtroom. This is why we are continuing our call for
supporters to attend his upcoming hearings.

Josh faces more than a year in Santa Rita Jail for simply ]
exercising his constitutional right to remain silent, while standing
up for freedom of the press. This is one of several grand juries
being convened across the country to harass, intimidate and collect
information on political activists and their supporters.Please spread
the word and attend Josh's hearing. Let's have another show of solidarity
and support for Josh!

for more info and updates about Josh's case:
http://www.joshwolf.net/grandjury/
http://www.fbiwitchhunt.com

URGENT: LEBANON PALESTINE EMERGENCY

URGENT: LEBANON PALESTINE EMERGENCY FUND

For Immediate Release
July 27, 2006

The ongoing invasion of Lebanon by Israel has left hundreds of its
residents either dead or injured. Meanwhile, the 58-year Zionist
occupation of Palestine has escalated, bringing with it more death and
destruction for the Palestinian people.

Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians have been rendered
homeless and unable to meet their most basic
needs by Israel's deliberate and conscious effort to destroy Lebanon's
civilian infrastructure. Entire neighborhoods in the south of Lebanon and
Beirut have been literally wiped out using US-supplied weapons.

Since the siege of Gaza one month ago, the Palestinian death toll includes
more than 31 children, killed by the hand of the "Israeli" occupier.

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, calls on all people of
conscience to donate to its Lebanon Palestine Emergency Relief Fund. All
donations will be used to help Palestinian and Lebanese victims of the
latest Israeli aggression.

Please make your tax-deductible donation payable to "Al-Awda, PRRC".
Indicate "Lebanon Palestine Emergency Fund" in the memo section.

Checks or money orders should be mailed to:

Al-Awda, PRRC
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA

To make a secure online donation using your credit card, go to
http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html and follow the instructions. Please email
us at info@al-awda.org to let us know that your online donation is intended
for the 'Lebanon Palestine Emergency Fund'.


Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org


Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC), is a not for profit
tax-exempt educational and charitable 501(c)(3) organization as defined by
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America. Under
IRS guidelines, your donations http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html to PRRC
are tax-deductible

Are you now or have you ever been an environmentalist?

Are you now or were you ever an enviromentalist?
Janie Goodwin
Red Pepper Magazine
July 2006

In the wake of the US war on terror, nonviolent campaigners are increasingly being caught up in a Green Scare that defines them as terrorists

In the US today, terrorism has replaced communism as the catchphrase for all that is evil in the world. Where the Red Scare once saw all left-wingers stigmatised as communists, it is environmentalists and animal rights activists who are now being targeted as eco-terrorists by the media, business interests and politicians including the attorney general, Alberto Gonzales. Building on post-9/11 fears and legislation, a new Green Scare has escalated in recent months with a sudden rise in the number of environmentalists arrested and a dramatic lengthening of the potential sentences they face. Activists who have never physically harmed anyone now risk being arrested and charged with crimes that carry life sentences or, as in one case, a charge sheet that could result in a 300-year prison sentence.

On 7 December 2005, the FBI began Operation Backfire, a multi-state sweep of environmental and animal rights activists. Fifteen people have since been indicted by Grand Jury on 65 charges in connection with Earth Liberation actions between 1996 and 2001. The arrests sent shockwaves across the activist community in the US, with the constant threat of new arrests and legislation resulting in the spread of fear and caution.

Many of those arrested recently insist on their innocence, and the FBI evidence against them is weak. A confession by a self-proclaimed arsonist and heroin addict provided the initial basis for the arrests. The accused were then encouraged to give evidence against each other, in return for the promise of reduced sentences. But confessions under duress are not always the most reliable sources of information.

In the current US political climate, it is virtually impossible for the accused to get a fair trial once the spectre of terrorism has been raised. This became clear during the SHAC 7 case, brought against activists from the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign. They were put on trial under the Animal Enterprise Protection Act, which legislators dubbed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. It defines as a terrorist anyone who causes financial damage to companies involved in the animal industry.

The six were not accused of carrying out any crimes themselves, but rather of maintaining a website containing information that could potentially be used to commit a crime. They were essentially being accused of terrorism for exercising their right to free speech. But the jury didnt see it that way. Getting past the term terrorist proved too difficult, and the six were found guilty on all counts. They now face potential sentences between one and 23 years for the administration of a website.

This climate of fear is reinforced by legislative changes that have considerably broadened the definition of a terrorist. Successful lobbying by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a powerful right-wing advocacy group funded by more than 300 corporations, has resulted in several pieces of state-level legislation now defining terrorism as an act by two or more persons organised for the purpose of supporting any politically motivated activity intended to obstruct or deter any person from participating in an activity involving animals or an activity involving natural resources. It needlessly includes such acts as property defacement which is already illegal within the scope of terrorism, and holds the potential to include other forms of legal protest within the same definition. So far ten states have already passed legislation defining the destruction of property as terrorism.

At a federal level, Section 802 of the USA Patriot Act (the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act) defines domestic terrorism as an act that intends to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping with the intent to harm human life. But as the American Civil Liberties Union points out, the breadth of the first two of these definitions means that Greenpeace, Operation Rescue, Vieques Island and WTO protesters and the Environmental Liberation Front have all recently engaged in activities that could subject them to being investigated as engaging in domestic terrorism.

The Patriot Act also includes greatly expanded search and seizure powers, making it far easier to arrest activists. The US government can now search homes, workplaces, documents and emails, listen to telephone conversations and follow internet use patterns without proving probable cause that someone has committed a crime. They only need to assert, but not prove, reasonable grounds to think that a person may be involved in terrorist activity. These search and seizure powers are the same as those that caused public outcry in 1971 when the FBIs Cointelpro (counter intelligence programme) was discovered and it became known that the FBI was carrying out illegal and covert activities in violation of the right to privacy and free speech in order to misdirect, discredit, disrupt and otherwise neutralise political resistance.

To add insult to injury, the Senate is currently debating the USA Patriot Act II, which would greatly expand the powers of the executive branch the White House, Department of Justice and so on over the judiciary. The proposed Act would also make certain search warrants obtainable without a court order, further undermining the checks and balances built into the democratic structures of government.

These measures look likely to make an already bad situation worse. There are now so many pending cases that it is impossible to mention them all here. But there is an urgent need for support from abroad. For those arrested, it provides much needed moral support to know that people overseas are aware of their situation. And for US activists in general, it lessens the sense of isolation and fear as they are targeted under the Green Scare.

Please visit www.ecoprisoners.org for more information, and write a letter to the US embassy asking them to ensure a fair trial and calling for an end to the description of environmental activists as terrorists: Robert Holmes Tuttle, Embassy of the United States, 24 Grosvenor Square, London W1A 1AE. Tel O20 7499 9000

from http://www.redpepper.org.uk/civ/x-july2006-goodwin.htm via oneworld.net

Fri 7/28 NYC - PROTEST ATTACKS ON LEBANON AND PALESTINE!

PROTEST ATTACKS ON LEBANON AND PALESTINE!

Friday, July 28th
3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Zionist Consulate
800 2nd Ave (btw 42nd & 43rd Sts.)
New York, NY

Why: Yet again in front of the Israeli Consulate during mid-day traffic, thisFriday, July 28, 2006 at 3:30pm, the people of New York unite to condemn in the strongest terms the savage Israeli occupation and massacre of the innocent Palestinian and Lebanese people.

As the innocent children of Palestine and Lebanon cry in grief and despair, the people of New York respond. Launching yet another weekend of activity in solidarity with the Lebanese and Palestinian people who are enduring one of the worst assaults in history, thousands of New Yorkers unite to remind the world, the US government, and the rogue Israeli state that the attacks on Lebanon and Palestine must stop immediately. The street actions began the day of the Israeli bombing of Lebanon, and have not since ended sprouting up across the city in parks, streets and campuses.

The Israeli Government, owner of the fourth largest military power in the world, continues to massacre Lebanese and Palestinian civilians, a repeat of its genocidal policies conducted in Lebanon in 1982, and an extension of the fifty-eight year Israeli policy toward Palestinians. The Israeli State is recipient of two-thirds of the US Foreign Aid Budget, receiving the equivalent of $4 Billion/ year of American Tax Dollars. It is with these American Dollars and American-made weapons that the Israeli government is murdering Lebanese and Palestinian nationals, wiping out entire families, leaving them buried under the rubble that once was their homes, and destroying all civilian infrastructure needed for basic survival.

Groups and individuals of conscience across the city, across the country and across the world demand that:

1. The US government stop all financial support of the Israeli State;

2. That the Israelis cease fire and withdraw from all Lebanese and Palestinian Lands;

3. That the Israelis release all Arab and Palestinian Political Prisoners, over 10,000 are held of whom approximately one thousand are women and children;

4. All Lebanese and Palestinian Refugees be immediately allowed to return to their homes to live in safety.

Called by: (AMAF) Arab Muslim American Federation, CAIR, MAS, ICNA, Al-Awda NY, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition

Endorsed by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, International Action Center, A.N.S.W.E.R, NAAP, along with numerous mosques, churches and organizations across New York and New Jersey.

Ashanti Alston at Political Prisoners support rally in Mexico

national_jericho@riseup.net wrote:

THE JERICHO MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED “SNAKES” OF
AMERICA SUPPORTS THE STRUGGLE TO FREE THE ATENCO
POLITICAL PRISONERS AND ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS IN
MEXICO

July 25, 2006

To you who are the dreamers and keepers of the dreams, the
people's dreams.

To you who picked up arms, pens and the volume of freedom cries.

To you who the hands of the dream-killers have imprisoned from
1994 to Atenco because you dared to follow the leadership of your
hearts along with many other hearts that now sing with freedom
songs. We sing in the African community churches of the United
States: A CHANGE IS GOING TO COME
because GOD DIDN'T BRING YOU THIS FAR TO LEAVE YOU
HERE. And we understand that in all faiths and most (ha! ha!) ideologies.

To you who are POLITICAL PRISONERS, like our own in the
USA, we honor you. We hold you dear in our hearts, the place
where your dreams (which are our dreams) find nurturing embrace
with people in resistance. Dreams that also grow wings in the course
of adversity and fly through the cracks of the walls and bars of your
and our confinements.

It is even under these extraordinary and horrible conditions that we
find each other and inspire each other. What was our isolation is
destroyed that easily, because we know that prison can have no
real victory of us. Our spirit is greater than arrogant political, military
and corporate power-holders who, even behind all of their wealth
and weaponry, fear the wonderful life-affirming power of the people.

To you new human being imprisoned for resistance, I send you the
salute of all the POLITICAL PRISONERS in the United SNAKES
of America, political prisoners who are African, Asian, Latino European,
working folks, gays – ALL DREAMERS – they would want me to say to you:

THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE IS GREATER THAN MAN'S TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS GREATER THAN ALL THE POLICE AND MILITARY IN THE
WORLD. IN FACT, THE MERE SMILE OF A CHILD AND RAISED FIST
OF A SINGLE POLITICAL PRISONER CAN HALT ENTIRE ARMIES OF MACHINE-LIKE NEO-LIBERAL DREAM-KILLERS.

We met your compañeros in San Cristóbal yesterday and saw their wings.
They are fighting for your “return flight”. Isn't that wonderful? What a
glorious revolution of winged hearts. Hold fast – VICTORY IS OURS.

“Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird that
cannot fly, Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams go, Life is a barren field,
Frozen with snow.” —Langston Hughes, black revolutionary poet

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

FREE ALL THE POLITICAL PRISONERS!

THERE ARE WORLDS THAT COLLIDE, AND THERE ARE WORLDS
THAT COMMUNE AND DANCE. WE ARE…. DANCING and
DREAMING TO VICTORIES and IT IS REAL.

Ashanti Alston

Former member of the Black Panther Party/Black Liberation Army,
imprisoned 14 years – USA

Co-chair of the National Jericho Movement (for the freedom of all
Political Prisoners in the USA and its colonies)

--
FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!
national_jericho@riseup.net
www.thejerichomovement.com

Speech by Dr. Salman Abu Sitta at 4th International Al-Awda Convention

Back to Roots

Salman Abu Sitta

Al-Awda’s 4^th International Convention

San Francisco, 14^th - 16^th July 2006

http://www.al-awda.org/abusitta.html

Thank you Jess for your kind introduction. I have just landed after a 10 hour flight from London, crossing an 8 hour time zone. I had plenty of time to reflect on our situation. Today, terrible news from Gaza and Lebanon, describing the death and destruction sown by Israel, gives us an eerie sense of dejas-vu. Al Nakba is re-enacted everyday of our lives.

Over half a century ago, it would have been inconceivable, that I, a Palestinian boy living peacefully in his home thousands of miles away, would be speaking to you here today, nor that many of you, third generation refugees from Palestine, would be here in such numbers, away from the homes of your fathers and grandfathers. But such is the working of al Nakba

I became a refugee at the age of 10, when strange European Zionist settlers invaded my country, destroyed my home and made me a refugee. I spent all my adult life wondering why this enemy destroyed my life. I tried to put a face to this invisible enemy – for I have never seen one before. Like millions of Palestinians, I started, then in 1948, on the long trek to return home, The trajectory of expulsion propelled us to the four corners of the earth but our compass was always directed towards our home. In unison and in unbelievable resilience, we vowed: We shall never rest until we return home.

This is the ninetieth year in our struggle for freedom and peaceful life in our homeland. In 1916, two European colonial diplomats, the British Mark Sykes and the French Georges Picot conspired to enslave the Arab people after winning the war in alliance with the Arabs against the Ottoman rule. While the Allies’ planes were dropping leaflets expressing devotion to the Arab quest for freedom and democracy, Sykes and Picot charted on a map lines dividing of the territorial spoils of war.

A latent European colonial enterprise came into the fray. The Zionist leader, Weizmann extracted a fateful letter from the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Balfour, in November 1917 addressed to a Jewish millionaire, Lord Rothschild. None of the three conspiring Europeans lived in Palestine or had a legitimate presence in Palestine. The British army then had barely crossed the border of Palestine.

Balfour declaration was a false promise of those who did not own to those who had no title behind the back of the rightful owner. Thus began a relentless Western war against the Palestinian people, now in its ninetieth year.

Balfour was fully aware of what he was doing. True to his colonial heritage, he said in 1918,

For in Palestine we do not propose even to go through the form of consulting the wishes of the present inhabitants of the country…..[Zionism is] of far profounder impact than the desires and prejudices [not the rights] of the Arabs who inhabit this ancient land..

He said the Arabs are “wholly barbarous, undeveloped and unorganized black tribes”.

The British Mandate ruled Palestine from 1920 to 1948 with the irreconcilable objectives of preparing the Palestinians for free democratic government and building a ‘national home’ for Jews in Palestine.

Nine decades before George Bush came up with his campaign for democracy for the whole world, the Palestinians started their campaign for democracy. When they petitioned, agitated and revolted for their cause, Churchill, the Colonial Secretary, told them in 1921,

Step by step we shall develop representative institutions leading to full self-government but our children’s children will have passed away before that is accomplished…..

They are still waiting. They have not given up.

In his five-year tenure (1920-1925), the Zionist first British High Commissioner of Palestine, Herbert Samuel, laid the foundations for the state of Israel.

Hebrew was introduced as an official language, separate Jewish institutions for banking, education, labor, water and energy were formed. A pseudo government and an embryonic army were established. What was left was to import citizens for the new state, hence the drive for Jewish immigration.

By 1948, with the collusion of the British Mandate, The Zionists failed to acquire, even by money, Zionist-inspired laws and economic pressure, more than 5.5% of the land of Palestine. But they succeeded in increasing the Jewish population from 9% to 30% of the total population and they trained an army of 120,000, or 20% of the Jewish immigrant population. (Compare this with a normal country, where the army makes up 1 - 2% of the population). This Zionist army was ready to pounce on Palestine.

It is often said in the standard Israeli narrative that, at the end of the Mandate, the Palestinians refused to accept the Partition Plan of Palestine, while the Jews accepted it. This narrative deliberately omits and distorts key facts.

How can the Palestinians accept to give away sovereignty over 54% of their country to Jewish European immigrants who controlled only 5.5% of Palestine, many of whom had just waded into their shores under the cover of darkness from a smuggler’s ship?

In the would-be Jewish state, 457 Palestinian towns and villages suddenly found themselves under the rule of foreign immigrants. The Palestinians comprised about half of the total population of this new state.

They did not like it. Neither did Ben Gurion, for different reasons. In 1948, Ben Gurion proceeded to expel his Palestinian citizens even before Israel was declared and he went on, not only to conquer 54%, but 78% of Palestine and expel its population. Al Nakba was born.

Zionists, now called Israelis, conquered 774 Palestinian towns and villages, depopulated totally 675 of them, while 99 remained under brutal military rule for 16 years to be replaced by second class citizen status.

It was the largest planned and foreign-supported ethnic cleaning in modern history.

Never before in modern history has a foreign minority descended upon the national majority of a country as in Palestine, depopulated its inhabitants, confiscated its land, property and records in the largest land robbery since WW II, destroyed its historical and religious landscape and obliterated its identity and history and called this crime as a victory for civilization and a divine intervention.

These who missed al Nakba of 1948 can see it re-enacted every day on their TV screens, albeit in different forms and under different pretexts.

Today the Palestinian population is about 10 million (9.650). Two thirds are refugees, the largest ratio among any people in the world. If you add those displaced in 1967, fully three quarters of the Palestinians are deprived of the normal human right to live at home. The remainder live under Israeli occupation, the longest and most brutal occupation in modern times.

You are the children and grandchildren of those refugees. You are fighting for the same cause: The right to return home. You have not sailed to Poland and Russia. Your adversaries sailed to your shores. You did not conquer, plunder and expel. Others did it to you.

Israel has waged 5 major wars, hundreds of raids by air, land and sea against the Palestinian people for exactly 21,412 days today. But Palestinians are still standing tall. They never surrendered.

In the last 6 years since the second intifada, 3500 Palestinians were killed, over 9000 are prisoners at present, but 40% of all adult male population have been imprisoned at one time by the Israeli occupation forces.

In what the author and film director, John Pilger, calls ‘a war on children’, seven hundred children were killed by Israeli occupation forces since 2000. This is not to mention Mohamed al Durra killed in his father’s lap or Huda Ghalia, the child who lost all her family on a Gaza beach.

Ethnic cleansing is a crime against humanity according the sixth principle of the Nuremberg Charter and the 1998 Statute of Rome. Collective punishment is contrary to Geneva Conventions. The International Court of Justice, the highest legal body in the world, in a landmark Advisory Opinion of July 2004, decreed that the Apartheid wall is illegal and Israel’s brutal occupation is illegal.

The famous UN resolution 194, calling for the refugees’ return has been affirmed by the UN over 130 times. It has been supported by all Human Rights Conventions. The majority of the people in the world support the Palestinian rights. Why then are they not implemented? Why do Palestinians continue to suffer?

I submit to you that a campaign of genocide has been waged against the Palestinian people, a genocide of killing, a genocide of elimination, a genocide of exile and banishment, a genocide of decapitating people by assassinating their leaders, a genocide of starvation, a genocide of slow death by cutting sources of food, water and medicine, a genocide of civilized life by destroying schools, universities and hospitals, a genocide of oblivion by destroying the national identity and denying the right for citizenship and nationality.

Israel has done that and more. It is the raison d’etre of Israel. Ben Gurion said that the destruction of Palestine is a pre-condition for the foundation of Israel.

We know all that. We also know that Israel could not have done that without the massive military, financial and political support of the US Administration. You live here and you know this better than me. You only need to read the report by Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer, well-known scholars, not particularly pro-Arab, on the influence of Israel Lobby on US foreign policy and the damage it does to US interests.

While US foreign policy is openly and unashamedly biased in favor of Israel, Europe, The original colonial power, continues to play the same role it did in 1916. Europe gives conditional aid to Palestinians. It tells them: if you accept Israeli occupation and drop your rights, we will give enough aid to keep you alive. If you do not, we will let your starve. We will also not let anybody else help you. Deliberate starvation of a people is a crime against humanity. Yes this is what the hypocritical European politicians publicly declare.

The conditional aid they give to Palestinians is in effect financing the occupation. Israel, the Occupying Power, is obliged under the 4^th Geneva Convention and generally Humanitarian Law to pay for all services needed for the occupied people. Europe relieves Israel from this burden and let it free to conduct its brutal occupation

I once said to some European diplomats : Do you not have the courage at least to recover the cost of hospitals you built and Israel destroyed? He could not answer.

The monumental verdict by the International Court of Justice of 9^th July 2004 and its subsequent endorsement by the UN did not cause any western power to move Nato forces, apply sanctions or economic blockade, not even make a strong protest, against Israel’s violation of international law, as they have done with ferocity in innumerable other cases.

Outside the UN resolutions, western powers have proposed over two dozen schemes for the so called “peace in the Middle East” since Israel was conditionally admitted to the UN in 1949.

As an exercise, I went through all those schemes. Not one of them, not one, forces Israel to implement International Law. They all require Palestinians to drop all or most of their rights, under the rubric of “realism” and ask them to legitimize Israel’s violation of International Law.

Take the Right of Return. It is enshrined in International Law and affirmed repeatedly, particularly for the Palestinian refugees. It has been implemented in Kosova, Bosnia, East Timor, Ruwanda, Guatemala, Abkhazia, Afghanistan and Iraq. But not in Palestine. Why?

The response we here from sympathetic Europeans: it is not realistic, it is not feasible, there is no room, villages are destroyed, no where to return to…..etc.

What if this is true? This is like saying: If you intend to kill or steal, you will be punished. But if you successfully kill and steal, you are forgiven for the crime and what you steal is yours. There is no moral, legal or even political logic behind that.

But it is not true. Such Zionist myths have been demystified long ago. We have shown that:

- The land of the refugees, which is 93% of Israel, is inhabited by 1.5% of Israeli Jews, largely in the Kibbutz, which is financially and politically bankrupt. The Kibbutz share the refugees’ land with the army for its expansionist and occupation campaigns.

- 90% of the village sites are still vacant, 7% are partially built-over, and only 3% are totally built over in Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem.

- The total number of Russian immigrants is equal to all registered refugees in Lebanon and Gaza. If Israel wanted peace, refugees could have returned. Instead, new conflict is created and the racist Sharansky and Lieberman became new Israel’s leaders.

- 97% of refugees are located within 100 km from their homes and 50% are within 40 km, a mere bus ride. Many can see their houses but they cannot get there.

- Gaza population density is 6000 persons/km2 while their land, a few kilometers away, is empty, at 6 rural Jews/km2. All the rural Jews in half of Israel, from Ramleh to Um Rashrash (Eilat) are less in number than a single refugee camp in Gaza.

We could go on and on. This was published in books and atlases. The facts were never disputed by Israelis, only the motives behind them.

That is about Palestine enemies. But what about the Palestinian position?

PLO was formed in 1964 as the representative of the Palestinian people with the sole aim of restoring their rights. In 1974, the UN passed several resolutions to affirm that these rights are inalienable. In 1988, The Palestine National Council made a major concession. It split its national objectives into two: (1) establishing a Palestine state on only one fifth of its territory and ( 2 ) pursuing the Right of Return of the refugees to their homes wherever they may be, precisely in the meaning of resolution 194.

Oslo Accords of 1993 were a watershed. Palestinian leadership, at its lowest ebb, accepted these Accords which had two major flows: (1) they ignored the massive body of International Law that supported Palestinian rights, and (2) The Palestinian people were neither consulted nor have they agreed to Oslo Accords in any fully representative way through referendum or a freshly elected PNC. The major victim was the refugees rights.

Hence, the Rights of Return Movement was born. Committees, groups and associations were formed in every place in the world where there were concentration of refugees. By 1998, the fiftieth year of al Nakba, this movement became a formidable voice. Dedicated activists, academics, writers and community leaders worked tirelessly and joined forces with liberal and human rights groups. Today no one can deny their presence. But they lacked a unified consolidated political entity. This situation is becoming detrimental to our cause and cannot continue.

The reason is simple. The internal conflict between Hamas, the elected PA government and Fatah, the old largely corrupt faction, stifled any progress towards the essential Palestinian issues.

Last month, I met many Palestinian leaders, including Abu Mazen. It is my considered opinion, supported by many others, that Fatah clings to PLO structure, which it previously marginalized, as the only remaining vehicle for power.

Israel and Western powers support Abu Mazen more or less and act to destroy Hamas government because it is the elected representative that would not forfeit Palestinian inalienable rights. Israel does not consider Palestinians or Arabs a military threat. But Palestinians have a coveted valuable prize that Israel desperately seeks: that is legitimacy, that is for Palestinians to say: there is no Palestine, no Palestinians, no rights big or small. They want Abu Mazen, the nominal head of outdated PLO, to sign on behalf of all Palestinians on the required concessions, in what would be called a historic settlement. Then he and PLO will be dumped in the bin.

Organized members of Fatah, Hamas and other factions do not count for more than 5% of all Palestinians. Where is the voice of 95% of Palestinians? Who represents them now? Who defends their rights? It is, and should be, the Palestine National Council, the source of ultimate power and the arbiter of the destiny of the Palestinian people.

As you know, the old PNC is now defunct, its members have been gathered arbitrarily and it has grown to 600 or 700 unknown people. Many have died or lost touch with the people. There must be a new PNC, clean, lean and truly representative council through elections everywhere. It is our only safety net.

We have a large database to know who the Palestinians are, where they come from, where they are today. Elections could be held in many parts of the world and, where not possible, other representative means may be devised.

The PNC membership should not exceed 250, at the rate of one member for 40,000 or 4 village units. Only 33% of Palestinians now live in Occupied Palestine of 1967, under PA. All Palestinians, including those in 1948, should be represented.

These simple and necessary principles are rejected or obstructed by current leadership. They wish to allocate half the seats to the one-third of the people under PA. They underestimate the weight of Palestinians abroad. One leader, who appears on TV frequently, told me, “we are in the fire. We represent you. That is enough”. He did not mention the secret agreements by his ilk to drop the Right of Return, nor the corruption as his credentials.

This old tired leadership gives lame excuses for not holding PNC elections. They delay endlessly convening the meeting of the Preparatory Committee which should be entrusted with holding the elections.

They ignore the major fact, plain to all, that western powers court the present leadership for the single reason that they sign concessions in the name of PLO on behalf of the Palestinian people. Then they and PLO will be wiped out. The two thirds of Palestinians will be left to their own devices or forcibly settled somewhere.

We must prevent this happening. PLO and PNC are our major, probably only, achievement in the past half a century as the representative of the Palestinian people. A new PNC must be elected soon.

To do that, we have to forge a union of all groups to speak with one voice. We then must hold a popular conference of 1000-2000 people for Palestinians of all walks of life. A venue is already available. We must form a single unified people’s voice very soon. We must participate in the Preparatory Committee of PNC and prevent it being high-jacked by old cronies.

As we have forced our presence in the media and human rights activism, we must now have a real, strong voice in shaping our destiny.

Our resilience and determination has carried us through 58 years. We should carry this message forward, a message of freedom and justice.

And as we always say:

Ma dha’a huqqon wara’hu mutalib.

(No right is lost if pursued vigorously).

Shameful SFPD Killing of Samoan Gentle Giant "Big O", June 06

> Shameful SFPD Killing of Samoan Gentle Giant "Big O", June 06
> SFPD Killing Spree
>   on Black &Brown,
>           June 2006
>
>
> The man hunt is on, on San Francisco Plantation.
> Survivors:
> Gina Hinton, Black, 28, shot 8 times in July 05 while in a surrendering
> position
> Tyrelle Taylor, Black, 17, shot 5 times in Sept 05, then beaten up
> Marlon Crump, Black, 28, racially profiled
> Melvin Hodges, Black, 40, homeless, beaten up by Homeland Security
> Vivienne Johnson, Black, 48, beaten up by Homeland Security
>
> DEAD
> Craig Holden, Black, 21, left to suffocate to death in SF Bayview Precinct
> without his asthma medicine
> Kathleen Eklund, 33, interracial, shot by CHP while surrendering
> ASA Sullivan, Black, 25, shot numerous times while in a 2 1/2 feet crawling
> space, holding an eye glass case "Mistaken" for a gun
> Oliver Lefiti, 36, Samoan, "suspected drug dealer", no weapons or drugs found
> at the scene.
>
> December 05: The racist, homophobic and genocidal SFPD Bayview Videotapes,
> all 29 of them, filmed on company tie, budget and equipment rock the nation
>
> February 06, month long coverage of SFPD lethal force in the SF Chronicle
>
> June 06 : SFPD Killing of Asa &Big O, 18 days apart. Murderous KKKops on 2
> week paid vacation.
>
> Please join the website set up in support of the family of
>
> Oliver Lefiti, AKA "Big O"
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/justice4BigO/
>
> for background on his shameful killing by SFPD.
>
> This is the second PD murder of a Samoan Warrior in SF.
> Prior, they shot and killed a severely retarded 13 yr. Samoan boy with Down
> Syndrome who was playing with a plastic water gun...
>
> Big O has been demonized in the corporate press, portrayed as a "suspected
> drug dealer", although no weapons or drugs were found at the scene. No
> community/PD liaison has been activated for the past 2 weeks to
> give answers to his
> family, who courageously steps up to the plate and demands Justice.
>
> Big O was a reformed man who was active in his community, deterring the Youth
> from street life.
>
> In Struggle &Solidarity
>
> mesha Irizarry
> Site moderator
> (415) 595-8251
> http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeo9ewi/idrissstelleyfoundation/
>
>
> Also check on another shameful SFPD killing , 2 weeks before Big O:
>
> Asa Sullivan
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/justice4ASA/

Iranian Anti-Censorship Crusader Accepts Censorship at Amnesty International

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/pourzal190706.html
Iranian Anti-Censorship Crusader Accepts Censorship at Amnesty International

by Rostam Pourzal

At a press conference today, journalist Akbar Ganji had just finished vilifying the "intolerant culture" of non-Europeans when he failed to intervene against Western censorship happening right before his eyes. He is touring the United States to, in his words, raise awareness about government abuses in Iran, including his six-year imprisonment that ended last March. The other constant theme of his campaign has been the glorification of Western "achievements." For his "courage," he has received numerous press freedom awards from European, Canadian, and American intellectual and media associations.

Ganji was the attraction at the posh Washington office of Amnesty International today, where several awe-struck staffers joined a dozen admiring reporters and Iranian backers of Ganji around a conference table. No sooner had I placed copies of this open letter addressed to him on the table at the conclusion of the press conference than the same were snatched up by an AI enforcer, who told me I needed prior permission to have my freedom of _expression. Apparently the AI careerist was alarmed by doubts I had raised earlier in the session about Ganji's tour. After all, if inconsistencies in the stories told in Amnesty's fundraising were to become public, could budget cuts and staff layoffs be far behind?

The staffer began to show me (registered as a reporter) the door but relented when I informed him that I was an AI member. I reminded him that, if expressing diverse opinions at AI required official approval, we should not be criticizing Iran's theocracy for censorship. But he would not let the reporters see my letter.

Ganji looked on but chose not to ask me for a copy of the letter or ask his AI hosts to respect my freedom of _expression. Presumably, human rights are so safe in a Western "democracy" that he did not trust his eyes as he witnessed AI's censorship! When he returns to Iran, of course he will tell tall tales of total press freedom in America. But he will not mention that no reporter at today's press conference defended my unorthodox take on Ganji. His Iranian cohorts will no doubt agree that the consensus of corporate careerists is "democracy."
Ganji has risen to mythic stature in the eyes of elitist Iranian "pro-democracy" activists and Western seekers of "moderate Muslims" because six years in an Iranian prison have not dimmed his enthusiasm for neo-liberal policies. Associated Press quoted him the other day as advocating the privatization of Middle East's oil resources: "Ganji said that, until oil revenues are wrested from state hands, there will be virtually no democratic nations in the Middle East."

In other words, the "human rights activist" dreams of a day when the nationalization of Iranian oil, for which Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh was overthrown in 1953 by the CIA , can be reversed. If Ganji's recommended path to "democracy" sounds familiar, that is because it is identical to the American plan for Iraqi oil , first revealed during the tenure of Paul Bremmer. For reasons like this, Ganji has drawn little sympathy in Iran outside the struggling reformist (anti-populist) movement. He must therefore appeal to what he calls the West's "civil society" (read: shadow government) and Iranians living abroad for help.

This should not come as a surprise because, like the ultra-right former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her guru Friedrich von Hayek, Ganji extols Karl Popper's elitist philosophy of freedom throughout his writings , little of which have been translated from Farsi. Thatcher and Hayek supported Chile's mass murderer, General Augusto Pinochet, because he restored market "freedom" in his country with the help of CIA.

Ganji is not the first Iranian opposition activist who thinks like Margaret Thatcher and yet declares, when he is cornered, that he admires social democracy! But he is the one most embraced by Western libertarian circles. Rumor has it that Noam Chomsky, who last year added his name to a petition demanding Ganji's release from prison, has agreed to meet with him . If true, that should be an interesting meeting, because Ganji has consistently called for deregulation and the shrinking of government in Iran, as did Chomsky's nemesis, the late President Ronald Reagan.

(Puerto Rico is a colony of the U$ and it the policies of the colonial power that lead to its rates of imprisonment referred to below)



SOURCE: The International Centre for Prison Studies, "Entire World -- Prison Population Rates per 100,000 of the National Population," Accessed on 19 July 2006

Download the chart and data as an Excel file .

The Open Letter Confiscated by Amnesty International:
America's Own Political Prisoners Rot While You Grab the Spotlight, Akbar Ganji

As family members and friends of a few of America's political prisoners, we are alarmed that you have brought your campaign for prisoner rights in Iran to our country. You revive the legacy of pitiful Soviet defectors used by the Washington elite to justify wasting our nation's budget on subsidies for "defense" contractors. The attention showered on you and other worshippers of so-called Western "freedom" keeps America's own dissidents cast as unpatriotic at the margins of public debate.

In the books and numerous articles you have authored, you have made clear your fascination with member countries of the NATO military pact. You have also spoken with admiration of Western meddling in Ukraine, the so-called "Orange Revolution."

President Bush appreciates your support, as he desperately needs to divert attention from America's kidnap and torture of resisters here and abroad. In a White House statement aimed at the government of Iran last year, he declared that "America stands with you," Mr. Ganji. Former Israeli cabinet minister, Natan Sharansky , who campaigns nonstop for the confiscation of Palestinian land by Jewish settlers, joined President Bush to demand your release from prison in Iran.

You have called for regime change in Iran and hope your publicity in New York and Washington will help democratic aspirations in your country. But theatrics like your "hunger strike" at the UN is drawing attention away from a 465-page condemnation of the US government conduct sent to the UN by a coalition of leading human rights organizations (see www.ushrnetwork.org ).

We have thousands of political prisoners in the United States who are ignored by our media. Unlike you, they do not have wealthy benefactors to fly them around the country and the globe. With 2.2 million prisoners , America is certified as having the world's highest rate of incarceration . We would like you to help us while you are in the spotlight by discussing police brutality and prisoner torture in our country, too. After all, as you have said "No one is free until all are free." Iranians have as much right to interfere in the internal affairs of the United States as vice versa, even if the almighty West were "the cradle of civilization," as you told the Voice of America in a recent interview.

Your campaign makes clear that you believe only the world's most dangerous (in your words, "advanced") countries deserve national sovereignty. This is why you are here asking the West for "moral support" against your government. We remind you that similar pleas by Kosovo "dissidents" preceded 78 days of intense bombing of Yugoslavia by NATO. An example of such expansive "humanism" is Reporters Without Borders , which hosted you last week with great fanfare in Paris. The organization relies on funding from an American government entity called the National Endowment for Democracy, whose largesse has supported a number of disgruntled Iranian "intellectuals."

We wish the outspoken American journalist, Mumia Abu Jamal , could get attention from Reporters Without Borders like you do, Mr. Ganji. He has been on death row in Pennsylvania for 23 years on fabricated charges because he speaks truth to power IN THIS COUNTRY. But Reporters Without Borders specializes in embarrassing governments targeted with orange and purple revolutions only, where NED spends millions to incite "pro-democracy activists" like you.

If you have come here to stand with America's power elite -- our people's jailers -- our message to you is "Ganji Go Home!"

Ron Romelo, J. J. Amistad, Lisa Sedmark, Will Harrison, and Rostam Pourzal


Based in Washington DC, Rostam Pourzal writes regularly on the politics of human rights. MRZine has also published Pourzal's "Market Fundamentalists Lose in Iran (For Now)" (3 August 2005); "Open Letter to Iran's Nobel Laureate" (27 February 2006); "Open Letter to Iran's Nobel Laureate: Part 2" (9 March 2006); "The Shah: America's Nuclear Poster Boy" (25 May 2006); "Iranian Cold Warriors in Sheep's Clothing" (20 May 2006); "MEK Tricks US Progressives, Gains Legitimacy" (12 June 2006); "What Really Happened in Tehran on June 12? Did Human Rights Watch Get It Wrong?" (18 June 2006); and "Iran's Western Behavior Deserves Criticism" (24 June 2006).

Three suspected anarchists arrested in Greece

Three suspected anarchists arrested in Greece

Greek police on Tuesday announced the arrest of three suspected
members of the urban guerrilla group "Anti-Fascist Action", believed
to be responsible for a series of arsonist attacks since 1994.

The three were caught in the early hours of Monday morning at
Omonia, downtown Athens, after a man set alight a National Bank
of Greece ATM.

The fire was set by a 32-year-old man on a moped, who doused the
ATM with a flammable liquid and set it on fire. Police investigating the
attack caught up with the three, aged 27, 30 and 31, in a delivery van
in Omonia and they admitted their involvement under questioning.
Two of the three arrested also have previous arrests for arson and
other charges.

A search is on for the man that caused the ATM fire and the woman
owner of the moped he was riding.

The fingerprints of the 32-year-old were also found on a canister of
flammable liquid used in a fire set at the Royalist National Organization
two days before.

Responsibility for both attacks was claimed by "Anti-Fascist Action"
in a phone call to the newspaper "Eleftherotypia".

The same group has also claimed responsibility for a series of other
arsonist attacks in the past 10 years.

Source: Xinhua
http://english.people.com.cn/200607/26/eng20060726_286828.html

In My Time-By Tom Manning

In My Time

By Tom Manning, US Political Prisoner

I became aware through newspaper photographs that the prison cells built by

KBR/Halliburton at Guantanamo Bay [Gitmo] do not have plumbing. That surprised
me, considering the price that KBR/Halliburton charged the U.S. tax payers for those cells.

In the early sixties I was a Seabee in the U.S. Navy, stationed at Quonset Pointl/Davisville,
Rhode Island, with Mobile Construction Battalion One [MCB #1].

We were deployed for sea duty, to Gitmo, to build emergency housing for ten thousand
Cuban refugees that America anticipated would flee Cuba for the confines of Gitmo, in 1958,
when Fidel liberated this Island nation. It took nine months to complete, and was named
"Tin City."

We dredged hundreds of tons of living coral from the ocean in proximity to the base, and
deposited it in a lagoon that was enlarged to accommodate the project. The coral was
crushed and leveled to form a floor surrounded by cliff-like excavated walls on three
sides, with one side remaining open toward the sea.

Then the housing was built, of Quonset huts, which are corrugated tin barrel-like dwellings
in groups, or pods, of nine huts; eight sleeping huts with no plumbing surrounding a ninth
hut that was supplied with fresh water and sewage. I worked on the plumbing, from digging
the supply and waste ditches, then leveling them, to laying in the supply and waste pipes
and septic tanks and leach fields. I was on the crews that installed twelve toilets, twelve
wash basins and twelve head shower rooms, in each central (9th) hut.

During our time in Cuba, we had to adapt to the blistering heat by working tropical hours;
working from 5 in the morning, until 2 in the afternoon, with a half hour lunch and two 15
minute breaks. We further, voluntarily opted to forgo the lunch and 2 breaks so that we
could get off the job site by 1 PM, due to the mid-day heat.

Given this personal knowledge of the area, and recognizing the surrounding terrain in the
current news photos as the old Seabee/Kittery Beach area, my initial thought was that it
would be terrible to be confined in a metal cage there, without adequate water.

Add to that, being at the mercy of young, poorly trained military personnel, for what water
you do get, and what toilet access you get.

I have been held in cells during my time in U.S. prisons [24 years, 6 months, at this writing]
without water or toilet a number of times. I have been subjected to the whims of whatever
guards happened to be working the block on any given shift. I know that having a guard that
consistently acts in a proper manner is the exception, not the rule.

While thinking about how to write about these thoughts and observations, concerning water,
the pictures from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, have come out. And the information and pictures
continue to come.

Automatically my mind goes into replay mode.

During my time in U.S. prisons my right knee has been permanently damaged by being stomped
on during a cell beating by five guards [Walpole State Prison, Ten Block DSU,

1969]. The leg was up on a bunk while I was on my back on the floor with several guards
"monkey piling" me, another guard stomped the knee, hyper-extending it, causing me to pass
out from the pain. After that, I only had 15% flex of the knee, until I had it surgically corrected,
when I got out of prison in 1971.

Shortly after being captured in 1985, I was body slammed onto a concrete floor while cuffed to
a waist-chain, with black-boxed handcuffs and leg irons. That resulted in a fractured hip that
wasn't repaired until 1999 with a total artificial left hip replacement.

The Motrin I took for pain in the intervening years gave me ulcers and damaged my kidneys,
which now function at less than 50% efficiency. I've often had to take iron pills to overcome
anemia, caused by internal bleeding, and am currently on calcium pills to make up for the
calcium my kidneys are spilling.

My shoulders have both been severely damaged during beatings, while I was cuffed behind
my back, during forced blood takings. This resulted in surgery on both shoulders. These joint
surgeries on the knee, hip and shoulders, is evidenced by twenty one collective inches of
surgical scars, not counting three orthoscopic surgeries.

I have been stun-gunned twelve times in one night, resulting in temporary paralysis of my
left side, like a stroke. And then, on two other occasions I was also stun-gunned, once each time.

I have been photographed naked numerous times in Federal prison, and also by NJ State
police and the FBI; gratuitously strip searched uncountable times.

Dragged and slung around by leg irons, into walls and up and down stairs.

Strapped to a gurney with my head overhanging the front, and then run through the
prison; rammed into every door-frame or door and comers.

Tear gassed in my cell at least six times.

Forced to exit my cell naked, with my fingers laced on top of my head and told by a
squad of six ninja-turtle suited guards that if I lowered my arms it would be considered
an act of aggression and treated accordingly, while a German Shepherd dog was barking
so close to my genitals that I could feel his breath and spittle striking me. Then forced to
run down six flights of stairs, like that, with a dog and handler at every landing, shepherding us along.

The group that I was in was then herded into a large visiting room where all
24 of us stayed, naked, from 2 AM, until 8 AM, while our cells were wrecked; our
personal property destroyed.

I've lost count of the number of times I've been left in cells for hours while black-box
handcuffed and leg ironed; spending as much as 17 and 20 hours in such restraints
during transport and waiting delays, with no water and no toilet access. I have numb
areas on my hands, wrists and ankles, from this treatment, and from being kept in
control unit prisons for years, locked down for 23 hours or more a day; never less
than this (6 years in NJ; 3 years at Marion; 3 years at ADX, Florence; and 2 years in
Walpole, MA in the 1960's) for a total of 14 years of lock down.

So pardon my being unpleasantly bemused at the "shocked and amazed" reaction
of the U.S. public to this most recent "scandal." I'll be interested to see how long
"the public's" attention can be focused on this one. And I invite every prisoner, and
ex-prisoner, who reads this to sit down and write out and send out her/his own experiences
of imprisonment and abuse. OR, tell of the most memorable abuse you witnessed.

Example: when I was newly arrived at Trenton NJ's control unit, I heard laughter and
whimpering. I looked out of my cell to see a very fat, young white prisoner stretched
out on the floor, his arms extended beyond his head, hands cuffed and legs shackled.
His shirt was pulled up, off his body, over his head and onto his arms, his pants were
down around his ankles, leaving him naked from calves to forearms. Guards were
standing on his restraints on both ends, and a baton was protruding from his rectum.
Nobody else in the control unit cells was responding. I went nuts, screaming and
kicking my cell door. I believe that over my years in MCU, I helped break through
the apathy of the prisoners, and have heightened the resistance to such treatment.
Of course, the treatment was worsened, accordingly.

But then, I would rather die on my feet than linger on my knees.

The Struggle Continues!

Tom Manning #10373-016

Albany Democrat-Herald editorial on Green Scare pleas

The editorial below is from The Albany Democrat-Herald yesterday.

Perhaps people would like to respond.

Mailbag Guidelines: The editor welcomes letters on issues of
public interest. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length.

Letters can be submitted by mail:
Mailbag Democrat-Herald
PO Box 130, Albany OR 97321
Fax: (541) 926-4799

You may also respond by using the form at:

http://www.mvonline.com/support/contact/DHedletters.php

**

http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2006/07/24/news/opinion/edit01.txt

No 'eco' in this gang

Federal investigators in Oregon and across the country deserve credit for
their persistence in running to ground the so-called ecoterrorists of “The Family.”

Their efforts were crowned with success when several members of the cell
were arrested over the last several months, and again last week, in federal
court in Eugene, with the guilty pleas of some of those charged. They will
now be available to testify in the trials of the rest.

The press has called these people ecoterrorists because they supposedly had
the motive of saving the earth, which sounds kind of lofty. But actually,
they destroyed property without rhyme or reason. None of their actions
saved any part of the earth. Nothing they did resulted in any easing of the
plight of animals in our society.

They bombed installations such as wild-horse corrals in Burns, a federal
plant inspection station in Washington state, and a lumber company office
in Monmouth. They also torched a lumber mill office in Glendale and a truck
dealer in Eugene. In all, they launched 16 firebombings or other attacks
between 1997 and 2001.

Predictably, their actions proved pointless. Meat eating was not reduced. The
fate of domestic animals was not improved. In attacking research laboratories,
they destroyed material intended to improve the environment by better farming practices.

If they had wanted to make a difference, they would have had to do the heavy
lifting that people in the traditional activist groups do, to a sometimes
aggravating degree: arguing, writing, campaigning, picketing and even
filing the occasional suit.

The Northwest firebombers may claim that their attacks were planned to
destroy property, not hurt people. Even if true, that would be no excuse. They
could never have been certain that an unexpected visitor would not be trapped
by one of their arson attacks, or that firefighters would not be be injured or
killed doing their duty in fires the arsonists had caused.

These raiders, in other words, were just plain criminals and deserve no more
respect than that.

Like other dangerous criminals, they also deserve prison terms when they
appear for sentencing later this year. (hh)

Support the Cuban 5

In solidarity with the Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5
and the Cuban 5, we are forwarding the announcement  for the Sept.
12th demonstration and the International Call for the "Free the Five
Month."

FREE THE CUBAN 5!!  FREE THE PUERTO RICAN POLITICAL PRISONERS!!
The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign


The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5
http://www.freethecuban5.com
freethecubanfive@hotmail.com
Free the Cuban 5 Hotline: 718-601-4751

*******************************************************************************
FREE THE CUBAN 5!! Rally and March to demand the freedom of the Cuban 5

TUESDAY SEPT. 12TH AT 4PM!!
GATHER AT TIMES SQUARE U.S. MILITARY RECRUITMENT CENTER (42nd St. and Times
Square) AND THEN MARCH TO THE DAG HAMERSKJOLD PLAZA (E47th St. and 1st Ave.)

Bring your flags, banners and noisemakers!!

On Sept. 12th, 1998, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino Fernando Gonzalez,
Rene Gonzalez, and Antonio Guerrero were arrested and spent 17 months in
solidarity confinement!! They were convicted in a politically charged trial
in Miami in June 2001 for engaging in espionage and threatening national
security.

Nothing could be further from the truth!! The Cuban 5 infiltrated
Cuban-American right-wing terrorist organizations based in Miami to monitor
their actions and to protect the national sovereignty of their homeland Cuba
and to safeguard the American people from terrorist actions within the
United States.

Join us on Tuesday Sept. 12th as we demand the freedom of these innocent
men!!

Demand Visitation Rights for the Cuban 5!!

Extradite CIA Agent Luis Posada Carriles!!

For more information on the Cuban 5 Rally/March call 718-601-4751 or email
freethecubanfive@hotmail.com

The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5, IFCO/Pastors for
Peace, Casa de Las Américas, Jericho New York City, The ProLibertad
Freedom Campaign, The Venceremos Brigade, Jane Franklin, Cuba
Solidarity New York, The Free Jeff Luers Support Group, Puerto Rican
Alliance of Los Angeles , US Women & Cuba Collaboration, Queers
United In Solidarity with Latin America & the Caribbean, New York
Comittee to Free the Cuban Five, Iglésia San Romero de Las
Américas-UCC, Padre Luis Barrios, Dr. James D. Cockcroft, World
Council of UNESCO-Sponsored José Martí World Solidarity Project,
Comité Fabio Di Celmo pourles 5 (Montréal), Intellectuals and Artists
in Defense of Humanity, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition NYC, Alberto
Loveria, Bolivarian Circle, Bay Area Jericho Amnesty Movement,
Caribbean & Latin American Support Project, New Paltz, NY, Latin@s
For/Por Mumia, All-African People's Revolutionary Party (GC)Pan
African Roots, ANSWER Coalition, Young Socialists, Amina & Amiri
Baraka, and Harry Nier, Esq., Frente Socialista de Puerto Rico,
Frente Socialista de Puerto Rico – Comité de Nueva York, Socialist
Worker’s Party, Mariana Nogales Molinelli, Humacao, Puerto Rico,
Kirby MacLaurin, Mohammad Basirul Haq Sinha Chairman, We The People
United Bangladesh, Enrique Ferro, Peace Activist for a Just Peace in
the Middle East, Belgium, Action Center For Justice, Charlotte, NC
28210, GUYANESE-AMERICAN WORKERS UNITED, Dick Meyer (Individual), M.
Alexander (Individual), Jeffrey Segal, Louisville, Ky, KarEn
Presidency, Tina Flores of Quality Medical Relief International-World
Wide Medical Team, Dr. Carl F. Selnes (MSgt Ret.), Walla Walla, WA,
The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring Southern California District, Cindy
McCallum, National Director, Canadian Union of Postal Workers,
Prairie Region, he Philadelphia Committee to Free the Five, Emily
Coffey, Denver, Colorado, Free People's Movement & Revolutionary
Youth, Michael Parenti, Ph.D., Zarah Little, Professor Hernan
Lopez-Garay, University of Los Andes Venezuela, Zig Zag Young Women’s
Resource Centre Inc. Australia, Eugene Hernandez, Dorinda Moreno,
hitec aztec communications/elders of 4 colors 4 directions, John
Gilbert, U.S. Citizens Against War (Florence, Italy) RSU and FLC-CGIL
University of Florence, Peoples Video Network, Sue Harris producer of
Poison Dust, LEONARD D. SANFORD , JR. Waldorf MD, Workers
International League, The Western MA International Action Center,
Shel and Millie Plotkin, Sociologists without Borders – US, Erica
Anthony-Benavides, Trinity University alumnus, Günter  Belchaus,
Germany, PoetsWest J. Glenn & Barbara Evans, Seattle, DR. D. K.
CINQUEMANI, LARGO, FL, Michael Briguglio, Malta, Leslie Feinberg,
Steering Committee of LGBT Caucus, National Writers Union/UAW, The
American-Iranian Friendship Committee, Michael Kuzma, Esq, Leonard
Peltier's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Michael McIrvin, The
British Columbia Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines,
Veterans for Peace Chapter 32 in Miami, Florida, Ricardo Corrales
Sáenz, Erica Anthony-Benavides, Trinity University alumnus, Roger
Dittmann California State University/Fullerton, Los Angeles Friends
of Monthly Review, Nicholas Camerota, Prof. of Philosophy & Political
Theory, Springfield (Mass.) Technical Community College, Laura Beach,
Healdsburg, CA , DR. D. K. CINQUEMANI LARGO, FL , West 104 Street
Tenants Assn, Canadian Section of the Women's International League
for Freedom (WILPF) Terry McClain, Oakland, CA, Patrick Henry
Democratic Club, and The New Black Panther Party (LIST IN FORMATION)

******************************************************************************

To the Movement in support of Justice and Freedom,

Endorsers list a tthe bootm of the Call!!

Please send your endorsement to: FreetheCubanfive@hotmail.com and circulate
this call widely. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU CAN SCHEDULE YOUR EVENT
BETWEEN SEPT. 12TH-OCT. 6TH, 2006.

JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR JUSTICE FOR THE CUBAN 5 AND THEIR FAMILIES
SEPTEMBER 12 – OCTOBER 6, 2006

Fernando Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero and
Rene Gonzalez, have been unjustly imprisoned in U.S. federal penitentiaries
since the fall of 1998. Their crime? Fighting terrorism.

Since 1998 their imprisonment has been determined to be arbitrary and
illegal by a unanimous decision of a five member panel of U.N. human rights
experts. Their convictions were reversed by a unanimous decision of three
judges of the Atlanta Court of Appeals. Those decisions were announced in
May 2005 and August 2005, but the Five Cubans are still in prison subjected
to cruel and unusual treatment with severe violations of their human rights,
including the denial of visas to the wives of Gerardo and Rene.

Three federal judges for 16 months examined the prejudicial and illegal
practices that characterized their trial in Miami. In their 93 page decision
they concluded unanimously that Fernando Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon
Labañino, Antonio Guerrero and Rene Gonzalez were victims of an
unprecedented bias, which denied them their fundamental right to a fair
trial. Their ruling set aside each and every one of their convictions. It
was a great victory, but not one that Washington and its friends in Miami
could accept. Such a powerful statement by one of the highest - if not the
most conservative - courts in the United States outraged those ordinarily
unchallenged makers of Cuban policy and compelled them, in desperation, to
resort to a rarely used legal tactic to appeal the decision.

We are now awaiting word on whether or not the federal appellate court in
Atlanta will hold firm to its' initial determination.

Two months ago, Ricardo Alarcon, the President of the Cuban Parliament,
urged that a period starting September 12th and ending October 6th be used
to break down the silence surrounding the case of the Cuban Five as well as
to condemn all terrorism and demand justice for its victims.

Whether it was sending medical brigades, sending scientific experts, or
training future physicians, Cuba has always responded to the needs of the
international community. Now, it is our turn to stand in support of Cuba
and its call to Free the Cuban 5.

We call upon all of you to join in the international campaign against US
sponsored terrorism from September 12 to October the 6, 2006, by:

• Endorsing this call for a period of activities from September 12th to
October 6th of this year to educate and rally public support for the freedom
of Fernando Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero
and Rene Gonzalez and to demand that their families be allowed to visit
them; ADD YOUR ORGANIZATION TO THE LIST BELOW!!

• Discuss scheduling an event in your church, school, political
organization, solidarity group, or community organization during The Free
the Five Month; we need to fill this 25 day period with activitres
throughout NYC and throughout the United States.

• Contact The Free the Cuban 5 Organizing Committee for resources, which can
help to organize your event and to coordinate with others building the
Freedom Calendar for the 5.

Please send your endorsement to: FreetheCubanfive@hotmail.com and circulate
this call widely. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU CAN SCHEDULE YOUR EVENT
BETWEEN SEPT. 12TH-OCT. 6TH, 2006

The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5, IFCO/Pastors for
Peace, Casa de Las Américas, Jericho New York City, The ProLibertad
Freedom Campaign, The Venceremos Brigade, Jane Franklin, Cuba
Solidarity New York, The Free Jeff Luers Support Group, Puerto Rican
Alliance of Los Angeles , US Women & Cuba Collaboration, Queers
United In Solidarity with Latin America & the Caribbean, New York
Comittee to Free the Cuban Five, Iglésia San Romero de Las
Américas-UCC, Padre Luis Barrios, Dr. James D. Cockcroft, World
Council of UNESCO-Sponsored José Martí World Solidarity Project,
Comité Fabio Di Celmo pourles 5 (Montréal), Intellectuals and Artists
in Defense of Humanity, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition NYC, Alberto
Loveria, Bolivarian Circle, Bay Area Jericho Amnesty Movement,
Caribbean & Latin American Support Project, New Paltz, NY, Latin@s
For/Por Mumia, All-African People's Revolutionary Party (GC)Pan
African Roots, ANSWER Coalition, Young Socialists, Amina & Amiri
Baraka, and Harry Nier, Esq., Frente Socialista de Puerto Rico,
Frente Socialista de Puerto Rico – Comité de Nueva York, Socialist
Worker’s Party, Mariana Nogales Molinelli, Humacao, Puerto Rico,
Kirby MacLaurin, Mohammad Basirul Haq Sinha Chairman, We The People
United Bangladesh, Enrique Ferro, Peace Activist for a Just Peace in
the Middle East, Belgium, Action Center For Justice, Charlotte, NC
28210, GUYANESE-AMERICAN WORKERS UNITED, Dick Meyer (Individual), M.
Alexander (Individual), Jeffrey Segal, Louisville, Ky, KarEn
Presidency, Tina Flores of Quality Medical Relief International-World
Wide Medical Team, Dr. Carl F. Selnes (MSgt Ret.), Walla Walla, WA,
The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring Southern California District, Cindy
McCallum, National Director, Canadian Union of Postal Workers,
Prairie Region, he Philadelphia Committee to Free the Five, Emily
Coffey, Denver, Colorado, Free People's Movement & Revolutionary
Youth, Michael Parenti, Ph.D., Zarah Little, Professor Hernan
Lopez-Garay, University of Los Andes Venezuela, Zig Zag Young Women’s
Resource Centre Inc. Australia, Eugene Hernandez, Dorinda Moreno,
hitec aztec communications/elders of 4 colors 4 directions, John
Gilbert, U.S. Citizens Against War (Florence, Italy) RSU and FLC-CGIL
University of Florence, Peoples Video Network, Sue Harris producer of
Poison Dust, LEONARD D. SANFORD , JR. Waldorf MD, Workers
International League, The Western MA International Action Center,
Shel and Millie Plotkin, Sociologists without Borders – US, Erica
Anthony-Benavides, Trinity University alumnus, Günter  Belchaus,
Germany, PoetsWest J. Glenn & Barbara Evans, Seattle, DR. D. K.
CINQUEMANI, LARGO, FL, Michael Briguglio, Malta, Leslie Feinberg,
Steering Committee of LGBT Caucus, National Writers Union/UAW, The
American-Iranian Friendship Committee, Michael Kuzma, Esq, Leonard
Peltier's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Michael McIrvin, The
British Columbia Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines,
Veterans for Peace Chapter 32 in Miami, Florida, Ricardo Corrales
Sáenz, Erica Anthony-Benavides, Trinity University alumnus, Roger
Dittmann California State University/Fullerton, Los Angeles Friends
of Monthly Review, Nicholas Camerota, Prof. of Philosophy & Political
Theory, Springfield (Mass.) Technical Community College, Laura Beach,
Healdsburg, CA , DR. D. K. CINQUEMANI LARGO, FL , West 104 Street
Tenants Assn, and The New Black Panther Party (LIST IN FORMATION)

British anti-hunt prisoners

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (25th July 2006)

Dear friends

Today three well known British animal rights activists, Natasha
Avery, Heather Nicholson and Daniel Wadham were convicted of carrying
out public disorder offence against a fox hunting family and where
sentenced to imprisonment.

As ELP understands the case, the three where, on the day in question,
innocently walking along a road, minding their own business when they
noticed a car displaying pro-hunt stickers.  Outraged by such a
blatent incitement to illegal activity (fox hunting is illegal in
Britain) the three decided to express their views on the subject. 
The family inside the car phoned the police.

Sadly the police did not uphold the law and arrest the people who
advocated the illegal killing of foxes for their own perverse blood
lusts, but instead decided to arrest the three animal rights
activists instead under two separate public order offences.

ELP feels strongly that the prosecution against these three was
highly politically motivated and designed to stop these three
individuals from their lawful campaigning activities (it is well
known that all three are involved with the international SHAC
campaign).  And sadly the sentences confirm our suspicions.

Heather and Nat were sentenced to 16 months imprisonment.  Dan was
sentenced to 12 months.

Please send urgent letters of support to:

Natasha Avery (new prisoner)
UKDS Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford
Middlesex
TW15 3JZ
England

Heather Nicholson (NR7271)
UKDS Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford
Middlesex
TW15 3JZ
England

Daniel Wadham (new prisoner)
HMP and YOI Feltham
Bedfont Road
Middlesex
TW13 4ND
England

PLEASE NOTE:  Heather has already served several months on remand
awaiting this trial and is therefore due to be released on 11 August
2006.   However she welcomes letters of support and would love to
hear from you.

==========

British Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England

Support Bill Dunne

Greetings Comrades & Friends;

Last night I got a call from our comrade and political prisoner Bill Dunne
(down since 1979), who asked if Jericho and comrades could help get the
prison administrators off his back. Bill has been down since 79 and is at
Atwater federal prison, Atwater Ca. Bill has been in the hole for over 3
months and hasn't got any review from the administration regarding his
"charges".

In fact, he has been threatened with a transfer to the control prison at
Marion, IL (he was there in the 90's) or to ADMAX in Florence, Co. He
and other comrades were its first prisoners in 2000.

Bill's problems stem from the fact that he is a prison activist and
advocate for himself and other prisoners, which drives the administrators
to retaliate rather than deal with the prison problems.

So please take a few minutes and do some calling or e-mailing to help
him get some breathing room.

A 2 step plan:

1. Call 209-386-0257 or e-mail (ATW/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOV)
the Warden, Mr. D. Smith, his case manager John DeVere or the assistant
warden, Belinda Avalos--she will put you on voice mail rather then answer
questions. The question is "WHY IS BILL DUNNE 10916-086 STILL
IN THE HOLE?” If they say he is awaiting transfer, Ask them again why
he was put in the hole in the first place and when will he get his hearing?
If you don't get any satisfaction, go to step 2

2. The Western Regional office is in Dublin, CA and you can ask the same
question to Director Mr. J.E. Gunja at 925-803-4700 or e-mail at
WXRO/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOV

Please let us know if you get a response from the administration as Bill's
family is trying to get a lawyer to visit to let them know that we are
concerned for one of our own ... in Bill’s words: The Future Holds
Promise.

Paulette NYC Jericho 718-220-6004
kazi Toure National Jericho

I have included a short piece from
http://www.infoshop.org/wiki/index.php/Bill_Dunne

I see that road running not only through traditional forms of struggle,
but also in new and innovative directions. Creating an alternative
socio-economic base of collective living and working situations is one.
That will help us drive past the apparatus of repression's increasing
capacity to co-opt and suppress older forms of struggle and develop our
theory and practice in the process. The diverse organs of that base will
grow together into a body politic of interwoven free zones, displacing
ruling class institutions with our own.

Toward attaining that destination, we need to cooperate in creating a new
revolutionary praxis synthesizing the lessons of the past and a clear
analysis of the present. With mutual struggle, we can weld the diverse
elements of our side of the barricade into a powerful weapon against the
depredations of imperial capital. Our overwhelming human commonality
can and must make it an all people's tool of emancipation from the class enemy
that afflicts us all."

(January 12, 1998)

Vegan Dinner Fundraiser with Rob Los Ricos, Sunday 07/30 in Seattle

Hello there, Northwest supporters of incarcerated
comrades-Our friend Rob (Los Ricos) Thaxton has been
released from prison,following nearly eight years behind
bars for 'perpetrating' an act of self defense. As much
(if not more) an anarchist as the day he was taken from
us, Rob is now embarking on a speaking tour and will be
in Seattle thisweekend to talk about his experiences and
perspectives. On friday the 28th, as many of you know, Rob
will be speaking at Wayward Cafe (detailsbelow)- but just
announced is a Sunday (07/30) vegan dinner fundraiser and
Q&A with Rob:

Sunday July 30 @ 6pm
Vegan Dinner and Q&A with Rob Los Ricos Thaxton
Plus surprise film showing at 9pm
Suggested donation $20-$100 per person
Location TBA (with reservations)

There is limited space available for people who want to
demonstrate their solidarity and break bread with Rob on
sunday night. To confirm your attendance please email
Joe Ball at freejoeball@riseup.net or call 206.508.1406-
We hope to hear from you soon and see you on Sunday!

To make a donation to Rob Thaxton, or arrangements for
future speaking engagements, please contact Marlena Gangi
at 503.493.2505


ABOUT ROB (LOS RICOS) THAXTON (from www.roblosricos.net):

The self described ‘one hit wonder anarchist rock star’
Rob ‘Los Ricos’ Thaxton wasn't always a rebellious ‘rock star’,
or an anarcho-activist, or a "punk" political prisoner. There
was a time, not that long ago, when he was just another chavo
chicano growing up in some forgotten field town called Pampa,
Texas, Watching rebels, reformists, rioters, racketeers, and
real rock stars tap dance across his tv screen. But while
changing channels, culture, capitalism, corporatization, and
the clarion call of chaos came crashing down in the form of the
radicalizing revelations of the terroristic Tet Offensive; the
political proclamation ‘No Vietnamese ever called me nigger’ of
black (power) boxing champ Muhammad Ali; and finally, the
seditious  inspiration of the women fighters of the radical
Weather underground  who seized his catholic grade school for
two years when he was a child.  By the righteous (r)age of
twelve, Rob began to work with various  revolutionary organizations,
and eventually left Pampa for the streets of Dallas, Texas, where
he joined CISPES (the Committee in solidarity with the People of
El Salvador), worked with ACT UP, and KNON-FM, a peoples (Pirate)
radio station, where he served as program
director.

In the early 90s, as Rob Thaxton began to fade into a memory, and Rob Los
Ricos entered the forefront of a radicalized reality, he began to delve
deeper into the history of the international anarchist movement, and once
again relocated, this time to Austin, Texas, to engage in anarcho-specific
activity. He began to focus his political energy into (dis)organizing with
the small anarchist movement that existed in Austin, and also worked with
The Palestine Solidarity Committee, Earth First!, The Black Banner
Brigade, and organized street protests against the gulf war and direct
actions against globalization.

But the mute mainstream media silence over any opposition to the war, and
the perceived ineffectiveness of the protest that he had been organizing
and attending, led Rob to believe that ‘protest-as-usual’ was a waste of
time. He then made it his mission to develop anarchist networks throughout
Texas, and traveled within the entrails of the monster organizing and
revolutionizing. Through the 90s he lived in Portland, Oregon where he
worked with the Anarchist Info Shop, and spent time in Columbia, Missouri,
where he helped to publish Anarchy: A Journal of Desire Armed, and
Alternative Press Review, as well as working on book projects of the
Columbia Alternative Library Press.

By the late 90s, Rob began to reexamine his anarchist ideas in order to
redirect his efforts to create a life in line with his desire for a
liberated existence. He also became a father (to his daughter Raven) and
abandoned urban existence to ‘rediscover a simpler way of life’ that
included low impact gardening techniques, eco-friendly architecture, and
low-tech living in the woods of southern Oregon

On June 16, 1999, Rob Los Ricos traveled to Eugene, Oregon to attend an
anarchist conference and a Reclaim the Streets festival. Arrested by
police during the June 18 Reclaim the Streets demonstration-turned-police
riot, Rob was accused of throwing a rock at a cop, and was subsequently
beaten by police. He was ultimately charged with rioting, first degree
assault, and second degree assault. Used as a Latino, out of towner,
anarchist scapegoat example of what can happen to those who dare to rebel,
Rob was given a nearly 8 year prison sentence.

Determined to continue la lucha even while in the belly of the beast, Rob
and his supporters in Portland, Oregon formed the Anarchist Prisoners¹
Legal Aid Network, a resource-sharing and communication network for
incarcerated anarchists, and Rob continues to struggle and to dream and to
write.

- Not4Prophet


Body: Friday, July 28, 7 pm
Speaking event with Q+A to follow
Hosted by the Wayward Café and Left Bank Books Collectives


Rob Los Ricos Thaxton
Political Prisoner RELEASED!


On September 3, 1999, anarchist Robert Thaxton was sentenced on charges of
assault and riot. This was for his part in the June 18 International Day
of Action Against the Global Economy Reclaim the Streets action held in
Eugene, Oregon. Scapegoated for being Latino, an out-of-towner and an
anarchist, Rob received a seven-year prison sentence for the purpose of
example as a message to others who dare to rebel.

Rob is a Latino activist and anarchist organizer working with many
projects including CISPES, ACT-UP, pirate radio station KNON-FM, the
Palestine Solidarity Committee and Earth First! Robs work has been
published in Anarchy: A Journal of Desire Armed and Alternative Press
Review. He has worked on book projects with the Columbia Alternative
Library Press.

$8 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of $.
Wayward Café
901 NE 55th St. Seattle
(one block west of Roosevelt in the U-District)

statement by Lebanese CP On Israeli Attacks

Statement by Lebanese CP

Courtesy of M. Abu Nasr, translator:

**********

Circular of the Political Bureau of the Lebanese Communist Party on Current Developments for Party Organizations and Friends.

On Current Developments: The Fifth Day of the Aggression.

Since the start of the aggression our party has defined its position and stance as being at the head of those opposing with all possible means the aggression and the expected invasion. This aggression is a part of the Zionist-American plan for the region and is furthermore an act of aggression undertaken with international permission and cover, in particular that of the United States of America, which is using the Security Council and the United Nations as tools with which to exert pressure and control. The aggression also bases itself on compliance and collusion by official Arab regimes and takes advantage of the current atmosphere of political division inside Lebanon.

The aggression is continuing and expanding to cover several regions. It focuses particularly on the infrastructure and on inflicting human and civilian losses and igniting fires in many places, aiming thereby to apply psychological pressure on the resistance on the one hand, and to try to raise the volume of criticism and objection to the resistance on the other. This approach takes advantage of the general political atmosphere and of the stances taken by some of those in authority and by some political forces. The material losses are great, as are the human losses. Despite that, there is steadfastness, particularly in the south.

Despite the steadfastness - that has so far been seen in the strike on the Zionist warship off Beirut, the attacks on the cities and villages of Galilee, and the infliction of human losses in the ranks of the enemy causing Israel to fail to achieve sensitive military goals that would have raised the morale of its population and army - despite all this there is an international effort involving the United Nations, Europe, and France under US pressure aimed at securing political benefits from the aggression, such as the implementation of UN Resolution 1559, by holding negotiations and bringing in Israeli and international stipulations under the cover of the continued military operations.

In the event that this effort fails - and we believe that it will fail because of the high ceiling of conditions set by the Americans and Israelis, in particular their requirement that Hizballah must be broken up and its role completely ended which is their first step towards delivering a defeat or at least a major blow to the Syrian-Iranian axis - so far it appears that if an agreement on a cease-fire is reached that would be in the interests of the resistance and would be a type of defeat for Israel, which cannot now bear such a thing. Therefore we believe that the military operation will be relatively prolonged and could spread outside Lebanon's borders, in which case we would be faced with wholly different developments and trajectories that cannot now be predicted.

In any case, after 12 July the country has entered a whole new stage, the direction of which will emerge in the light of the outcome of the fighting. In case the resistance continues to be steadfast and Israel fails to achieve its aims, the country will enter a new equilibrium in which the side linked with the Syrian-Iranian axis will be in the position of greater strength, and Syria and Iran will once again have greater influence on political developments in Lebanon, while the other side shrinks back. In case the opposite occurs, the battle will be transformed into an internal struggle on the premise that the reason for such a Lebanese defeat would be the position of the internal enemy - something that would impel the country towards a new civil war as struggle erupts among sectarian groups trying to improve their shares of the confessional political system which would have been upset as a result of the results of the war and the attempts of certain sectarian groups inside the country to benefit from a Lebanese defeat.

On the basis of this assessment and in the interests safeguarding our country, we believe that the fundamental task is to confront the aggression with a comprehensive, cohesive patriotic stance, a stance that reinforces national unity. As a part of this the Lebanese authorities must not make any political concessions to the current and direct international pressures, while not hesitating to carry out rescue and aid operations. That is for their part. At the same time other internal political forces must refrain from advancing certain issues that the aggressor and his allies use for their benefit. They must direct political rhetoric at reinforcing steadfastness and resistance and frustrating the aims of the enemy. The steadfastness and resistance of the Lebanese people can change the balance of forces, and we propose the convening of a national meeting under this slogan.

This is the primary task that the leadership of the party has been working to realize and for which a series of political contacts have taken place: between Nabih Berri - Michel Aoun - the Progressive Socialist Party - Bahiyat al-Hariri - Salim al-Hoss.

The Party has also taken part in some of the meetings that were held on the initiative of other parties - al-Hoss, for example. It also has contacts for the sake of solidarity with political parties and forces outside the country. Solidarity declarations have been issued and actions have been organized in Greece, France, Bahrain, Canada, India, Italy, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, and Britain.

Party organizations in the South are taking part, within their capabilities, in strengthening steadfastness and resistance.

The Party is taking part in a campaign to bring aid via political and private organizations, in Beirut and the districts.

What is needed now:

1. To confront the aggression with all available means.

2. To increase the intensity of internal political work through activities, in particular in the areas not under threat.

3. To take part everywhere in the campaign to provide all appropriate and suitable forms of aid.

4. To intensify political work in the Party through general meetings and gatherings.

5. To have a fundraising campaign to support the steadfastness of our organizations and to cover the requirements of work.

The Political Bureau of the Lebanese Communist Party.

Beirut, 17 July 2006.

Arabic original.

http://www.lcparty.org/170706_9.htm

Paul Wright, Editor

Prison Legal News

972 Putney Rd. PMB 251

Brattleboro, VT 05301

(802) 257-1342

pwright@prisonlegalnews.org

www.prisonlegalnews.org

Seattle Office:

2400 NW 80th St. PMB 148

Seattle, WA 98117

(206) 246-1022

Letter writing campaign on Daniel's behalf-please help out!

Family + Friends of Daniel McG wrote:

http://www.supportdaniel.org/morehelp/letters.html

Please write your Senators and Congressperson about Daniel's case

In the interest of doing everything we can to secure Daniel's freedom, we are asking that you take an active role in writing to your Senators and Congressperson about the injustice of Daniel's situation. There are links, sample letters and more here.

Below you will find .pdf and .txt files to download. Please use these as a template to print out and mail to your Senators and congressional representatives. If you prefer, you can download the text file and use the letters as a reference, or paste the text into the email forms we are linking to (they do not provide public email addresses).

---

1) Write to your Senators about Daniel's case. We ask that you write to the Senators at their local and DC addresses to assure they see them.

a) NEW YORK STATE residents:

Senator Hillary Clinton
NY office: pdf text
DC office: pdf text
Link to email form

Senator Charles Schumer
NY office: pdf text
DC office: pdf text
Link to email form

b) OREGON residents:

Senator Ron Wyden
Eugene office: pdf text
Portland office: pdf text
DC office: pdf text
Link to email form

Senator Gordon Smith
Eugene office: pdf text
Portland office: pdf text
DC office: pdf text
Link to email form

c) ALL US residents (including NY and OR), please write to a number of Senators on the Environment and Public Works Committee and reference comments they made in the past on this topic (see our examples in the documents below).

Senator Barack Obama
Illinois office: pdf text
DC office: pdf text
Link to email form

Senator Frank Lautenberg
New Jersey office: pdf text
DC office: pdf text
Link to email form

Senator Jim Jeffords
Vermont office: pdf text
DC office: pdf text
Link to email form

d) If you are not a NY or OR resident, please go here to find your Senators' contact information.

---

2) Write to your Congressperson. You can find contact information here.

Please also consider writing to the Congresspeople below who have not been afraid to make strong stances on issues in the past.

Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney: pdf text
Link to email form

Congressman Dennis Kucinich: pdf text
Link to email form (Note: At prompt select "Ohio" and type in zip "44107"

Appeal for Tomek

NOTE: For those who are new to ELP.  Tomek is a Polish anti-fascist
activist who was attacked by a gang of neo-nazis.  Tomek defended
himself and a neo-nazi was accidentally killed.  Tomek is serving 15
years for the killing.


> URGENT APPEAL! (July 22 2006) (See bottom of page for background on the case)
>
> We need to collect about 1000 USD for Tomek's lawyer! We're also
> collecting funds in case he is released.
>
> Tomek, having served 2/3 of his 15 year sentence, can appeal for
> release. Tomek has been in jail since March 2006 - over 10 years!
> Tomek already tried to appeal for release but he did not have proper
> legal representation and was denied. We are organizing a lawyer for
> him who has been helpful with other cases and he will try again to
> appeal for early release. The total costs of legal representation,
> including travel and other costs related to the case will be about
> 1000 USD; we already have a third of the money, which we are paying
> for a deposit for the lawyer's work and other expenses. We are
> appealing to comrades, friends of Tomek's and anybody interested in
> this case to gather the balance ASAP!
>
> In addition, we are gathering funds for Tomek for when he is released.
> Tomek's situation is extremely hard; he is from a town with very high
> unemployment, did not finish any higher education and he has a serious
> criminal record. His father died last year and his mother is rather
> ill and living in poverty. Tomek would like to care for his mother but
> the situation is complicated by the fact that when he leaves prisons,
> there may be nazis looking for him.
>
> Many people have taken an interest in this case and offered to help
> Tomek in different ways after his release. One vocational school wants
> to admit him, but he still would need funds to get himself through his
> course of study. Whether he decides to study or to look for work, one
> thing is clear: Tomek is going to need some cash to put his life
> together after his release.
>
> If (by some fundraising miracle) there are extra funds left after
> paying legal expenses, they will be transferred to an account set up
> for Tomek when he is released. We will be gathering donations on this
> account until then, so if you want to help, please set something!
> (Every few dollars or euros counts!)
>
> Funds are being collected on a joint account run by ABC groups from
> Warsaw (both groups), Przasznysz and Bialystok and Anarchist
> Solidarity.
>
> Please send donations to:
>
> Jakub Gawlikowski
> PL05 1140 2004 0000 3702 4238 2269
> BRE Bank S.A. Retail Banking, al. Mickiewicza 10, 90-050 Lódz
> BIC/SWIFT: BREXPLPWMUL
> SORT CODE: 11402004
>
> Freedom and Justice for Tomek
>
> Tomek Wilkoszewski was jailed in March 1996. He's been deprived of his
> freedom for more than five years. According to the verdict of the
> local court he must spend ten more years in prison. What did he do to
> deserve such a sentence?
>
> Tomek comes from a little village near Radomsko (a typical small town
> in central Poland). He was a good student and was finishing a
> technical highschool. He wanted to continue his studies afterwards. He
> was working to pay for his studies. He had never been convicted before
> and had never been in contact with the Police before that fateful day
> of March 1996.
>
> But he ran out of luck: First, there was a nazi-skinhead group in
> Radomsko who was trying to rule the town. The assaults and the
> bullying were daily occurences that were overlooked by the Police and
> the local authorities. Most of the time "strangers" would be attacked,
> i.e. newcomers like Tomek who was driving to Radomsko each day.
> Someone who had been beaten by a band of these nazis went to the
> police and he was told: "If you weren't looking for fights, you
> wouldn't have been beaten. You should stay quiet." Tomek had been a
> victim of the attacks several times. Once, someone tried to pick out
> one of his eyes. What happend next was nothing more than the logical
> consequences of this situation: With no help to be found, the
> terrified youngsters tried to defend themselves. The death of a young
> man was no more than a part of this tragedy (after one of those
> fights, a nazi-skinhead died from loss of blood while waiting for an
> ambulance).
>
> Second, Tomek was accused of the murder. As he had often been
> assaulted, he had a motive and, according to a few witnesses, he had a
> knife. This so-called crime instrument, which was used as evidence by
> the prosecution, has been subject to no examination or investigation
> that could unequivocally
> confirm the accusation. During the judical procedure there were a
> number of similar uncertainties, but that wasn't taken into account by
> the Judge who at that time bowed to the pressure of public opinion
> which was asking for the most severe penalties.
>
> Third, the prosecution and the Judge wanted to demonstrate something.
> The fifteen year verdict and the lesser sentences given to the eight
> other defendants were outstandingly severe. The witnesses of this
> judicial process were outraged by the justification of the verdict
> which "should have an educational function for the convicted as well
> as for the entire underworld!" No extenuating circumstance was
> recognized and Tomek received one of the highest penalties in Poland.
> But on the other hand, nazi-skinheads, or other criminals would get
> away with eight years verdict for murder with premeditation and were
> out of jail after four years. This is what this justice is about: high
> penalties for the nonconformists and the poor who can't afford a good
> lawyer and mild penalties for the Mafia and the thugs.
>
> But Tomek had also a bit of luck. Anarchists Black Cross and other
> anti fascist groups got interested in his case. Polish TV transmitted
> a movie called "Riot", and the biggest Polish newspaper published a
> long article about the case. While being interviewed for a newspaper
> as well as in front of the cameras, the nazis would tell openly about
> their actions of cleaning the town of all kinds of strangers. These
> two documentaries were quite highly publicised across Poland, but were
> ignored by the court. In the prison he managed to finish his secondary
> school, he got a job and the prison authorities have a good opinion of
> him. After four years Tomek's supporters managed to have the appeal
> trial (kasacyjna) held. It happened on 27 September 2000, but it was
> dismissed by the Court for buerocratic reasons. Now the only chance to
> help Tomek is for him to appeal to the President. but the chance is
> pretty low because Polish criminal law is getting more and more
> strict.
>
> To improve his chances , we have to support our application with
> plenty of statements from the whole country and abroad.
>
> Unfortunately until now, all requests for parole passes have been
> denied. In current situation the only chance for getting Tomek parole
> passes, chances to study or change his prisoner-status would be with
> legal help from a lawyer. However, the costs are beyond our
> capabilities. you can send letters, fanzines, tapes, CDs. Write to him
> (in English preferably ):
>
> Tomasz Wilkoszewski
> Zaklad Karny
> ul. Orzechowa 5
> 98-200 Sieradz
> POLAND
>
> Polish Anarchist Black Cross groups are collecting money for Tomek
> (for legal costs and funds for him to have a fresh start when he goes
> out of jail - soon hopefully!)
>
> Account of ABC groups: Bialystok, Przasnysz and Warsaw:
> Jakub Gawlikowski
> PL05 1140 2004 0000 3702 4238 2269
> BRE Bank S.A. Retail Banking, al. Mickiewicza 10, 90-050 Lódz
> BIC/SWIFT: BREXPLPWMUL
> SORT CODE: 11402004
>
>
> PETITION
> We, (signed below) , support the application for the release of Tomasz
> Wilkoszewski, handed in on 27.06.2002 to the Office of the Polish
> President. A severely high sentence - 15 years of imprisonment is in
> our opinion much too high. During the trial, the court regarded Tomasz
> as a criminal but he was a victim. The cause of this tragedy was not
> Tomasz's bad character, it was the fact that he had been attacked over
> the previous few months by hooligan groups calling themeselves
> facists. Following these attacks the police remained completely
> passive. This made Tomasz seek revange. Until this incident,Tomek had
> not had any problems with the law. He was a good student, a well
> behaved citizen and a son. Now, he is a perfect example of
> resocialization in a prison in the city of Sieradz. While being
> imprisoned, he has passed his A levels with very good results, and
> after this has been working. He has spent over six years in prison,
> soon he will be able to apply for an early release. In our opinion he
> has already had his punishment. Longer imprisonment, which would mean
> contact with the criminal society can only change him from a normal
> man, with a will to continue his studies, into a criminal himself.
> Tomasz went to prison as a result of a chain of tragic events - it's
> time to break this chain.
> [print version]
>
> Send petition to this address:
>
> Kancelaria Prezydenta RP
> ul. Wiejska 10
> 00-489 Warszawa
> POLAND
>
> POLAND
> FROM CIVIL RIGHTS SPOKESPERSON'S REPORT ABOUT THE SITUATION IN POLISH
> PRISONS (YEAR 2002).
> As a result of a new, much more severe penal code, prisons and
> detention places are getting more and more overcrowded. Sentences are
> becoming more severe, it's getting harder to obtain parole passes and
> pardons. There are less suspended sentences. The use of temporary
> arrests has become so widespread, that currently Poland has the
> highest number of people imprisoned without sentence in Europe There
> are 80.000 incarcerated in Polish prisons, whose capacity can cope
> with only 63.000. A number of them have 50% more prisoners than they
> should have. The Administration isn't able to provide prisoners with 3
> square meters to which they are legally entitled. (It is significant
> that this norm is much lower that in EU countries. For example in
> Turkey, which is well-known for human rights violations where the norm
> is 8 square meters). Recreation rooms and infirmaries are made into
> cells. High overcrowding has a significant impact on health, sanitary
> and living conditions as well as the atmosphere among prisoners.
> Crowding people in small spaces results in increasing stress and
> aggression and contributes to more frequent law-breaking. The numbers
> of harrassments, beatings, robberies, suicide attempts, self-injuries
> and rapes are increasing. Overcrowding also has the effect of new
> prisoners being sent to prisons as far as 300-400 km from their homes.
> This makes relatives visiting more difficult or even impossible for
> many. High increase in prison population isn't accompanied by the
> increase in numbers of prison-staff. It results in a negative impact
> on their duties. In practice it means lowering the amount of direct
> contact between staff and prisoners thus making the latter being left
> alone.

New ridiculous charges against Rod Coronado

Sunday, July 23, 2006

From bombsandshields.blogspot.com

Rod Coronado

Tucson, Arizona, US - Native American animal liberation activist Rodney Coronado is once again facing federal charges. He is accused of violating the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by possessing eagle feathers. Coronado is a member of the Pascua Yaqui tribe, who hold eagle feathers sacred. The law allows exceptions for native people who see feathers as spiritual objects, but requires that they first obtain a permit. Obtaining permits to posses feathers is a difficult and complicated process but those caught without a permit may be arrested and face fines of up to $25,000 and jail.

Last February Coronado was indicted on felony charges that he demonstrated how to use a destructive device at a 2003 lecture he gave in San Diego. The demonstration took place during the question and answer period of the talk and was in response to a question about how Coronado had burned down the the Mink Research Facility at Michigan State University in early 1992. The action was claimed on behalf of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). Coronado served four years in prison for that arson and is currently awaiting sentencing in Arizona, for disabling a mountain lion trap.

ELF Alive and Fighting in Ontario - Recent String of Actions Causes Millions in Damage

From: www.portland.indymedia.org

ELF Alive and Fighting in Ontario - Recent String of Actions Causes Millions in Damage

author: anon

Anti-'Development' actions are on the rise in Ontario, with four separate actions in three different cities in the past week. These actions, along with the revolutionary land reclamation in Six Nations, and the standoff in Grassy Narrows, among many other things, shows that resistance is alive and strong in the belly of the beast.

For all those who have been following events of the Green Scare, here is something to inspire. Particularly in the wake of so many guilty pleas and agreements to inform on others, it is important to know that we truly are everywhere. Despite Chelsea Gerlach saying that "it is better to act from love than from anger, better to create than destroy and better to plant gardens than to burn down buildings," many people are proving that Love Does Not Imply Pacifism, and maybe our planet loves it when we plant gardens AND burn down buildings.

In Guelph, Ontario, on the weekend of the 25th of June, people acting under the name The Anarchist Fire Brigade claimed responsibility for sabotaging three pieces of construction machinery at a new suburban sprawl site. The communique read,

"There is no excuse for suburbs. Development must stop.

You can go to Senate hearings
Wait til they call your name
My hat is off to anyone
With the will to play that game
But if you want to know the truth
What warms my aching heart
Is to see the masked avengers
Come to tear the road apart

There are so many things of beauty
In this world to see
A wild, running river
Or an old-growth redwood tree
But in such an ugly situation
So sinister and dire
There's nothing quite so lovely
As a development on fire

Sincerely,

The Anarchist Fire Brigade"

On Tuesday June 27th, also in Guelph, saboteurs burned down one of the first new homes in a new suburb in another part of the city. This land, which had once flourished with ecological diversity and medicinal plants, is now bulldozed and awaiting numerous houses, on streets with names such as Summit Ridge. The ELF claimed responsibility for the blaze, which caused $200,000 damage.

On Friday July 14, in Toronto, saboteurs acting under the ELF banner damaged a dozen construction vehicles working on a series of new condominiums. Damage was estimated by the site supervisor at $2 Million.

On Monday July 17 in Brantford, another city in Southwestern Ontario, saboteurs hit two different sites of suburban sprawl, damaging construction equipment. The communique read,

"The day to day lives most of us live are killing our sweet mother earth, that which we all need to survive. We must stand up together and halt the process of development before it gets too far out of hand. Together we can still make a difference, it is not too late. But Together starts with each one of us as individuals making the responsible decisions we need to. Let us RISE UP and fight the machines that destroy the planet. We do not need to fight each other. Working as one we can live lives of LOVE and HARMONY for all humans, animals, plants and the planet. -The ELF"

In Guelph again, on July 18, another nearly-finished home in another new suburb was set ablaze, causing $80,000 damage. The communique sent to media outlets read,

"Resistance is self defense. The G8 agenda promotes petroleum-
dependent "Energy Security" that pollutes our land and atmosphere,
exploits communities everywhere, and scorches the Earth's climate.
Their recipe for catastrophe must be met with our global resistance!
On 18 July, 2006, 6 litres of gas were put to use.
STOP DEVELOPEMENT NOW!

ELF
We are everywhere!"

Following that on Wednesday July 19, three more construction sites in Brantford were hit, in actions claimed by the ELF. The extent of the damage is unknown.

Some good news from Spain

ELP Information Bulletin (23rd July 2006)

Dear friends

With all the bad news that is going on at the moment, ELP thought
we'd bring you some good news for a change.

According to the website www.klinamen.org, Amanda Cerezo Garcia has
been awarded "conditional freedom".

We're not 100% sure what this means in legal terms, but in practical
terms she is no longer in prison!

Amanda and her boyfriend were accused in 2003 of been a part of an
anarchist terrorist group that destroyed a road construction vehicle
and sent a letter bomb to a neo-nazi politician.  But apparently the
Judge has said that they are not terrorists and has awarded Amanda
this "conditional freedom".  Her boyfriend has been "free" on bail
since 2004.

Should anyone have any further information about Amanda & her
boyfriend and their case, please let ELP know.  But in the meantime,
its good news.  Amanda is no longer in prison!

============

British ELP Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England

NYC Benefit Art Show for Daniel McGowan

If They Come for You in the Morning

Benefit Art Show for Daniel McGowan

The show:

Thursday, July 27 & Friday, July 28, 2006, 5-10pm
ABC No Rio, 156 Rivington St, Lower East Side, NYC

Co-sponsored by Visual Resistance and Family and Friends of Daniel  McGowan
Contact: visual.resistance@gmail.com

On Thursday, July 27 and Friday, July 28, Visual Resistance will 
present If they come for you in the morning, a benefit gallery show 
featuring over 70 renowned and emerging artists at ABC No Rio in New 
York´s Lower East Side.

The show will feature some of the most respected and prolific street 
artists working today, including the Barnstormer´s David Ellis, 
Banksy, Swoon, Borf, Chris Stain, Arofish, Kelly Burns, GoreB, Josh 
MacPhee, and MOMO, as well as veterans of the landmark political 
comics journal World War 3 Illustrated, including Eric Drooker, Seth 
Tobocman, Peter Kuper, Nicole Schulman, and Christopher Cardinale, as
 well as dozens of other participating artists.

All proceeds from the show will benefit the legal fund of local 
environmental and social justice activist Daniel McGowan, who 
currently faces life plus 335 years in prison on federal charges of 
arson, property destruction, and conspiracy. Daniel was arrested 
during Operation Backfire, a multi-state sweep of environmental 
activists who have now been charged with virtually every unsolved 
earth and animal liberation case in the Northwest. Daniel has pled 
not guilty to all charges.
All artwork in the show will be reasonably priced, with selected 
prints starting at $5. Don't go home empty-handed!
Previews:

You can preview selected pieces from the show on our blog. Current 
features include: Swoon, Nicolas Lampert, BORF, Erik Ruin, Colin 
Matthes, Doug Minkler, and GoreB.


Participating artists:

Arofish * Icky A. * Erok Alrededor * Arrielle * Banksy * The 
Barnstormers * Brandon Bauer * The Beehive Collective * Thomas 
Blanchard * V Blanco * Victoria Booth * Borf * Dianne Bowen * Scott 
Boylston * Breakfast * Kelly Burns * JN Cantor * Christopher 
Cardinale * Celso * Etta Cetera * Angela Coppola * Alison Corrie * 
Aya Dan * DarkClouds * Blackjack Davey * Eric Drooker * Eelus * Elbow
 Toe * David Ellis * Endless Love Crew * Benjamin Ferguson * Karen 
Fiorito * Flower Face Killah * Julia Garder * GoreB * Lynn Hassan * 
Eric Hauser * Art Hazelwood * Cody Hudson * Infinity * Influenza * 
Ryan Inzana * Tim Keating * Klutch * Andalusia Knoll * Peter Kuper * 
Nicolas Lampert * James Leonard * David Lester * Merry Mack * Josh 
MacPhee * Magmo the Destroyer * Colin Matthes * Keith McHenry * 
Dennis McNett * Saiya Miller * Douglas Minkler * Claude Moller * MOMO
 * Nik Moore * Ricardo Levins Morales * Shannon Muegge * Math-You 
Namie * Brandon Neubauer * Barry Newman * Laura Parker * Roger Peet *
 Peripheral Media Projects * Bill Pierce * Kevin Pyle * RB827 * Ally
 Reeves * Leon Reid (aka Darius Jones) * Aaron Resen * Asante 
Riverwind * Cristy Road * Andrew Rodman * Melina Rodrigo * Eliot 
Rosewater * Erik Ruin * Jennifer Salerno * Fabio Sassi * Nicole 
Schulman * Tod Seelie * Erin Siegal * Andy Singer * Jetta Sky * 
Dustin Spagnola * Chris Stain * Meredith Stern * Mitja Stragapede * 
Judith Supine * Swoon * The 62 * Seth Tobocman * Edwin Vazquez * 
vegankid * Kristine Virsis * Colin White * Pete Yahnke


The cause:

Daniel McGowan is an environmental and social justice activist, 
unjustly arrested and charged in federal court on multiple counts of 
arson, property destruction, and conspiracy, relating to two 
incidents that occurred in Oregon in 2001. Daniel has asserted his 
innocence by pleading not guilty to all charges. He is facing a 
minimum of life in prison if convicted.

Daniel is from New York, and has been an active member of the 
community, working on diverse projects such as military counter-
recruitment, demonstrations against the Republican National 
Convention, Really Really Free Markets, and supporting political 
prisoners such as Jeff "Free" Luers and others. Daniel was a graduate
 student earning a Master's degree in acupuncture and was working at
 WomensLaw.org, a nonprofit group that helps women in domestic abuse
 situations navigate the legal system, which is where he was
arrested  by federal marshals on December 7, 2005.

Daniel had originally been indicted separately, but his arrest comes 
in the context of a well-coordinated, multi-state sweep of numerous 
activists by the federal government, who has charged the individuals 
with practically every earth and animal liberation case left unsolved
 in the Northwest. Many of the charges, including Daniel's, are for 
cases whose statute of limitations were about to expire.

Environment saboteur accused of possessing eagle feathers

Environment saboteur accused of possessing eagle feathers
Dennis Wagner
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 22, 2006 12:00 AM

Rodney Coronado, a convicted Tucson environmental saboteur
facing charges in two criminal cases, has been cited with
new counts alleging that he violated federal laws
protecting birds of prey.

Coronado, the 39-year-old unofficial spokesman for Earth
Liberation Front, was charged by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service this week with possessing eagle feathers.

According to Deb McCarley, a Phoenix FBI spokeswoman,
Coronado is accused of violating the Bald and Golden Eagle
Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. McCarley
had no details on why Coronado may have possessed the
feathers, or how he obtained them.
advertisement 




The FBI has identified the group as the nation's top
domestic terrorism threat. The organization claims
responsibility for more than 1,000 "eco tage" incidents
designed to protect animals or defend "Mother Earth."

The group's Web site says the underground organization has
no membership, hierarchy or spokesman, although the FBI has
identified Coronado as a national leader.

In February, Coronado was indicted in connection with
giving a 2003 speech on how to make a firebomb just hours
after members of the group reportedly ignited a $50 million
apartment blaze in San Diego, the most expensive act of
eco-terrorism in U.S. history. Coronado previously served
nearly five years in prison for burning down an
animal-testing lab at Michigan State University in 1992.

On Monday, Coronado faces sentencing in U.S. District Court
in Tucson for another conviction, the sabotage of
government efforts to remove mountain lions from Sabino
Canyon.

Report from Friday’s Plea Deal Hearings for Meyerhoff, Gerlach and Savoie

“Green Scare:” Report from Friday’s Plea Deal Hearings for Meyerhoff, Gerlach and Savoie

Yesterday, Friday July 21, at the US District Court in Eugene, Stanislas Meyerhoff, Chelsea Gerlach and Suzanne Savoie pled guilty to a number of charges. As with the pleas entered yesterday by Darren Thurston, Kevin Tubbs and Kendall Tankersley, the actual terms of the plea agreements and cooperation agreements entered today are “sealed,” which means that members of the public are not being allowed to view them. In addition, the transcripts of today’s hearings for the three are also under seal.

Stanislas Meyerhoff pled guilty to 54 counts from the District of Oregon indictment, plus eight charges from Colorado, which were transferred to the District of Oregon. The Oregon counts involve conspiracy, destruction of a federal energy facility, plus a number of arsons and attempted arsons—Childer’s Meat, Boise Cascade, a Eugene Police Department Public Safety Station, Superior Lumber Company, Romania Chevrolet Truck Center (counts 7-41) and Jefferson Poplar (42-54). The transferred Colorado charges involve the 1998 arson against ski resort expansion in Vail. During this hearing, the government seemed especially keen on connecting the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front to broader environmental efforts and movements; the state stressed that Meyerhoff and other defendants allegedly attended an Earth First! party directly after performing sabotage, and also that the Vail arson followed unsuccessful litigation and grassroots campaigns against ski resort development in the area. The government also made a point of stressing that these defendants used the term "direct action" in reference to the arson incidents (again attempting to make hyperbolic inferences). Meyerhoff, who displayed what appeared to be mental instability during the proceeding, was keen to point out that he apparently “walked away from the ELF” in 2003, as he mentioned during what was supposed to be an account of his educational history. Meyerhoff’s suggested sentence is 188 months for the District of Oregon charges, with the Vail charges running concurrent (at the same time) pursuant to the joint recommendation. Meyerhoff’s remaining charges, including those in Arizona, Wyoming, Michigan, the Eastern District of California and the Western District of Washington will be dismissed and no new related charges will be brought against him up until December 11, 2005. All the above government terms depend on Meyerhoff’s continuing cooperation for the rest of his life—this term applies to ALL of the defendants who have pled out so far.

Chelsea Gerlach entered guilty pleas to 18 counts from the District of Oregon. These counts are for conspiracy, destruction of an energy facility, as well as arsons and attempted arsons—Childer’s Meat, Boise Cascade, a Eugene Police Department Public Safety Station, and Jefferson Poplar (6-18). Gerlach also entered guilty pleas for eight counts of arson from the 1998 Vail action (Colorado charges transferred to the District of Oregon). Heavy mention of the deceased Bill Rogers was made in connection to the Vail arson during both Gerlach and Meyerhoff’s hearing. All Gerlach’s remaining charges were dropped, and Gerlach now faces a suggested sentence of 120 months imprisonment (120 months each for Colorado and District of Oregon, served concurrently), on the condition that she continues to cooperate. At the end of her hearing, Gerlach read a statement putting distance between her current beliefs and her prior convictions. Gerlach’s statement follows the plea hearings report, for informational purposes.

Suzanne Savoie’s hearing was for the least amount of charges, but took a comparable amount of time due to missing legal papers, which provoked a lengthy intermission. Savoie’s 15 counts were for conspiracy, arson and attempted arson at the Superior Lumber Company and Jefferson Poplar (counts 4-16). Savoie was given a 63-month suggested sentence, on the condition that she continues to cooperate fully with the government. All her other charges will be dismissed. Savoie was seen crying in the courtroom during Gerlach's statement.

Meyerhoff, Gerlach and Savoie are scheduled for formal sentencing on December 14, 2006.

As with yesterday, the government announced that it will seek an upward sentencing enhancement pursuant to the federal anti-terrorism guidelines. This enhancement could carry an additional penalty of up to 30 years of prison time. Defense attorneys are expected to argue against such an enhancement, and federal Judge Ann Aiken will make the final decision at sentencing.

Still missing from the plea proceeding line up: Jacob Ferguson, Jennifer Kolar and Lacey Philabaum, who have been extensively cooperating with the government but have yet to even be charged with any crime at this time... Stay tuned.

For more information, updates and resources, visit cldc.org

**

Statement of Chelsea Gerlach

Thank you for the opportunity to say a few things.

I would like to first apologize to everyone who has been hurt by my actions. It was not my intention to hurt anyone or to invoke fear. I'm sorry my actions had that effect.

These actions were motivated by a deep sense of despair and anger at the deteriorating state of the global environment and the escalating inequities within society. But I realized years ago this was not an effective or appropriate way to effect positive change. I now know that it is better to act from love than from anger, better to create than destroy and better to plant gardens than to burn down buildings.

I have taken responsibility for what I've done and will make amends by being a voice for peace in an increasingly hostile world.

Thank you.

"Revolutionaries are pious. The revolution is not."
- Alfredo Bonanno

Tarantula Distribution
818 SW 3rd Ave. PMB 1237
Portland, OR 97204

www.socialwar.net

Six Plead Guilty in Oregon case

ELP Information Bulletin (22nd July 2006)

Dear friends

As most people will be aware, over the past couple of days, six of
the defendants in the Orgeon case, have now entered Guilty Pleas to
various charges to arson and conspiracy.

The six who have pleaded Guilty are Darren Thurston, Kevin Tubbs,
Sarah Harvery (also known as Kendall Tankersley), Stanislas
Meyerhoff, Chelsea Gerlach, and Suzanne Savoie.

With the exception of Darren Thurston, all of the others had been
previously named, by ELP, as police informants and their cooperation
with the prosecution has been long established.

We understand from a statement circulated by Darren Thurston's
support campaign that following his Guilty plea Thurston is expecting
a reduced sentence of 37 months imprisonment.  There has been some
speculation as to the reason why Thurston may receive a reduced
sentence and ELP, in partnership with others, is looking into the
matter.  We hope to bring you the findings of our investigation
within the next few days.

However in the meantime we would like to remind everyone that there
are a number of other people facing very serious charges, including
possible Life sentences.  Most of the other defendants are either
currently on bail or there exact where abouts is currently unknown to
the authorities.

However two of the non-cooperating defendants, Nathan Block and Joy
Zacher, remain imprisoned and both are facing mandatory sentences of
Life imprisonment if found Guilty on all the charges placed against
them.  The fact that a number of the co-defendants have entered
Guilty pleas will be very traumatic for Nathan and Joy so please send
letters of support to:

Nathan Block #1663667
Lane County Jail
101 W 5th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97401
USA

Joyanna Zacher #1662550
Lane County Jail
101 W 5th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97401
USA

============

British Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England

6 Plead Guilty for "Eco-Terrorism"

From bombsandshields.blogspot.com

Government informants Darren Thurston and Kevin Tubbs smile and wave as they exit court. Eugene, Oregon, US -Accused Earth Liberation Front arsonists Kendall Tankersley, Darren Todd Thurston, Kevin M. Tubbs, Stanislas Gregory Meyerhoff, Chelsea Dawn Gerlach, and Suzanne Nichole Savoie, all entered guilty pleas on criminal conspiracy and related arson charges that occurred from 1996 through 2001 in Oregon and four other Western states. The pleas were entered during two hearings yesterday and today in US District Court in Eugene before Judge Ann Aiken. Each of the named defendants have agreed to cooperate and provide assistance to the government in the investigation and prosecution of other co-conspirators involved in arson, conspiracy and related crimes. Although they were previously facing minimum terms of life in prison in the event of their convictions, the government has made a nonbinding agreement to recommend that they serve between three and fifteen years in prison in exchange for their assistance in helping the government to convict their remaining co-defendants. The plea agreements are sealed and further details are being kept secret for now at the request of the defendants and their lawyers. Only four defendants -- Daniel McGowan, Jonathan Paul, Nathan Block, and Joyanna Zacher –- are continuing to plead not guilty. They are currently scheduled for trial on October 31st, but that date is likely to be pushed back until next year. The government has accused an additional four other individuals of participating in the crimes, but they have yet to be located.

There are also a four unindicted co-operating co-conspirators -- Jacob Ferguson, Jennifer Kolar, Lacey Philabaum, and an unknown fourth person -- who have been assisting the prosecution with their case and may be indicted soon.

Raped Filipina Wants US Marines Dead

'Nicole' wants accused dead By JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA, The Manila Times Reporter "I want to kill them," said the complainant of the four accused in the Subic rape case. "I want to see them dead. They dishonored me." At the conclusion of her testimony on Thursday at the Makati Regional Trial Court, the complainant, identified only as Nicole to hide her true identity, said she was very angry with the accused for what they did and for the effects of the experience on her and her family. The 22-year-old native of Zamboanga City was responding to questions under direct examination conducted by Evalyn Ursua, a member of the private prosecution panel. "If only I had listened to my mother," she said, "this thing would not have happened." She recalled that on the morning of November 1, her mother called and told her to come home because the man hosting her and her stepsister at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) could no longer guide them around. Nicole accused a US Marine, Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, of sexually assaulting her in a moving van at the SBMA on the night of November 1. Three other US Marines are included in the charge sheet as co-conspirators—Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier, Lance Cpl. Dominic Duplantis and Lance Cpl. Keith Silkwood. According to Nicole, life has never been the same again since that night. The experience affects her personality. She now avoids people for fear that they would look down on her. And she has lost her trusting nature because of what happened. Most of the time, she is confused and desperate. "It's too much [to bear]," she also said. "I wish I were dead." To questions propounded by her counsel, Nicole replied she had not gone back to her hometown since that fateful night and, therefore, lost a monthly income of P40,000 from her DVD rental business. And yet, she added, she was reluctant to look for a job in Manila, where she now stays, for fear of being recognized. She said she decided to sacrifice her relationship with her boyfriend. And despite the difficulties, she said, she is determined to pursue the case. "It is my dignity that is at stake," she added. Besides running the business, Nicole said, she also managed a family-owned café. With her away, her younger siblings had to take her place and as a result were often absent from school. Nicole felt guilty about being such a burden to the family. Her mother had resigned as a civilian supervisor in the Philippine Navy to assist her in the case and lend her moral support. Her brother did the same, rather than explain his many absences to his immediate superior. The family, she said, was forced to sell its land in Davao City to raise the money for the case. Dr. Raquel del Rosario Fortun, an expert in forensic medicine, had earlier testified that the injuries found on Nicole's body and genitals were consistent with allegations of rape. --- ###

Women's Anti-Imperialist League (WAIL)
Member, International League of Peoples Struggles

wailcentral@yahoo.com
The road to women's liberation lies through the terrain of the anti-imperialist struggle . -- WISAP2004

Three more plead guilty to string of environmentally-motivated arsons

http://www.registerguard.com/rgn/index.php/rgup/three_more_plead_guilty_to_string_of_environmentally_motivated_arsons/

Register Guard
Three more plead guilty to string of environmentally-motivated arsons

Updated: 6:33 PM, Friday, July 21, 2006

Expressing remorse for their crimes, two key defendants pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy and arson for their roles in a secretive cell of environmental radicals charged in a federal investigation of a five-year spree of attacks in five states.

A third defendant in the case also pleaded guilty Friday, becoming the sixth to enter plea deals requiring cooperation with the government in prosecuting seven others charged in the conspiracy.

The guilty pleas of Stanislas Gregory Meyerhoff and Chelsea Dawn Gerlach, settle the cases of all of the major role players arrested in the alleged conspiracy. Four other defendants await trial. Three others, including one allegedly prolific arsonist, remain fugitives.

In a brief statement in court, Meyerhoff, 29, renounced his involvement with the Earth Liberation Front. In a plea deal for a sentence of 15 years and eight months, he pleaded guilty to 54 charges - including conspiracy and arson related to seven separate attacks.

He also will plead guilty to eight arson counts in a separate indictment for an attack at a Vail, Colo., ski resort in 1998 that caused $12 million in damage and focussed national attention on radical environmentalists.

Chelsea Dawn Gerlach, 29, who formerly lived with Meyerhoff, pleaded guilty to 18 charges including conspiracy and arson in three separate attacks. She also will plead guilty to eight arson charges stemming from her role in the Vail, Colo., attack.

In a statement to Aiken, Gerlach apologized and said it was not her intention to hurt or frighten anyone, although she realizes that is what happened.

The third defendant in court Friday, Suzanne Nicole Savoie, 29, pleaded guilty to 15 charges - including conspiracy and arson - in a deal for a sentence of five years and three months.

Read more on the story in Saturday's Register-Guard.

The Ballad of Dumb George

By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Friday 21 July 2006
I cannot believe how incredibly stupid you are. I mean rock-hard stupid. Dehydrated-rock-

hard stupid. Stupid so stupid that it goes way beyond the stupid we know into a whole different dimension of stupid. You are trans-stupid stupid. Meta-stupid. Stupid collapsed on itself so far that even the neutrons have collapsed. Stupid gotten so dense that no intellect can escape. Singularity stupid. Blazing hot mid-day sun on Mercury stupid. You emit more stupid in one second than our entire galaxy emits in a year. Quasar stupid.

- "The Ultimate Flame," author unknown

George W. Bush is a good man, word has it. He's plain-spoken, they say. A regular fella. A good guy to have a beer with, except he supposedly doesn't drink anymore.

I wish, more than anything, that he were drinking. I wish he were drinking all the time. I wish, oh how I wish, that he were stand-up-fall-down-ralphing-down-his-shirt loaded every minute of every day. It would be a comfort, simply because it would explain a great many things. Having a drunk for a president is, after all, a fixable situation. Put him to bed at Camp David for a few weeks and surround him with Secret Service agents. Let his body clean itself out. Problem solved, and really, would anyone actually notice his absence?

I don't believe Bush has gotten off the sauce, if truth be told. I know more than a few boozers who, like George, periodically show up with odd wounds on their faces they got from falling over or running into walls. The injuries that appear on George's mien from time to time can perhaps be explained away - maybe Dick Cheney is stalking the halls with a shotgun loaded with rock salt and blasting anyone, even the boss, who gets in his way - but if "George still drinks" were up on the big board at the MGM Grand sports book, I'd take the bet no matter what the oddsmakers had to say.

Having a drunk for a president is manageable. Having a stone bozo for a president, on the other hand, is a calamity of global proportions.

Let's take a walk through the last few days. George winged off to Russia for trade talks at the G-8 summit, and managed in the course of 100 hours to embarrass himself and our entire country. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is smarter than Bush by several orders of magnitude, insulted George in front of the international press corps with a tight quip about "democracy" in Iraq. No trade deal got done. The whole thing was a humiliating waste of time, captured best by all the photos of Bush and Putin together. In each and every one of them, Putin is looking at George with an _expression that somehow conveyed disgust, disdain and awe simultaneously.

Putin's disgust and disdain are easily understood - the poor guy was trapped in a room with our knucklehead president for hours, after all - but the awe requires notice. What, Putin must have thought, is this fool doing running a country?

After that came the much-noted open-mike gaffe, during which George dropped an s-bomb while discussing the Middle East crisis with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The cussing doesn't trouble me - those who know say that John F. Kennedy swore like a sailor whenever he talked shop - but the rest of the scene was like something out of a high school cafeteria. Bush sat there, talking with what looked like seventeen doughnuts stuffed into his gob, while poor Tony tried to discuss matters of life and death.

You have to listen to the audio to get a full grasp of what transpired. It wasn't just the dialogue. It was the tone in Blair's voice. He sounded for all the world like a teacher attempting to explain something to an exceptionally dull student. His tone suggested infinite patience and a touch of true sadness, as if he could not quite believe he was speaking this way to an American president.

"It takes him eight hours to fly home," said George at one point during the open-mike massacre. "Eight hours. Russia's big and so is China." He was, presumably, speaking to someone about Chinese President Hu Jintao's travel requirements, but really now. Huffington Post writer Cenk Uygur captured the unbelievable vapidity of the discourse.

"Russia's big and so is China?" exclaimed Uygur. "This guys sounds like a third grader. Do you know anyone who would have a conversation like this with their neighbor, let alone a business associate, let alone a world leader? Who's proud to know that Russia is big and so is China? If someone is this ignorant, they're usually embarrassed and try not to talk much. But this guy is so dumb he has no idea how dumb he is. This sounds like a conversation you might have with a child, a mentally challenged child. Johnny, do you know how big Russia is? How about China? This would all be unfortunate if George were your dentist, or worse yet, your accountant. But he is the leader of the free world. This man makes life or death decisions every day. If you say you're not scared about that, you're lying."

Then came the pig-roast thing. Newsday described it best: "As Israeli warplanes were preparing an attack on Lebanon Thursday afternoon, and a Lebanese militia was aiming a rocket at the ancient Israeli city of Safed, President George W. Bush was bantering with reporters in Germany about a pig. Bush kept bringing up the roast wild boar he was about to dine on at a banquet that night, even when asked about the swelling crisis in the Middle East, where pig meat is forbidden to religious Jews and Muslims. 'Does it concern you that the Beirut airport has been bombed?' a reporter asked. 'And do you see a risk of triggering a wider war?' 'I thought you were going to ask me about the pig,' Bush replied blithely. Then he brought the pig up again - for the fifth time - before giving a long answer that ended with his saying Israel needed to protect itself."

After this came the moment when George tried to give German Chancellor Angela Merkel a back massage while she was speaking to someone at the summit table. He sidled up behind her and just started rubbing. Merkel's reaction was instantaneous and dramatic: she flinched, flailed her arms up and basically waved the president of the United States away from her. Her reaction would have been no different if Bush had dropped a live catfish down the back of her shirt.

What's next? Will George go to the United Nations, sit on Kofi Annan's head, and fart like some bratty brother tormenting a sibling? Will the cameras catch him playing penny hockey during Middle East peace negotiations? You can't say it'll never happen. It reminds me of the scene from "Caddyshack" where the golfers are hiding in the bushes and betting on whether the Smails kid picks his nose. It is not too farfetched a concept to believe that the other G-8 leaders were doing something very similar while watching Bush.

There were, by my count, no less than twenty different moments in the last few days where George brought shame and disgrace upon this country. He did not do this by being too tough, or too soft, or too strident. He did this simply by being himself. His head is an echo chamber where very stupid bats roost. He has the intellect of a bag of rocks. Maybe it's impolite to say this, but it has to be said.

And yeah, Mr. Uygur, it is really, really scary. I wish the man were a drunk. I'd sleep better, and so would the world.

----------------------------------------------------------

William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books: War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know and The Greatest Sedition Is Silence.

New Statement from Anti-Fascist Political Prisoner Matthew "Rampage" Lamont

For more information, contact Jennifer Lamont <jlamont187@yahoo.com>

June 11th, 2006

New Statement from Anti-Fascist Political Prisoner Matthew "Rampage" Lamont

A lot of people have been talking about the "Patriot Act", NSA, FBI sweeps, etc. Lately, for a certain chosen few, we've faced their realities. Of the few that have told their stories and made their statements, I have not. So today I've decided to do so.
Right now I sit in a prison cell in AD-SEG (the hole) in a 7 x 10 space. The wall beside my bunk is covered in photos of my wife and I in our happiest moments in the outside world. On the rare occasions I leave my cell I'm handcuffed through the tray slot and escorted until I'm securely behind a door again and then my cuffs are unlocked once again through the slot. Usually, these are the hour visits I get on Sunday with my wife. I remember a time when we wouldn't even spend an hour away from each other. So, how did I get here?

My name is Matthew Lamont. My family calls me Matt. My homies, friends, and comrades call me Rampage. It's a name from a wild and radical youth. I was imprisoned for three years for allegedly trying to plant a "destructive device" at a gathering of neo-nazis from Aryan Nation celebrating Hitler's birthday. The arrest stemmed from a campaign of harassment arrests in Long Beach against activists, anarchists, and other radicals. I was released over a year ago. Prison life was not easy. I wasn't a CEO of Enron or Martha Stewart. I went through maximum security California State Prisons. Life was hell for my three years. However, I paroled in one piece.

When I was released I had lost everything. The anarchists and activists I knew in Long Beach left the movement in fear that they would be imprisoned, I knew nobody. I was taken in by my family. From there I tried to piece together my life little by little and adjust to the outside world. I searched endlessly for a job without success due to my felony background. Finally, I found one at a cell phone booth selling cell phone contracts and phones. Meanwhile, I found a younger generation of activists and revolutionaries trying to make a difference in this post 9/11 environment. I did my best to guide them away from the pitfalls and mistakes my generation made before I served time. Things were going alright. However, the company I worked for decided they didn't want to pay me my commission , so fired me on the basis that I was a felon, even though I marked on the application and explained verbally to management that I was a felon. I ended up taking them to Labor Board and getting a small portion of what they owed me. I was angry, but still determined to try to succeed in making a life for myself. I ended up taking my G.E.D. so at least I'd have a High School diploma. I put up a resume on the internet and hit the street in search of a job.

I was finally hired at a mortgage company in a boiler room type telemarketing division. It was probably the last job I would ever want to do at the time, but nobody else would hire me. While I worked my butt off there I kept pushing the activist, revolutionary, and anarchist movements. I was determined to bring these radical ideas to the prisoners I left behind. Likewise I was determined to bring to attention the injustice I had seen and felt while behind those walls. It was for these reasons that I was identified as a threat.

In this movement I started dating a womyn relatively new to the movement, but dedicated with her heart and soul. I ended up getting her a job at my work as well. I did my job at work like I do my politics. I was dedicated and persistent. Someone finally gave me a chance, so I was damned if I let them down. I hustled on the phone calling 200 people a day. Soon I was the top salesperson on the floor. I started making good money in commission, and had paychecks I never thought I'd make. At Hart Park in Orange County during an activist friend's birthday I proposed to the womyn I was dating, Jennifer Phillips. She accepted my proposal. On July 21st, 2005 we were married.

From that point, to the day of my arrest, were the happiest days of my life. I continued to work my butt off telemarketing. Jen and I got our first new apartment. We never left each other's side. We even worked next to each other. Soon my wife took top producer from me and we had a friendly competition at work. Soon we even made enough money to buy a brand new car. These are the things I never even dreamed of accomplishing in life. To some people it waz nothing. To some people it might even have been materialistic, but these are people who have no clue what it's like to be a felon scavenging for a job desperate for money. To me, I was on top of the world.

However, my wife and I didn't forget our beliefs. Nor did I forget my past. I was inspired after reading Lorenzo Kemboa Ervin to start study groups in prison. I gathered several names and addresses to get these study groups going. I was determined to bring these groups to reality. My wife, Jen, was even more determined. She went out and raised money to get this going. Meanwhile at my workplace I was promoted to being a loan officer. I was no longer a telemarketer! My family was proud. Nobody could believe it. Only a little over a year before I was in a security housing unit! However, fortune wasn't waiting at the end of this rainbow.

February 23rd, 2006 a day after my promotion, I was asked to step out in the hallway at my work. Two plainclothes detectives flashed their badges and asked if I was Matthew Lamont. I stated I was. They told me to turn around and handcuffed me.

When I asked why I was being arrested they said, "we are small fish in a big pond". I guess I was the fish food. They took me to a white SUV outside and drove to my car.

They then went through my car with several other unidentified people in plainclothes who met them there. They took my wife's folder for class as evidence- "we got propaganda in the vehicle", they said. This smoking gun was a picture of a fist inside a feminist symbol on the front of the folder. While I sat confused watching my world fall apart the FBI and the Special Services Unit (a intelligence unit in the parole department that works closely with the FBI) raided my apartment. They ransacked the place and took anything remotely political into evidence. Anti-Bush posters, anti-war posters, flyers, political pamphlets, a letter from a prisoner, and a list of prisoners to be sent books. They took my computer and my cell phone as well. I was then taken to the Police substation. After a hour, I was given my phone calls. I still had no clue why I was under arrest. I called my distressed wife. Jen arrived at the apartment to find it torn to bits. She was crying and scared. She said she didn't feel safe anymore.

Of course this is what the FBI wanted from us, fear. After a while, a special agent from the SSU came to me. I told my wife that I'd call back. He identified himself as Special Agent Slaten from the SSU. He told me he had some questions for me. He questioned me first in length about my involvement in the anarchist movement. He apparently "intercepted" a postcard my wife sent to someone saying that we just came back from a meeting in Big Bear. He wanted to know what group was meeting.

Of course that's none of his bizness. He then asked if I knew anyone who wanted to blow up the Big Bear Dam. I told him that he couldn't be serious. He said he waz serious. I told 'em I didn't. He then shifted questions to asking if I knew certain members of the Black Guerrilla Family. I told 'em I didn't. He asked why members of the B.G.F. written on a paper with their prison addresses. This was my list of prisoners I wanted to send books to. He then asked if I knew anyone who wanted to blow up buildings. I asked if he was seriously asking me these questions, and once again he claimed he was. I told 'em no. He finally told me that I committed no crime, but they wanted to investigate me so they were going to violate my parole and send me back to prison so that they got time to do so. I told 'em I did nothing wrong and he said he'd check into it.

The next day I was sent to Chino State Prison. I was thrown in the hole here because I was under "local, state, and federal" investigation. I was informed that I was suspect of some vague bomb plot. I was later let out of the hole because the FBI never sent any paperwork to the warden on what exactly the investigation was about. Next my company called my wife. They asked me if I was arrested for anything to do with fraud or identity theft. Apparently the FBI decided taking my freedom wasn't enough. They needed to sabotage my career, my future, and my character.

I eventually was given my time for my violation. I was charged with possession of a knife for having a multi-tool on my computer desk, and going outside my parole region for going to Big Bear. The gang association charge was dropped on lack of evidence. This charge was for the book to prisoner list. In May, my parole officer called my parents thinking I'd been released. My mom talked to her. The PO told her I was violated for having literature in a box in a closet which was my property sent from prison a year ago. She also said that when I get out I'd be no longer able to work a job in mortgage sales or dealing with anyone's information. She also said I'd not be allowed to touch a computer. My mom yelled at her that I did nothing wrong and that I worked six days a week ten hours a day. She told her how sick she was of them trying to destroy her son's life. I'm back in the hole right now because Neo-Nazis attacked the Blacks and the Blacks defended themselves. They said I helped defend against these racists. Of course they let the racists off with nothing. They extended my release date instead.

So here I am at Chino State Prison. Just yesterday I had escaped the world of steel, concrete, and misery to become a success and be happily married, only to be brought back to hell. My life outside is barely hanging on. My wife, Jen Lamont is trying to struggle to make the bills working full time and getting a second job. She is trying to keep a roof over her head and something for me to come home to. The federal investigation proved fruitless and they moved on temporarily, probably to harass some other poor soul. I just want my life back. I want to be reunited with my wife and left alone. I don't understand how we can bomb another country to "free its people" when our own government is kicking down our doors for believing in change. Imprisoning us for wanting to send prisoners books. Today it's me. I'm an easy target. I'm an ex-convict. I'm on parole. I've got a prior felony for an explosive. The perfect picture of a suspected terrorist. Tomorrow it's you. A political activist, a radical, a subversive political dissident. We must stand together to survive, or fall like dominoes as the believers in fascism in our government consolidate power and implement a police state never before seen in Amerikkka. Your freedom, like mine, will be just a memory.

Professors group supports Churchill

Seventy of those tabbed in a book as "dangerous academics" say CU's acts are a threat to freedom.

By Jennifer Brown

Professors who united after being named as the "most dangerous academics in America" by a conservative author are urging the University of Colorado not to fire Ward Churchill.

Teachers for a Democratic Society, a blogging group formed by people listed in David Horowitz's book "The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America," is circulating a letter calling the actions of CU administrators a "serious threat to academic freedom."

"They indicate that public controversy is dangerous and potentially lethal to the careers of those who engage in it," says the letter, signed so far by 70 professors across the country. CU launched an investigation into Churchill's scholarship 1 1/2 years ago after a national outcry over his essay comparing some Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism victims to Nazi bureaucrat Adolf Eichmann.

In May, a faculty committee determined Churchill plagiarized and fabricated material in his scholarship. Boulder interim chancellor Phil DiStefano announced last month that he wanted to fire Churchill, who has appealed to another faculty committee.

The letter says the committee that spent months poring over the ethnic-studies professor's scholarship used an "unreasonably broad" definition of research misconduct.

But outgoing CU Faculty Council president Rod Muth said the peer review of Churchill's work and its findings of academic misconduct were solid.

University of Denver anthropology professor Dean Saitta, who helped draft the letter, said many faculty believe CU "has been looking for a way to complete a foregone conclusion."

"I think we are unanimous in believing that terminating his employment is not fair," Saitta said, adding there should be lesser punishment.

Churchill's attorney, David Lane, had not seen the letter but said, "Teachers and professors everywhere should be extremely concerned about the actions of the University of Colorado."

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4077230

Information Docs

I have been trying to send the PDF's of the documents from yesterday's
hearings to the list, but riseup will not allow me to send the files (too big).

If you would like me to send you the docs directly, email me, or go get
them off Portland Indymedia:
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/07/342857.shtml

“GreenScare” Prosecutions: Thurston, Tubbs and Tankersley Accept Plea Deals

“Green Scare” Prosecutions: Thurston, Tubbs and Tankersley Accept Plea Deals

Today, Thursday July 20, at the US District Court in Eugene, Darren Thurston, Kevin Tubbs and Kendall Tankersley plead guilty to several charges. Prior to the hearing, new “informations” (similar to indictments) were filed for each defendant, so that all the other defendants did not receive notice of the hearing. Therefore, many people were unable to attend what should have been a public change of plea proceeding. Furthermore, observers at the hearing learned that the plea agreement terms for Thurston, Tubbs and Tankersley are “sealed,” and therefore not subject to public scrutiny.

Darren Thurston pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson (from the District of Oregon indictment), and one count relating to the (Eastern District of California) Wild Horse Corral action. His suggested sentence is 37 months for each of the two charges, to be served concurrently; if this recommendation is followed, he will receive a 37-month total sentence. All of Thurston’s other charges will be dismissed at sentencing assuming he cooperates fully and completely with the government, including testifying against codefendants at trials.

Kevin Tubbs entered guilty pleas to 56 counts. Charges 9-43 of these are related to an arson at Romania Chevrolet, while charges 44-56 are related to attempted arson and arson at Jefferson Poplar. Tubbs faces a suggested sentence of 168 months imprisonment. All remaining charges against Tubbs, including those in Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, the Eastern District of California and the Western District of Washington are expected to be dismissed. The feds will argue that Tubbs was a leader of the conspiracy at his sentencing hearing. Tubbs appeared to be extremely shaken up throughout the entire plea hearings, but stated to the judge that he understood what was going on and was capable of making decisions. He, like the other 2 codefendants is under a mandatory duty to fully and completely cooperate with the feds at any time in order to receive the deal put forth in this change of plea proceeding.

Kendall Tankersley pled guilty to three counts—conspiracy, attempted arson and arson (the last two related to action against US Forest Industries). Tankersley received a suggested sentence of 51 months in prison. All her other charges will be dismissed.

Thurston, Tubbs and Tankersley are presently scheduled for formal sentencing on December 14, 2006.

As to these defendants, the federal government has agreed to recommend “downward departures” of the sentences due to their coerced cooperation (the exact terms of which are unknown), however, the government also announced that it will be seeking an upward enhancement to their sentences arguing that the federal anti-terrorism guidelines apply to their sentences as well. This enhancement could carry an additional penalty of up to 30 years of prison time. Defense attorneys are expected to argue against such an enhancement, and the final decision will be made by federal Judge Ann Aiken at sentencing.

Government informants Jake Ferguson and Jen Kolar were both mentioned by name today during the hearings and appear in the newly filed informations, though no further information was provided as to whether they will charged or punished for their substantial roles in these cases.

Tomorrow, July 21, Stan Meyerhoff will plead at 1:30pm; Chelsea Gerlach at 2pm and Suzanne Savoie at 2:30pm in the US District Court in Eugene.

More updates will be posted as we receive information. The new charging instruments can be viewed at www.cldc.org.

NEW EXECUTION DATE SET FOR HASAN SHAKUR

Greetings friends,
>
> HASAN SHAKUR ( DERRICK FRAZIER), MINISTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS of the NEW
> AFRIKAN BLACK PANTHER PARTY / PRISON CHAPTER, ON DEATH ROW AT THE
> POLUNSKY UNIT, JUST RECEIVED A NEW EXECUTION DATE OF AUGUST 31ST
> 2006. URGENT LETTERS; PHONE CALLS; AND FAXES ARE NEEDED.
>
> We can force them to halt it again this time too, we did before;
> maybe we can stop it permanently.
>
> Please pull out all the stops, and invent any and all creative media
> techniques you possess or can dream up, to spread the word through
> activist channels, and let everyone know they need to write Governor
> Rick Perry and make the state of Texas end once and for all; this
> senseless murdering of innocent people like Hasan.
>
> New evidence came forward last spring, indicating that there was
> jury misconduct in Hasan's trial, that compounded the fact that he
> was assigned an incompetant counsel ( later to be disbarred), and
> that a witness now also stated that Derrick was not even present at
> the crime, and that he, the witness; was coached as to what to say
> in the witness box.
>
> These new findings had helped with the last temporary delay, but now
> their blood-lust desire for their pound of flesh has overcome them
> once again. And after wiping clean the corners of their systemic
> drooling fascist delusions... another HUMAN is devoured in the name
> of "Tidiness"; we must push even harder once again brothers and
> sisters and intervene to interrupt this feeding frenzy sans
> digestive aids !!
>
> In the coming few days, I will try finish up a revision to an
> informational flyer/handbill with a letter format on it to follow,
> that we used with some success earlier for Hasan, that I will
> attempt to make a downloadable file I can attach to a post for
> everyone.
> This will enable y'all to make your own two-sided sheets of your own
> to copy and distro in your areas.
> So, stay tuned.
>
> To re-acquaint yourselves with the story that brought Hasan to the
> Polunsky Death Row go to:
> www.hasanshakur.com, or you can email to Hasan
> at:<hasanalshakur@yahoo.com> and show your solidarity for him. There
> are links to his projects and the HRC, Human Rights Coalition; and
> Operation L.I.F.E. there.
>
> But, please don't wait for the handbills, we can start making some
> calls and faxes now to the Governor at:
>
> Office of the Governor,
> Rick Perry,
> P.O. Box 12428,
> Austin, Texas 78711
> ( Give him something to think about at his Colorado Street Mansion
> over the weekend.)
>
> Fax: (512) 463-1849
> Phone: (512) 463-2000
>
> And please, write to Hasan now too at:
>
> Derrick Frazier (Hasan Shakur),
> TDCJ CID#999284,
> Polunsky Unit,
> 3872 F.M. 350 South,
> Livingston, Texas 77351

ELF Communique and newspaper article

Below is a communique that was sent to Healing the Earth Radio (resistanceisfertile.ca) and an article from the local paper.

On July 15th, the "Group of 8" (G8) richest industrialized
countries will convene in St. Petersburg, Russia to plot their
continued domination and commodification of the planet, this time
under the euphemistic banner of "Energy Security." A leaked G8
"Communique on Energy Security" calls for trillions of dollars in
new investments in oil, gas and coal production worldwide, plus
wide-scale global expansion of nuclear energy. With runaway climate
change* looming just over the horizon, such neoliberal business-as-
usual poses a direct threat to the continuation of life on Earth as
we know it.

Resistance is self defense. The G8 agenda promotes petroleum-
dependent "Energy Security" that pollutes our land and atmosphere,
exploits communities everywhere, and scorches the Earth’s climate.
Their recipe for catastrophe must be met with our global resistance!
On 18 July, 2006, 6 litres of gas were put to use.
STOP DEVELOPEMENT NOW!

ELF

We are everywhere!



Arson cited in $80,000 blaze

GUELPH (Jul 20, 2006)

A fire in a house under construction in Guelph's south end that occurred some time overnight Tuesday was deliberately set, the Guelph Fire Department reports.

"Our investigation indicates arson," said fire prevention officer Dave Nieuwold after returning from the scene last night.

The fire began in a second-storey bedroom in the house on Hassler Road, a new street in the Pineridge subdivision bordered by Arkell Road and Gordon Street, and appears to have burned out on its own.

Charred walls were discovered by construction workers yesterday, who contacted police and fire officials.

The house was nearing completion, awaiting drywall and flooring. Nieuwold said the fire caused approximately $80,000 damage as drywall and windows will have to be replaced.

A Cry for Help from from Bourj el-barajneh

Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 6:46 PM

Borj El Barajneh Refugee camp Beirut Lebanon

Thousands Isolated in a sea of destruction

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN ,

Dear Sirs/Madames,

First I would like to start with the situation here in Beirut. War has prevailed everywhere and the destruction has become our daily bread.

First and foremost starting with Borj Al Barajneh camp that is stuck in the middle of the fire and bombardment isolated from the surrounding areas leaving the residents suffering the tension of war and scarcity of life, since most of the Lebanese people were able to leave their place and houses to other parts of Beirut. Whereas the camp residents have nowhere to resort to except to stay in the camp.

Al Bourj camp is located in the southern suburb of Beirut surrounded by Hezbolla area where the bombs strike is very intensive day and night. It has three main entrances from the airport road other from Haret Horek and another one from the Borj area. So all the bombing is around it. Therefore, the best way to reach the camp is from the airport road which has become very dangerous and targeted at anytime of the day and night with no previous warning which endangers our lives as well ….

As you could perceive I am the director of the Women’s Humanitarian Organization in the camp as the war started people rushed to the supermarkets to supply with food but the supermarkets and shops were empty during the first hours. Immediately, the first idea that came up to my mind was how to aid my people in the camp and provide them with prompt assistance as a result of the severe conditions the Palestinians were living before and during the war were lamentable. 80% of them are unemployed or have part time jobs and sometimes seasonal jobs. They earn their livings on day by day basis. So the critical question is how they could manage through this hard situation.

On 15-07-06, I visited the camp searching for answers to my question. I found out that people have decided to stay in the camp due to lack of any other place they can resort to due to shortage of money and housing. For to leave the camp it will cost them a lot in order to find a place and hire a car especially that they don’t wish to relive the experience of being refugees for the second time .They told me we are already refugees do we need to be refugees again ?

Today, 18-07-06 I went again to the camp and good grief I cant really describe that horrific trip. My car was the only moving vehicle. Everywhere was in deep silence and destruction. It’s only 4 km from my house to the camp the first half of the way was manageable but as we approached the camp it seemed to me from the first impression as if haunted by ghosts. No one can enter the area as it is extremely dangerous with the bombed airport on one side and the now totally destroyed Shia suburbs on the other. It was a scene of total devastation with all the buildings and roads totally smashed. I was shocked and overwhelmed. There was the smell of death and destruction everywhere.

The moment I entered the camp I felt I was on an island so isolated from the surrounding. I joined the other NGOs and arranged for an emergency meeting with them for a long term plan to aid the camp. We didn’t know where to start from, the needs were so massive and beyond our expectations. It’s true that we have had a long experience during the past war but the situation now is different. For now we have no hierarchal structure in the camp or maybe has almost disappeared. In the past the PLO was in charge and provided people with all the assistance, but now the question is who could carry this burden along with us (NGOs)? Even the NGOs are very tight with funds. All the shelters in the camp are not viable for protection at all. They have not been used since 1987 not even enough medical resources. The women, children and elderly are terrified and trapped after days of sustained brutal bombing of the entire area around our camp. There is no electricity, no fuel for the generators, no medial supplies and we are in urgent need of food and drugs for the children and the elderly.

As a result of our meeting all NGOs and activists have agreed upon the following needs:

• Raising health & medical awareness regarding the situation especially that they are using chemical weapons and bombs and people need to be aware how to deal with such a situation.
• Babies’ and children’s food, mainly milk and diapers.
• Emergency medications: ventoline, for asthma, diabetic tablets, medicine for high blood pressure.
• Dressing materials, cardiac medicine, antipyretic, antibiotics, and medicine for diarrhea.
• Candles and matches.
• Drinking water, the camp lacks sources of water (people usually buy the drinking water)
• Detergent and insecticide.
• First aid workers (run courses)
• Gasoline for electricity generators for the hospitals.
• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kits and stretchers.
• Electricity generators to facilitate life and for the work of the NGOs.

Our recent statistics show the following:

• 200 families fled into the camp from the surrounding area (those who lived for a long time ago outside the camp in Hezbollah area) and have no other place to resort to in Beirut.
• 1500 children under 6 years.
• 450 elderly with chronic diseases.
• 20,000 living in the camp.

By the end of the meeting we divided ourselves and took upon our responsibilities different tasks upon which to clean the shelters and mobilize ourselves for emergencies hoping to receive the support and funds on time to be able to provide our people with the urgent supplies and provisions needed. I left the camp praying to God to keep this road safe in order to come back again to our people with the aid and help.

We are facing a humanitarian crisis on an unprecedented scale and we call on the international community to stop Israel’s total destruction of Lebanon and the killing of innocent civilians. We are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and we ask all good people in the world to help us.

Anyhow, a little aid makes difference.

A beam of light gives hope to people in spite darkness.

For donations:

Women’s Humanitarian Organization

Bank of Beirut

Tarik Jdideh

Swift code# BABEL BBE

Account number :11 401 091280 01

For contact:

Women’s Humanitarian Organization

Director

Olfat Mahmoud

Phone no: 00961 3 019 775(mobile)

Tel& fax: 00961 1 840 239

e-mail: palwho@gmail.com

Yours faithfully

Women’s Humanitarian Organization

Director

Olfat Mahmoud

Ann Coulter admits sending fake anthrax to NY Times

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/07/conservative-pundit-ann-coulter-admits.html

Conservative pundit Ann Coulter admits to recent fake-Anthrax mailing
to NYT
by John in DC - 7/20/2006 10:24:00 AM

If any of us admitted publicly to having committed a recent act of
terrorism, we'd be locked up immediately. But when lead Republicans
admit to such things, the Bush administration does nothing. Pat
Robertson suggests that the State Department should be nuked (he
really did), and no one bats an eye. Ann Coulter first suggests that
Timothy McVeigh should have considered blowing up the New York Times,
that the NYT executive editor should be executed, and this week,
according to published reports, Coulter says she sent fake Anthrax to
the New York Times (they received an envelope with white powder last
week).

Did Coulter send the fake Anthrax? She says she did.

Will she or any other conservative voicing support for terrorist acts
against Americans ever be held accountable by this administration? Or
at least by their own party? Or will Pat Robertson continue to be the
religious darling of the Republican party and the Bush White House,
and will Ann Coulter continue to receive her tens of thousands of
dollars in speaking fees at Republican conferences and events?

Unlikely. After all, we do have stem cells, gay marriage, and the flag
to worry about. Who can expect the Bush administration to be actually
worried about terrorism, especially when it comes from the mouths of
their biggest supporters.

Jeff is in 'the hole'

freefreenow@mutualaid.org wrote:

Dear Friends,

We wanted to let all of Jeff’s supporters know that he was
placed in solitary segregation (“the hole”) on the 10th of July
for Contraband 1 and Disobedience 2, for allegedly having a
“diluted urine analysis” (drug test). In other words, the prison
has accused him of having urine that is “too clean”.

It has been difficult to get information from the prison so we
apologize for the delay in communicating this to you all. His hearing
for the charges was originally set for the 13/14th of July but
was delayed for investigative purposes. Jeff remains in the hole
pending the completion of the investigation and as of yesterday,
no new hearing date has been set in the matter. His attorney is
keeping us updated and will let us know once the date has been
set. At this point we are still trying to find out just how long the
prison can legally hold him in segregation while an investigation
is pending.

Please do NOT call the prison to complain, etc – it would NOT be
helpful (and might be hurtful) during the investigation period.

But PLEASE do send Jeff letters and messages of support. We
are sure he would greatly appreciate hearing from you at this time.

His mailing address is:

Jeffrey Luers, #13797671
OSP
2605 State Street
Salem, OR 97310

Thank you all for your continued support and we will keep you
updated as events unfold.

-Friends of Jeff Free Luers
http://www.freefreenow.org
Write Free at Jeffrey Luers, #13797671, Oregon State
Penetentiary, Salem, OR 97310

Donate to Free's Legal Defense:
1-Online through the 'make a donation' button at
http://www.freefreenow.org
2-Send a check or money order to: "Free's Defense Fund"
and mail to
POB 3, Eugene, OR 97440

http://www.freefreenow.org

Yakima Herald Article on Pleas

http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/308231306618675

From AP: Three plead guilty in Oregon to ecoterrorism spree

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — Three people pleaded guilty Thursday to charges they were part of an ecoterrorism cell calling itself "The Family" that firebombed a ranger station, lumber mills, wild horse corrals and two meat packing plants.

As part of the plea agreement, the three agreed to cooperate in the continuing investigation of 10 others who are scheduled to go on trial Oct. 31 in U.S. District Court in Eugene for a series of firebombings around the Northwest from 1996 to 2001, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

"This is a substantial step in resolution of this case and successful prosecution of the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front in these crimes," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Peifer from Eugene. The two shadowy groups claimed responsibility for the attacks at the time.

In pleading guilty, the three admitted they tried to intimidate and coerce federal agencies, private businesses and the public through sabotage and mass destruction, the Justice Department said in a statement.

U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene accepted guilty pleas from Kevin Tubbs, 37, of Springfield, Ore.; Kendall Tankersley, 29, of Flagstaff, Ariz., and Darren T. Thurston, 36, a Canadian lately living in Portland, Ore., on charges of criminal conspiracy and related arson counts.

They are scheduled for sentencing Dec. 14, after completion of the trial of the others. They face five to 20 years in prison on each arson count and five years on the conspiracy.

More defendants were expected to plead guilty Friday, the Justice Department said.

The investigation of the case went nowhere for years, with little evidence but melted five-gallon buckets that had been filled with diesel and set off with timers.

But after a taskforce was formed with 30 investigators taking a "Cold Case" approach, they were able to find an informant, who, with a hidden tape recorder, looked up old friends from the group and talked to them about the past crimes, according to court records and testimony.

Federal agents arrested six people last December. As time went on, the number of unnamed informants grew to four. The sweep of the arsons grew also, until January, when 11 people were indicted in a wide-ranging conspiracy that included the 1998 firebombing of a Vail, Colo., ski resort. Two others were indicted later.

Tubbs, who worked in an adult store in Springfield and was known by the nickname "Dog," pleaded guilty to firebombing of the U.S. Forest Service ranger station in Oakridge in 1996, a horse slaughterhouse in Redmond in 1997, the Bureau of Land Management wild horse corrals in Burns in 1997, offices of U.S. Forest Industries in Medford in 1998, a meat packing plant in Eugene in 1999, a police substation in Eugene in 2000, offices of Superior Lumber Co. in Glendale in 2001, and the Jefferson Poplar Farm in Clatskanie in 2001.

Tankersley, who was applying to medical school when she was arrested last December in Arizona, pleaded guilty to two attempts to set fire to the U.S. Forest Industries office in Medford. Authorities had accused her of being the lookout.

Thurston, an animal-rights activist from Canada who was living with another defendant, Chelsea Gerlach, in Portland when they were arrested, pleaded guilty to being part of the conspiracy, and acknowledged taking part in setting fire to BLM horse corrals in Susanville, Calif., in 2001. He will enter a guilty plea to that charge after being transferred out of Oregon, authorities said.

Green Scare: The Lauren Regan Interview

by The Justice Barker
Thursday Jul 20th, 2006 3:54 PM

Activist-Lawyer Lauren Regan is Jeff “Free” Luers lawyer. She is outspoken about what is happening to activists in the US and speaks to The Justice Barker for the Abolitionist on what is commonly called “The Green Scare” in the United States today.

“Environmental groups are being harassed, infiltrated and spied on by the FBI and the police as never before”. Regan urges activists to be cautious in their homes, at work, and in legal actions such as civil disobedience. “Everyone who is an activist is a target” she stressed.

But Regan, executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center in Eugene , equally stressed the importance of legal environmental activism. “The resistance movement has always been an integral part of our democracy,” she said, adding that activists must constantly speak out against what she believes are heavy-handed and illegal government tactics.

“Be very vocal,” she said. “Shedding light on it is a great way to put an end to it.”



JB: How's it going?

LR: It's going....I'm kinda up to my ass in a million different things going on...but I'm going to be walking around with a hands free head set while were doing this so if for any reason if you get to much background noise of anything I'll head back to my desk.

JB: No worries. Is this a busy time for you?

LR: Well always...I run a law office in addition to running a very active non-profit right now so there lot of shit hitting the fan the last week or so.

JB: Really? What's happening?

LR: Well the new indictments...we had someone go to jail for contempt of court on a grand jury...etc etc.

JB: What's happening in Oregon ? Are you working on cases through out the country or what?

LR: Well the Civil Liberty Defense Center, the nonprofit I work for, is basically keeping tabs on and being involved in the all of the Green Scare cases that are going right now, which basically references the Eugene indictment. We just had a second superseding indictment filed on May 18 which add about 14 charges to one of the defendants that was early named in the cases and we got the Seattle indictment, the Tacoma indictment, the Vail indictment, the Susanville Californian (out of Sacramento ) indictment as well. So there's 5 different federal cases going on across the country right now, alleging conspiracy and alleging arson related crimes, and the Feds intend to prove it's a conspiracy of the ELF and ALF people.

So that's been pretty major, and then last Thursday there was two individuals that were subpoenaed to grand juries, one being Jeff Houge. He was subpoenaed to a grand jury here in Eugene Oregon. He chose not to cooperate with the grand jury and he's currently in the Lane County Jail on contempt of court charges. He may remain in jail until the grand jury term expires which is on September 30 or he has the possibility of getting out earlier if his attorney is successful in filing motions for his release. The second person was Burt Morris who was subpoenaed to a grand jury in Vail in Denver . Basically the Feds were looking for him to collaborate some statements that Jake Ferguson made as a federal informant and Mr. Morris was not able to collaborate those statements because they were untrue and he was not taken into jail. He minimally answered some questions and he was allowed to return to Oregon were he lives. So all that going on in the last week alone keeps a gal busy

JB: Wow... It's really scary times for activists right now. You call it The Green Scare....When did this start? When did the ball start rolling?

LR: Well I guess technically the ball probably slightly started rolling back in 1996 when the first incident happened. At least we know cops were called and investigations were done at that time, including arson investigations, but up until pretty recently the Federal government had no leads, and no suspects in any of the cases at all. It was in 2001 when the federal government started having grand juries, attempting to put names to incidences but they weren't getting anywhere with that.

It wasn't until Jake Ferguson who now has apparently admitted his leadership role in over a dozen arsons including admissions that he had a heroin addiction and that he's going to receive a large amount of money in exchange for his testimony. Apparently he will not do any, we're not 100 percent sure of this yet, but it sure doesn't look like he's going to be doing any jail time, even though he has admitted being the leader.

Without his testimonial and without the information he's provided to the federal government, the Feds would not have had a case against any of the individuals who are named as defendants and with many of the cases they were running up on the Statue of Limitation, meaning they only have a certain number of years to file certain types of federal cases (in the case of arson the time period is 5 years) and many of them were at that 5 year line at the time that Mr. Ferguson chose to provide info to the federal government.

So it's been going on for several years but the first of the indictments weren't issued until this past December of 2005. That was when the first indictments were issued and the first arrests were made and since that time they have continued to expand their search for more people that have agreed to cooperate with the government. It's pretty

much a mess at this point. Every week something new comes up that should probably be disturbing to most people who are working on any type of resistance movement issues, whether that be Animal Rights, Environmental Rights, Anti-War, Labor, etc.

When you combine what we see going with Green Scare with the governments pretty blatant unlawful spying on US citizens and numerous other breaks in the law for the federal government it definitely seems like the government is trying to give itself

further law enforcement power and give itself more power to repress dissenting views.

It is using incidents like these eco cases as the reason why they need additional tools or why they need expanded power... which is really a crock... which is really a load! But because they control the media so carefully they are able to put out their message in a very spin doctored way

Just the fact that the head attorney for the United States, Alberto Gonzales on the day the indictments were issued took them to the stairs of the White House and held a press conference where he labelled all the defendants in these cases as eco-terrorists.

That is a symptom of a much larger problem for a couple different reasons. Number one, this man is the head attorney for the United States and he should know defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law so for him to be making statements labelling people as eco terrorists is very problematic

Number two, the statements he made to the entire American public were based solely on the testimony of this single snitch. His belief that these people are eco-terrorists was based on statements made by Jacob Ferguson, a heroin addict who is basically willing to lie his way out of troubles so he doesn't go to jail and in receipt of probably close to $100,000 dollars, so it just seems like no lawyer in their right mind would get behind something like that and make such grandiose statements based on the amount of information he had at that time.

And of course the third facet, the use of that term “eco-terrorist” is such a bastardization of the English language. Eco-terrorism is what happen in Bhopal India , eco-terrorism is when Saddam Hussein blew up all the oil rigs and let a bunch of oil into the ocean, those are acts of eco-terrorism. What we have with these cases are acts of property destruction, pure and simple.

Call it arson if you want to but it's not a terrorist act and in fact the 83 page indictment against these people, never once does is use the word “terrorist”. There are no terrorist crime allegations in the indictment. It's just simply a use of media spin to basically make a political point rather then actually prosecuting people based on the law

JB: Mass arrests, infiltration, wiretapping... Do you think its going to get worse before it gets better, what going to happen?

LR: Well I think what we saw as a result of Conintelpro during the 60's and 70's is that there was a time period were the government was almost successful in bringing resistance movements to their knees, but it will never last. I think the one most important things we can do as activists is to continue doing all of the good work we have all been working on, cause we are being attacked by the federal government, the worst thing we could do is allow them to win.

Obviously the attacks are meant to scare the crap out of everyone, to silence people who might speak out against the government normally. We know that Rumsfield and company have made statement like “You are either with us or you are against us” or "You are either for the war in Iraq or you are a terrorist”. Just crazy statements like that.

So I think connecting to the larger public, trying to form new alliances with groups that we may not have worked with before and just making sure that everybody understands that this not about condemning or condoning the individual acts of arson that are being alleged in these cases, that there are certainly a much greater more sinister motivation going on by the Federal Government.

Of course they will never admit to it, they never admitted to Conintelpro or any of the other illegalities that they committed in history, but history repeats itself and so when the movement is effective and the government doesn't like it, they certainly have the power and resources to try to crush the resistance movement.

I think the WTO and some of the global protests that have come out against corporations and business have pissed off those million bazillion dollar corporations and they are now using their funding to buy off representatives and legislators. They are using that money and power to create unconstitutional laws like this Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and similar legislation like that.

So it's not a time for anyone to slow down their work, it's time for people to be getting really focused, gearing up and being committed to see this thing through. We are not the first victims of this and we probably won't be the last, but how we conduct ourselves and how educate our fellow citizens about what is going on will be imperative.

JB: Do you think for the time being with all these things happening that these scare tactics have created distrust and have reduced the amount of activity in the movement or has just sent the movement further underground?

LR: Well I don't know if I would necessarily be the expert to speak to that. From my vantage point part of my practice is federal environmental law and I see the environmental groups I work with everyday working hard to save areas from timber sales and to continue to litigate endangered species acts, clean water and clean air. The normal things we have worked on for decades continue to go on. I think that there certainly is a reason to be looking once again to security culture and to be reaffirming some of those lessons that people have been taught over the years.

When you have a government that blatantly says we believe we are allowed to spy on you and record all your phone calls even though your simply an American citizen, certainly puts out to the world that this is not a time were privacy is being valued by our government.

Big Brother is certainly spying on everyone, not only resistance groups and as a result of that, a change in tactics and a change in communication and all sorts of other things will take place and if the government thinks that we are just going to continue to talk on the phone and let them spy on us then they are ignorant.

Movements have been extremely effective under times of repression and I think that all of the movements and all of us involved with will continue to be effective and that we will change and grow. I don't think government repression with have an easy time bringing these movements to their knees.

I think that we should assume we are being spied on and we should be looking really carefully at the people we are working with. We shouldn't simply allow the government to be spying on us, throwing up our hands and saying “Oh! There's nothing to be done so I guess I'll assume everything I'm doing is being monitored”. You should probably act like that, you should stand up and talk about how wrong it is and try to develop ways so you won't be spied on.

JB: When USA Today article came out about the NSA spying I assumed that the general American public would value privacy and there would be hysteria but the article came out and there was some chat about it but it died. Were you surprised at the reaction or do you think there is still a building movement against the spying?

LR: I think that there still a lot work to be done on the issue. I have just heard that the ACLU is gearing up to do something in response to the NSA warrantless spying. So I don't think we have seen the end of it but when I first heard about this and the pending indictment against Karl Rove and all these other issues coming up I thought, “God if this doesn't get the administration impeached what will?”

Clinton gets a blow job and an impeachment hearing begins on him yet we have all this outrageous stuff happening. We have members of congress that are standing up speaking out in congress about this warrantless wiretapping and asking why it's being allowed to continue and under what lawful basis is it being allowed.

At the very highest levels it seems people are reacting strongly to it and asking how did this happen? How did things get so out of control in our government?

I think the response now needs to be how do we correct this? We need to remove those people from office to send a clear message that we are watching and that they are still accountable to us, we the people. Otherwise if we just allow this to continue, again if we just throw up our hands and say there's nothing we can do, we are just lowly citizens...then we are going to get what we deserve. I think it's time everybody declared what side of the fence they are on and get ready to fight. I mean that in calling representatives and writing letters. Doing anything and everything you can, talking to church groups, what ever it happens to be... we need a mass mobilization if we are going to take our government back from the fascist that are taking control of our lives at this point.

JB: As a lawyer what can I do as a citizen working within the system against this wiretapping and other things. I mean it's illegal to be listening to this conversation we are having right now. How much power do I have within the legal system to take on government?

LR: Well, I think at this point the groups like Center for Constitutional Rights and the ACLU and some of these large well funded non-profit organisations have taken the lead in filing lawsuits and starting mass mobilisation campaigns. The ACLU now has a sign on letter to send off the to FCC because apparently the FCC has been

allowing the Feds to monitor phone conversations. So people are starting to get creative with where can we apply pressure to try to force change to the situation...

About things you can do as a citizen...If you have never called your elected official this could be the time. People may think that may not be effective and it's not effective if one or two wing nuts call every week with the same ol same ol but when they get thousands of their constituents calling with the same message, it really forces them to pay attention and respond.

I think letters to the editor in all various papers is great. I just heard a statistic that 90% of all newspaper readers read the letters to the editor and I think that is also a really effective way to communicate with your community. The bottom line from a lawyers perspective is the US Supreme Court at some point soon is going to reach a decision as to whether this is legal or illegal in their opinion. That's supposed to be based on the law but we recognise Bush has been putting his cronies on the bench now for a while so the make up of the Supreme Court has certainly tilted in his favour.

The law is the law and as a lawyer, and I guess maybe I naively have optimism, there is no way a fellow lawyer or the US Supreme Court can read the constitution and the Bill of Rights, can read binding case law and believe the US government is allowed to spy on its fellow citizens without warrants on a continuous basis like this, regardless of whether they're calling it the “war on terror” or not. This is an unprecedented action by the government.

JB: Do you think this is limited to the Bush administration? In 2008 or 2007 if he is impeached do think the ball will continue to roll? If a Democrat or another Republican gets in do you think these things will change or do you think he has started this terrible thing that will continue?

LR: I think it's going to take major shake-up to in order to steer the course from where it is going now. Democrats, Republican ....I think we can all agree that these are labels that are being put on a sort of oatmeal type of elected representative. So I certainly would never say “Oh... once the Democrats are in we will be fine" That's certainly not the case .... Once your rights have been eroded it almost impossible to get them back. When you have laws like the Patriot Act on the books it will be extremely difficult to undo the damage that has already been done! The downward spiral is going continue regardless whether you have a Democrat or Republican in the White House unless something major happens to shake that regime up.

JB: I want to talk about the underground movement. We can talk about the Bush Administration all day long but everyone else is doing the same thing. How effective do you think the underground movement is in forwarding Animal Rights, Environmental Rights and Stopping the War?

LR: I don't know. I wouldn't call myself an expert on the underground movement and I certainly I am not part of it so I don't really think I should speak to that group, their tactics and their effectiveness.

JB: OK. You have talked about infiltration happening to the underground movement and the non-profit world. Greenpeace, PETA and others... How far do you think this infiltration has gone? Is it to the very top levels of these organisations?

LR: I think that that's probably the case. I think the infiltration will be very systematic. An example I use is of the Socialist Workers Party. The Feds infiltrated that movement in the span of three decades, they put over 13 hundred informants and infiltrators into that movement. Over 300 of them were actual paid employees of the

Socialist Workers Party and after 30 years of infiltration and investigation by the Feds, not a single criminal prosecution resulted.

So when you look back on history there's no doubt that the federal government and its spies have managed to get themselves placed in pretty strategic positions, partly by our own naivety. The other perspective that I've heard is if they want to lick envelopes for the cause then well let them lick envelopes, cause we are not doing anything wrong we are just saving the planet.

I'd say it's fairly safe to assume that if you are being effective at what your doing and what you are doing is contrary to the current regimes politic, chances are that someone you are working with is reporting back to the Feds. I think the case of the Sacramento Three and the Anna who at age 18 was recruited by the FBI and paid an annual salary for her work.

She got special permission from the federal government to break the law. There was special form that was filed on her behalf that said go ahead and commit arson and if you get caught we'll save you. I think that they are getting a little bit more astute in being able to place infiltrators in groups.

Also we see this in the huge sentences being imposed in jail terms for crimes that used to carry 5-10 years are now carrying 30 to life. That makes the Feds job a lot easier to convert people to their side. If they find a 19 year old who has just committed a crime and they say you are going to go to jail for the rest of your life unless you become an informant... well it's pretty easy to see how a 19 year old might go for that and then spend many years in the movement relaying information to the government.

JB: From my stand point I have seen dramatic changes in stances in the non-profit world. Do you think these infiltrators, these informants are having an effect on the way organisations are run, their tactics and on issues at hand?

LR: I don't know if I would necessarily be a good person to speak to that. It's not something that I have focused on in my work yet. I think that the use of government surveillances and infiltration over the last 5 years has some impact on the way non-profit organisations might run. But 99.999 % of non-profit organisations are doing legal, above ground work and you can put Feds in there to figure out what timber sales they are going to sue over next, but the reality is the vast majority of people who are involved in these movements are just not breaking the law. To think that the threat of infiltration is changing, lets say, the Cascadia Wildlands Project annual plan is

probably an exaggeration. I don't, for instance, think it's going on there.

JB: You represent Jeff ‘Free' Luers...How is he doing?

LR: Well he's doing....you know. We are coming up to the 6th year he's been in custody. He was given a sentence of 22 years and 8 months. We still don't have a decision yet on his appeal. As soon as he was convicted an appeal was started on his behalf and based on some case law that came down on the US Supreme Court and in Oregon , his appeal was excessively stalled... It's been over 5 years, basically waiting for this appeal to run its course and we still don't have a decision yet!

So I think that's been frustrating. His co defendant has been out of jail for a few years now so that's got to be hard on him. They're having problems getting him educational programs in jail. Every year on June 9-11 is the weekend of resistances on his behalf and he has asked this year, that that event be focused on resisting the Green Scare .I know many places across the US are having events that weekend in a show of solidarity with the eco defence prisoners. He is certainly watching what is unfolding with a lot of concern for folks that are facing even longer jail sentences then he had.

JB: He seems, and I hate to say this, the poster child of what happening...Why do you think his case created such an uproar in the community and around the world?

LR: I think that the facts speak for themselves. His crimes, when all is said and done and you get rid of the hype that has surrounded it, is he burned the tires on two SUVs that were replaced and sold. That's the extent of the damage he did. He's a young man. He's very intelligent and he had no prior crime history. He was served an

extremely excessive sentence and I think alliances were made with people that may have never supported him or what he did but they were so shocked and appalled at the excessiveness of the punishment. It drew people into his situation who might not of normally shown much support for him. That's the back lash of these excessive sentences.

We are still really optimistic that his appeals with be successful and that sometime soon we are really hoping when all is said and done the courts will rule he has served his time and will allow him out with what he has served. Certainly 5 years is a reasonable sentence for someone that burned the tires on 3 SUVs. So if we still have any sense in equality and fairness in sentencing in our court system this would certainly be a tough case for that as well.

JB: Fingers crossed for sure! About you...You do a lot of pro bono work for activists like Jeff...How do you survive yourself?

LR: Laughs ...Well I live pretty simply. I have chosen not to have kids or other expenses like that and I just live in a manner that allows me to work on issues that are important to me. I have just kinda made those accommodations in my life.

That's why I went to law school and got myself a law degree and so I could participate in this way. But we also did form a non-profit call the Civil Liberties Defense Center and we are certainly welcome donations from folks, our website is http://www.clbc.org and any donations we do raise goes into the program work we are doing, for Jeff and the Green Scare and a lot of other projects we have going right now.

JB: I have 24 hours in my day. How many do you have in yours? Is it just non-stop for you?

I just keep hoping when I wake up there will be a little clone sitting next to my pillow because I could use two brains. There is far more work then a single person can do. There's far more work then any of us can do but I try to keep my priorities clear and I do work 14 hours a day most days...but it's a pretty urgent time. I hope

to be able to slow the pace down in a year but right now it's not really the time to prioritize recreation or free time.

JB: There's this debate within my head and I'm sure other peoples heads too. Do you work within the system? Do you go to law school and get a law degree or do you stand back and fight the system from the outside? Your creating change and helping lots of people ...What's your belief?

LR: I hear that debate and I talk to lots of people who are considering going to law school and people who are in law school and it's definitely a hard decision because I always tell people law school is like a sausage grinder, you have to be really clear on why you're in there so you can get out still intact. A law school education is a pretty mainstream institution.

It's a lot to swallow and regurgitate sometimes and it is also for me personally...My

experience was having friends go to jail and not understanding the system they were being put into so I just felt like it was a key to unlock stuff that not everybody has access to.

Not everybody has the mainstream grades or the ability to fund getting into law school. It's definitely a major decision.

For me I just feel like some of us of have to sacrifice ourselves to go this road.. We are going to have people in jail, we are going to have unconstitutional legislation passed, we are going to have illegal timber sales planned and if we don't have people who are of our brains willing to take on those roles we will be ineffective as a movement.

There's that old saying "It's going to take all the tools in the toolbox to be successful” and I consider myself and legal background another tool in the tool box and we certainly could use a lot more of them! With people going to jail for long time periods and so many issues that are going to come up as the police state rackets down and the ramifications become heightened... I would encourage people to consider law as a way to be a part of the movement, but is certainly not for everyone!

JB: Thank you so much for what your doing and good luck. I will be following you cases and what your doing for sure!

LR: Hopefully I won't end up in a jail cell too

JB: I hope not!

http://abolitionist-online.com/interview-i...

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July 24: Stop the Gary Freeman Extradition

Support Gary Freeman - Stop the Extradition!

Join Us (Free Admittance)
Monday, July 24, 2006, 7pm

Bloor Street United Church
300 Bloor Street West
(intersection with Huron Street, near Spadina subway station)

Chair: Charles Roach (Toronto Attorney)
Speakers: Stan Willis* (Chicago Civil Rights Attorney/Activist) and
Natercia Coelho (Gary's wife)
Performance by: Gayap Rhythm drummers

Come learn about Gary Freeman's case and how you can help him and his family.

Advocates for human rights and against racism would be well aware of the
racial tensions surrounding Chicago in 1969 and the volatile nature of a
21-year-old white police officer aggressively questioning a 19-year-old
black man without justifiable cause. The are many well-established
incidents of police misconduct in the African-American community of Chicago
at that time and since, including harassment, intimidation, physical abuse,
arbitrary arrests and unjustified shootings.

Serious questions have also been raised about the fundamental justice of
the new Extradition Act (1999) in relation to the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms and international human rights.

We must demand that the continued persecution of Gary Freeman ends NOW! It
would be Canada's national shame to allow him to be extradited to the
U.S.A. Gary Freeman has suffered too much already, yet continues to be
victimized.

We do not believe the best interests of justice would be served by
uprooting Gary from his family and returning him to an uncertain fate in
the United States.

Email for more info: freemandrum@web.ca

Sponsored by: Social Justice Committee of Bloor Street United Church

Organized by Family and Friends of Gary Freeman - www.freemandrum.org

* Mr. Willis is chairman of the Chicago chapter of the National Conference
of Black Lawyers, and has been involved in exposing the systemic torture
practiced against African Americans in Chicago police custody.

7-28: Important NY action & support

salaam all:

Zein Rimawi & the Elders of Bay Ridge in conjunction with local masajid, churches
& Al Awda have called for a rally next Friday July 28th at 3:30PM on 42nd Street & 2nd Ave.

We will post the call to action shortly, all who wish to endorse, co-sponsor, or otherwise
shape the demo please mail lamis@al-awda.org your details for the upcoming rally.

lamis

---------
End Zionism In The Arab World
End All Arab Government Support of the Zionist Israeli State
Long Live the People's Resistance In Palestine, Lebanon & Iraq

green scare defendants plead out

from the Civil Liberties Defense Center
--
sorry for cross postings, please forward.

Without any public notice whatsoever, Kevin Tubbs, Darren
Thurston and Kendall Tankersly plead guilty in federal
court this morning, July 20th at about 9am. A new
"information" (like an indictment) was filed under a
separate case number for each defendant so that all the
other defendants did not receive notice of the hearing and
were therefore unable to attend what should have been a
public change of plea proceeding.

Tomorrow, July 21, Stan Meyerhoff will plead at 1:30pm;
Chelsea Gerlach at 2pm and Suzanne Savoie at 2:30pm in the
US District Court in Eugene.

The CLDC will post the plea agreements as soon as we can
access them from the federal court.

What are they trying to hide????
--
The Civil Liberties Defense Center
Lauren C. Regan, Attorney at Law
Executive Director
259 East 5th Avenue, Suite 300 A
Eugene, Oregon 97401
541.687.9180 phone
541.686.2137 fax
Email: lregan@cldc.org
WWW.CLDC.ORG

Statement from Darren Thurston

Support Update #12 | 07/20/2006

As a follow-up to Darren's court hearing today, he has asked us to release
the following public statement.

To my supporters, friends and family;

On July 20th, 2006, I entered a guilty plea to charges regarding my
involvement in an Animal and Earth Liberation Front action and the related
overall conspiracy as charged in the FBI's Operation Backfire.

At a meeting in late April, federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents
informed me of three co-operating witnessees willing to testify to my
involvement in the Lichtfield Bureau of Land Management wild horse release
and fire.

Under these circumstances, the only way for me to avoid the 30-45 year
mandatory sentence is to enter some type of plea agreement. A short time
ago I learned that the prosecutor's offer in return for my guilty plea is
37 months in prison. While I can not say I am happy to spend any time
incarcerated, I am glad to know that I will walk free from these walls
within my lifetime - have the small pleasures of the sun on my face, or a
swim in a cold mountain creek once again.

The actual sentencing will not occur until later this year. With luck I
will be placed in a minimum security federal prison and possibly will be
transfered back to Canada to serve my time close to my community.

I would like to thank my family and friends for their continued support of
me through the troubled times in my life. I would especially like to thank
the beautiful strong women who have been there for me - friends, comrades
and lovers - thank you for sharing your strength, knowledge and
compassion.

In gratitude and struggle,
Darren Thurston

Zachary Jenson is a Government Informant

sacprisonersupport@riseup.net wrote:

Sacramento Prisoner Support
July 20, 2006 Alert

Zachary Jenson is a Government Informant

Lauren Weiner, Zachary Jenson, and Eric McDavid were arrested in Auburn, CA on Jan 13, 2006 as part of the government's Green Scare campaign. They were charged with conspiracy to destroy property by means of fire or explosives, facing up to 20 years in federal prison for a crime that was never committed.

We at Sacramento Prisoner Support are extremely shocked and discouraged by Zachary Jenson’s decision to ‘take a deal’ and inform on and effectively abandon his remaining co-defendant Eric McDavid. Zachary felt that he could no longer cope with waiting for trial at Sacramento County Jail and has decided to take the same plea agreement that Lauren Weiner took in May,
which requires him to “cooperate fully with the government, and any other federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, as the government directs.” His new charges will hold a maximum 5 year sentence, but Zachary will have to live with himself for the rest of his life knowing he abandoned and informed on a friend.

“Cooperation” is explained by the government as Zach being required to cooperate with any law enforcement agency about any issue (not just limited to his case); he must testify before any court or grand jury upon the government’s request, submit to meetings, interviews, or investigations and answer every single question ‘completely’. As per any plea bargain, if Zach fails to meet the strict conditions set out, he will again face his original sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

The full text of his plea agreement can be found here:
https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2006/07/20/zachplea.pdf

We at Sacramento Prisoner Support only support prisoners who do not assist the government in the prosecution of others. We are extremely surprised and pained by Zachary’s decision, as he has repeatedly affirmed that he would never do anything to hurt his co-defendants or take a deal that would require him to become a government informant. His decision came seemingly out of nowhere as he has never expressed any interest in cooperation. Over the past 6 months of his pre-trial incarceration, we never
hesitated to do everything possible to support him and maximized our efforts to make sure he felt connected to the outside world, through personally visiting him as often as the jail would allow, making sure he received letters and books, and much more.

As in accordance with our policy, which we continue to stand by, we will no longer support Zachary Jenson, and recommend that others participating in prisoner support do the same. We will now focus our energies on supporting the remaining prisoner from this case, Eric McDavid, who has maintained his innocence from the day he was arrested.

We strongly encourage supporters to write Eric, as he undoubtedly feels betrayed and very alone. As always, please refrain from writing him about his case and issues related to it, as pre-trial detainees mail can be used against them in court. Information on how to support Eric can be found at
http://www.supporteric.org

Eric's mailing address at the Sacramento County Jail:

MCDAVID, ERIC X-2972521 4E 231A
Sacramento County Main Jail
651 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at

Birzeit University Right to Education Campaign Photo Exhibit

Birzeit University Right to Education Campaign Photo Exhibit -
Students Under Occupation Take A Stand

July 20, 2006

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, is
co-sponsoring a tour of a powerful Birzeit University
Right to Education Campaign Photo Exhibit entitled
"Students Under Occupation Take A Stand". The exhibit will
initially be displayed on various campuses and other
locations on the West Coast of the US this Fall 2006 before it
will be available to be hostedelsewhere nationwide. The
schedule for the West Coast will be publishedsoon. Some slots
may still be open.

Campus and other groups in places other than the West Coast
who may be interested in hosting the exhibit in the Spring
of 2007 can write to us at info@al-awda.org so we may try to
make the necessary arrangements.


Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243 or 415-678-6220
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC)
is a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable
501(c)(3) organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) of the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines,
your donations to PRRC are tax-deductible
http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html

Zach Jensen pleads guilty agrees to cooperate

Second guilty plea in alleged

plot to blow up Forest Service lab

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO - A second suspect has pleaded guilty to plotting to
blow up a U.S. Forest Service genetics lab and other targets, federal
prosecutors said Wednesday.

Zachary Jenson, 20, of Monroe, Wash., pleaded guilty to one count of
conspiracy late Tuesday in what the FBI alleges was an eco-terrorist
plot to be carried out in the name of the Earth Liberation Front. The
shadowy, loose-knit group of environmental activists has claimed credit
for arsons in recent years throughout the West, often at construction
sites.

In May, Lauren Weiner, 20, of Pound Ridge, N.Y., also pleaded guilty
to conspiracy. The convictions carry potential sentences of five to 20
years in federal prison.

Both Weiner and Jenson agreed to cooperate with investigators as part
of their plea bargains. That includes testifying against Eric McDavid,
28, of Foresthill, the alleged leader of the plot.

They were arrested Jan. 13 as they allegedly bought bomb-making
materials at a Kmart in Auburn, east of Sacramento.

Three days before their arrests, the three allegedly scouted the
Nimbus Dam and nearby fish hatchery on the American River near
Sacramento, and the Forest Service's Institute of Forest Genetics
near Placerville.

They didn't know an undercover FBI informant had infiltrated the
group. The FBI secretly rented a cabin for the group in Dutch Flat,
outside Auburn, and wired the building for audio and video surveillance.

Weiner is free on bond as she awaits sentencing on Aug. 8. A hearing
is set for Friday to decide if Jenson should be released before his Oct. 3
sentencing. McDavid remains in custody pending his court hearing the same day.

New Al-Awda Demo Shirt Now Available!

July 20, 2006

New Al-Awda Demo Shirt Now Available!

We are pleased to announce that Al-Awda's New Demo Shirt is now
available. The shirt was introduced at the Fourth Annual International
Convention in San Francisco, July 14-16, 2006. The design on the back
was created by Dr. Fayeq Oweis, an accomplished artist who designed
the Edward Said Mural at San Francisco State University as well as other
notable works of art. The front of the shirt has Al-Awda's logo, the
Palestine map and key.

Order Your Shirt Online or by Mail

Show your support for the Palestinian refugees' Right to Return
to their homes and lands by wearing this great looking popular
shirt at upcoming rallies and demonstrations!

The shirt is short-sleeve and made of high quality 100% heavy cotton in white.

We will send you a shirt to anywhere in the US for a donation of only
$22.00 which includes shipping and handling.

If you do not reside in the U.S. but would like to get our demo shirt,
simply email us at info@al-awda.org for information on shipping and
handling costs, and instructions on how to place your order.

For quantity discounts, please contact us at info@al-awda.org.

Hurry while supplies last!

Order Online

To order your shirt online, go to http://www.al-awda.org/shirts.html and
follow the instructions.

Order by Mail

To order your shirt by mail, simply send your check or money order
addressed to:

Al-Awda, PRRC
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA

Tel: 760-685-3243

Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) is a not for profit
tax-exempt educational and charitable 501(c)(3) organization as defined
by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America.
Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC are tax-deductible http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html

Evidence Chicago police tortured suspects

By DON BABWIN, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 19, 2006

CHICAGO - Special prosecutors investigating allegations that police
tortured nearly 150 black suspects in the 1970s and '80s said
Wednesday they found evidence of abuse, but any crimes are now too
old to prosecute.

In three of the cases, the prosecutors said the evidence was strong
enough to have warranted indictments and convictions.

"It is our judgment that the evidence in those cases would be
sufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt," Robert D.
Boyle and Edward J. Egan wrote.

The four-year investigation focused on allegations that 148 black men
were tortured in Chicago police interrogation rooms in the 1970s and
'80s. The men claimed detectives under the command of Lt. Jon Burge
beat them, used electric shocks, played mock Russian roulette and
started to smother at least one to elicit confessions.

No one has ever been charged, but Burge was fired after a police
board found he had abused a suspect in custody. His attorney has said
Burge never tortured anyone.

The report released Wednesday also faulted procedures followed by the
Cook County State's Attorney's office and the police department at
the time of the alleged abuse, saying they were "inadequate in some
respects" but had since improved.

Mayor Richard M. Daley was the state's attorney during part of the
period investigated.

Daley's office did not immediately return a call for comment
Wednesday. A police spokeswoman also did not immediately return call
seeking comment.

Boyle and Egan said they found three cases with enough evidence to
seek indictments, including one involving the man whose abuse
allegations led to Burge's firing. The man, who was convicted of
killing two police officers in 1982, claimed Burge and two detectives
beat and tortured him with electric shocks.

"Regrettably, we have concluded that the statute of limitations would
bar any prosecution of any offenses our investigation has disclosed,"
the prosecutors said. The statute of limitations on the allegations
is three years.

They also said they believe there was abuse in other cases but that
the evidence wasn't as strong.

Several people who claimed to have been abused or tortured by Chicago
detectives have filed civil lawsuits against the city and police
department, and the report could bolster their legal claims.

There had also been a legal battle over the release of the report.
The Illinois Supreme Court eventually denied a request from a former
prosecutor, listed in court documents only as "John Doe," to block
portions of the report from being released.

In May, a United Nations anti-torture panel said the Chicago
investigation needs to go farther than it has. The panel said the
United States should ensure that law enforcement officials who
mistreat suspects are punished.

Journalist Facing Jail

Please Forward Widely:

Support Josh Wolf!

Independent Journalist Faces Jail Time for Resisting Grand Jury Subpoena

Contempt Hearing and Press Conference Thursday

Where: Federal Building; 450 Golden Gate Ave. San Francisco
When: July 20th 2006

12:00 PM Press Conference
1:00 PM Civil Contempt Hearing

Josh Wolf is being charged with civil contempt and may be jailed 
Thursday for refusing to testify or turn over video out takes to a 
Federal Grand Jury investigating a July 2005 anti G8 demonstration.
We  have fought to make this next hearing public, so come out and
pack the  courtroom. This is one of several grand juries being
convened across  the country to harass, intimidate and collect
information on political  activists and their supporters.

Josh faces more than a year in Santa Rita Jail for simply exercising 
his constitutional right to remain silent, while standing up for 
freedom of the press. Please spread the word and attend Josh's
hearing  and press conference. Let's have a strong show of solidarity
and  support for Josh on Thursday!

For background information and updates visit:
http://www.FBIwitchhunt.com
http://www.joshwolf.net/grandjury/

ROB LOS RICOS IN SEATTLE JULY 28

PLEASE FORWARD
@@@@@@@@

ROB LOS RICOS IN SEATTLE JULY 28

Rob los Ricos to give speaking presentation at the Wayward Cafe in Seattle
WA on July 28.
@@@@@@@@

WHAT: Speaking presentation by APOC acivist writer Rob los Ricos.
WHEN: Friday July 28 7 pm.
WHERE: The Wayward Cafe 901 E. 55th St Seattle WA
ADMISSION: $8.00 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of donation.
INFO: Marlena Gangi 1.503.493.2505 en_lucha@riseup.net

Rob los Ricos, a Chicano anarchist, was arrested for hitting an officer on
his shoulder with a rock during the June 18, 1999 Reclaim the Streets
demonstration (which came to be a police riot) in Eugene, Oregon. Of the
twenty-one people arrested in connection with the June 18 protest, Thaxton
received the stiffest charges: Assault II, Riot and Attempted Assault I.
An Attempted Murder charge was briefly brought forth and then dropped.

Thaxton’s bail was set at $240,00. In a trial fraught with bias as Judge
Mary Ann Bearden continually sided with the prosecutor, Bearden also
allowed jury members to be seated who stated that they could not be
impartial about anarchists given the news coverage of the events of June
18.

In September of 1999, Thaxton was sentenced to 70 months for Assault II.
Bearden departed from Measure 11 sentencing guidelines to hand down18
months for Riot. The sentences ran consecutively rather that concurrently.
He was releasesd from prison on June 29 of this year.

Visit Rob at roblosricos.blogspot.com & www.roblosricos.net

FAQ ABOUT DANIEL MCGOWAN

From www.supportdaniel.org

Here are a few questions and answers we put together to help people that are not familiar with the legal aspects of the case understand what exactly is going on.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DANIEL MCGOWAN

What happened?
On December 7, 2005 federal agents went to the offices of WomensLaw.org to arrest Daniel. No one understood what the charges were initially and did not know what was to happen the following few months. Daniel was taken in handcuffs from his job and brought to Manhattan Correctional Center [MCC] in lower Manhattan.

That night, while he was in custody, federal agents raided the East Village apartment of Daniel and his, now, wife. They turned most of the place upside down and walked out with many of their possessions including computers, personal photographs, tax papers, all of Daniel's school textbooks and homework, videotapes, DVDs and more. Because no one was home at the time, neighbors of Daniel's demanded to see proper identification and paperwork from the federal agents to OK the search. The agents told neighbors they were investigating a "domestic terrorism" case. Although government officials and media have carelessly used this term, this is not a terrorism case. There are NO terrorism charges in this case. Despite this, while jailed at MCC, Daniel was not allowed to use the phone and he was held on what guards called 'the terror wing'.

On December 8, Daniel appeared in the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Dozens of friends and family were there in a show of support and sat in on the hearing. Objections raised by Daniel's attorney at court extended the hearing to an additional day. A judge in Oregon had signed off on Daniel's search and arrest warrant under a provision of the USA Patriot Act. Despite Daniel's family offering to put up a significant amount of money and property to secure his release so that he could fly to Oregon unescorted to face charges, the judge ruled in favor of removal to Oregon and he remained in federal custody. Completely unlike what one might see on TV, Daniel was unable to communicate a single word to anyone aside from his lawyer in court.

Daniel spent the next 14 days in transit across the United States at various federal detention centers. His family and friends did not know where he was or when he would arrive in Oregon. He was flown across the country in stages, first to Oklahoma, then to California, and finally to FCI Sheridan. He was shackled at the ankles and wrists throughout the flights. On December 21, he was arraigned in Oregon. From December 21 to January 3, he was kept on suicide watch because of a co-defendant's suicide in jail. Daniel was designated Maximum 1 status for much of the time he was housed at Lane County Corrections in Eugene, Oregon. The jail refused to provide a vegetarian diet despite many and varied attempts to request food he could eat. On Christmas Day, Daniel spoke to his (now) wife on the phone for the first time since the morning of December 7th.

Daniel's detention hearing was on January 25th in front of Judge Aiken. He was granted release on $1.6 million on bail which was put up by his family. The judge received over 75 letters in support of Daniel's release on bail. Because of bureaucratic procedures and paperwork, Daniel waited until February 8th before he was released from jail.

Presently, Daniel is on house arrest in his sister's NYC apartment, which he shares with her, his brother-in-law, his niece and his wife. Most recently, he has been allowed to attend a short class which will count towards his master's program. Daniel is also always preparing for his trial in the fall and is ready to stand up for his innocence and fight for his freedom in the court of law.

For more information on Daniel's background, please go here.
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What does it mean to be on house arrest?
Daniel is confined to the apartment at all times, other than when he is permitted to leave to report to the pre-trial services office or attend a class or go to a hearing. An electronic bracelet has been fastened around his ankle. The bracelet transmits a signal to another electronic device on Daniel's telephone. If the bracelet - and Daniel - move beyond the limited physical range of the transmitter, the phone automatically dials up the authorities. It's like having a silent alarm system attached to your body. Because of the bracelet, Daniel cannot leave the hallway outside the apartment he lives in. He cannot go outside. He relies on his family and friends for everything he would ordinarily be able to do for himself.
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What is a Grand Jury?
The primary function of the modern grand jury is to review the evidence presented by the prosecutor and determine whether there is probable cause to return an indictment. The original purpose of the grand jury was to act as a buffer between the king (and his prosecutors) and the citizens, but many feel the grand jury rubber stamp indictments. The grand jury does not even hear conflicting evidence and it is left to the good faith of the prosecutor to present any conflicting evidence Since the 1950s, the power of federal grand juries has grown enormously. Federal courts have authorized ever-expanding investigative power. Because the evidence is in control of the prosecutor, and witnesses cannot bring their lawyers into the grand jury, critics have noted that we have only the good faith of the government prosecutor to rely upon.

Unlike potential jurors in regular trials, grand jurors are not screened at all for any biases or other improper factors. Grand juries are secret proceedings and the prosecutor, grand jurors, and the grand jury stenographer are prohibited from disclosing what happened before the grand jury. Secrecy was originally designed to protect the grand jurors from improper pressures.

Judge Sol Wechsler, the former Chief Judge of New York State, was quoted as saying, "A grand jury would indict a ham sandwich."

Daniel was indicted by a federal grand jury in Oregon on his charges. For more information on grand juries, see http://www.abanet.org/media/faqjury.html.
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Has the FBI ever charged people in error?
The FBI has a history of counter-intelligence programs and repression of social movements. Some recent examples involving environmentalists include:

Judi Bari
In 1990, Earth First! activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney were targets of false charges after a bomb exploded in their car, nearly killing them. The FBI claimed that the two were terrorists, but the Alameda County District Attorney refused to bring charges due to lack of evidence. Nonetheless, the FBI engaged in a long-term smear campaign against the two activists and Earth First!, claiming that they were bomb-toting extremists. Bari and Cherney filed a federal civil rights suit against the FBI for Constitutional rights violations. After an 11-year court fight, the jury vindicated the two activists when it returned a verdict finding their first and fourth amendment rights were violated, and awarded $4.4 million in damages.

Conor Cash
Long Island activist Conor Cash was accused of various actions claimed by the ELF in 2000 including an arson of mansions under construction & a failed attempt to free ducks from a farm. In 2004, Cash was acquitted by a jury because the jurors did not find the two witnesses in the case credible. The two men pled guilty in this case and agreed to testify against Cash in return for leniency. The FBI painted Conor Cash as a 'ringleader' of an ELF cell despite the fact that he proclaimed his innocence from the outset and was a very well known public activist. He was charged with arson, conspiracy and for a short time, aiding and abetting terrorism before being acquitted in 2004.
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What are Daniel's charges and the proposed sentencing?
Daniel's charges relate to two incidents that occurred in Oregon in 2001. He has been charged with:
2 counts of conspiracy to commit arson
14 counts of arson (each carry a 5 year mandatory minimum)
2 counts of "use or possession of a destructive device"
If found guilty of one of these two charges, Daniel faces a 30 year mandatory minimum sentence. If found guilty of two, Daniel faces a mandatory life sentence.

The extreme proposed sentencing is all for alleged property crimes that did not injure anyone at all. It is worth noting that the statute of limitations for the more serious of these charges were set to expire just three weeks after Daniel's arrest and suggests that there was a rush to make arrests.

From the US Sentencing Commission Annual Report for 2003, the average (mean) arson sentence was 82.7 months (6.9 yrs) and the median sentence was 60 months (5 yrs), for arson as a primary offense in 82 convictions/sentences (www.ussc.gov/ANNRPT/2003/SBTOC03.htm Table 13). This is compared to the average murder sentence of 20.6 years (median 15 yrs), sexual abuse 6 years (median 3.4 yrs), and assault 2.5 years (median 1.25 yrs).
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Why a life sentence?
Only the government prosecutors can answer this question. Not everyone who is charged in connection with arsons or other crimes involving alleged "destructive devices" faces these kind of charges. The government has never explained why Daniel and some of his co-defendants have been singled out for such harsh potential punishment.
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Was anyone hurt in any of these alleged actions Daniel is being accused of?
Daniel has pled not guilty to these charges. Nonetheless, it is important to note that no human or animal was injured at all in any of the incidents. There is absolutely no evidence that the incidents were intended to harm anyone.
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Why is he being charged on the federal level, not state?
Daniel is being charged on the federal level because the alleged incidents took place at corporations that engage in interstate commerce.
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What is the evidence?
There is no physical evidence that has led to suspects. Because of this, the government has focused on identifying people who would admit that they were involved and then implicate others. Some of these people, facing sentences between 30 years and life for fires they admit causing, agreed to implicate other people in the crimes.
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What is a conspiracy charge?
It is a charge that a person made an agreement with at least one other person to commit a crime, and that at least one person in that agreement took a substantial step toward committing the crime.
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What is "eco-terrorism"?
This is a term that was created by 'Wise Use' founder and extreme anti-environmentalist Ron Arnold of the Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise with the intention of turning people against environmentalists. Ron Arnold, along with creating the word 'eco-terrorism' has also stated, "We want to destroy environmentalists by taking away their money and their members," [New York Times, December 1991] and "Our goal is to destroy, to eradicate the environmental movement ... We're mad as hell. We're not going to take it anymore. We're dead serious - we're going to destroy them," [Toronto Star, 1991]. Calling someone an "eco-terrorist" is like the former use of the word "communist". It is not intended to spur debate on the topic but instead to scare potential supporters away from the case. As many supporters of Daniel are New Yorkers, many feel this is a horrible insult to the victims of the real terrorism that many witnessed on 9/11 and affected them very personally. While Ron Arnold and the corporations that fund his reactionary form of public relations use the word quite liberally, Daniel's family and friends abhor the use of the term as it cheapens the very real terror that exists in this world whether it is fundamentalists targeting people or governments bombing people.
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Why is "eco-terrorism" being used in media in terms of Daniel's case?
The term "eco-terror" sheds heat, not light. It sensationalizes and brings hatred, fear, and disgust to the hearts of those that read the word. It is no coincidence that it is being used in this case and against activists who have spoken out against the policies and actions of government and corporations.
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What kind of activist work did Daniel do?
For the last 8 years, Daniel has been involved in many different campaigns struggling for social justice, protection of the environment and human rights. He has worked for non-profits that focus on national forest protection, rainforest conservation and the rights of indigenous people. Most recently, Daniel worked on counter-recruitment as a proactive response to the government's wars. He helped organize a picket of a local military recruitment center in his old neighborhood in Brooklyn and passed out literature to high school kids that explained many non-military options for paying for college. Daniel also helped organize 'really, really free markets' in NYC which are markets where everything (food, clothes, services, books, etc) are free and available to all. In 2003-4, Daniel was one of a group of people who created and maintained RNCnotwelcome.org, which was a hub for organizing against the hosting of the Republican party convention in Daniel's hometown. He attended many meetings, hosted fundraisers and conducted media interviews with national and international publications. When he was arrested, Daniel was employed as a webmaster for Womenslaw.org, an organization that operates a website with resources on domestic violence. Daniel's activism has been very public, and demonstrates his deep commitment to human dignity and environmental protection. One of the most trying aspects of Daniel's home confinement is the fact that he is effectively prevented from engaging in any activism. New York's activist and progressive community has suffered a great loss.
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What can I do to help?
Get more information about letter-writing campaigns, donating to Daniel's legal fund, and spreading the word about the case here.

We hope that this helps answer any questions you may have had. Thanks for the support.

eugene weekly note

http://eugeneweekly.com/2006/07/13/news.html#4
ECOTAGE TOP EPD PRIORITY
The Eugene Police Department regularly complains that it doesn't have
enough officers to adequately respond to domestic violence, car
thefts and stolen bikes and burglaries. But the EPD apparently made
the investigation of environmentally motivated arson and sabotage,
the top domestic "terrorism" priority of the Bush administration, a
top priority of the city of Eugene as well.
The EPD dedicated six officers — three detectives, a sergeant, a
lieutenant and a captain — plus a civilian assistant to work on the
"Operation Backfire" investigation in conjunction with six personnel
from the federal FBI, ATF and U.S. attorney's office, according to a
department newsletter.
The operation investigated environmentally motivated arsons and
vandalism in Eugene and throughout the West from 1996 to 2001 and
resulted in the indictment of 11 suspects in January. Bush
administration officials have trumpeted the arrests of the
"ecoterrorists" while environmental activists have condemned the
round-up as an overblown "green scare."
The EPD gave all of its officers and the local federal agents
involved awards and commendations at a May ceremony. — Alan Pittman


-------------------------------------------------------------
Family and Friends of Daniel McGowan
Daniel McGowan is an environmental and social justice activist,
unjustly arrested and charged in federal court. To donate to Daniel's
legal defense, send a check or postal money order made out to "Lisa
McGowan" to Lisa McGowan, PO Box 106, NY, NY 10156-106.
http://www.supportdaniel.org
http://www.myspace.com/danielmcgowan
http://www.friendster.com/profiles/danielmcg

Support Antonio Camacho/Cookout 2006

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
ProLibertad@Hotmail.com
http://www.ProLibertadweb.com
ProLibertad Hotline: 718-601 4751
__________________________________________________________

Download the June 2006 Edition of the ProLibertad Newsletter El Coqui Libre:
http://www.prolibertadweb.com/eclJuly2006.pdf
__________________________________________________________

PICKET FOR ANTONIO CAMACHO NEGRON IN PHILADELPHIA!!
Saturday August 5th at 12pm!!
FEDERAL DETENTION CENTER
700 ARCH STREET

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign received a call on Friday July 14th from
Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Antonio Camacho Negron; he informed us that
he was released from the "hole" on Thursday July 13th, he is still not
receiving his medication, he is in general population and that he is doing
well (despite his stomach/gastrointestinal issues).

Antonio told us that he is having a hearing on Saturday August 5th!!

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign is calling a demonstration in front of
Federal Detention Center Philadelphia at 12pm on Saturday August 5th.

ProLibertad will be providing transportation from NYC to Philadelphia!! If
you are interested in going with us on our FREEDOM BUS (the most
revolutionary yellow School bus ever) the contribution will be $20 per
person (round trip). We will be leaving on Saturday August 5th from w179th
St. and Amsterdam Avenue at 8:30am SHARP!!

GET ON THE BUS!! FREE ANTONIO CAMACHO NEGRON!! FREE THE PUERTO RICAN
POLITICAL PRISONERS!!
__________________________________________________________

PROLIBERTAD FREEDOM COOKOUT 2006!! HELP US RAISE MONEY FOR THE PUERTO RICAN
POLITICAL PRISONERS!!

Join ProLibertad on our annual Freedom Cook out to HighLands Pool in
Ringwood, New Jersey!!

Enjoy the sun, fun and relaxation of HighLands Pool!! Bring your swimming
trunks for the cool and refreshing Chemical-free mountain stream-fed pool!!
We will have DELICOUS BORICUA FOOD, FUN, MUSIC, DOMINOES, GAMES, SPORTS and
RELAXATION!!

Saturday July 22nd, 2006 at 9am!! Get on the Bus!!

Meet at the corner of w179th St. and Broadway at 9am to catch one of our
Freedom Vans to HighLand Pools!!

Transportation from NYC ($10), Entrance to HighLand Pools ($5) and Food
($5); all together $20 (Adults) $15 for (Children). TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE
VIA EMAIL ( ProLibertad@Hotmail.com) OR HOTLINE: 718-601-4751

Contact ProLibertad to reserve a seat on our Freedom Bus by calling the
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Katherine Jashinski Released!

> Hello All,
>
> Katherine Jashinski was released from the military brig last week  after
> completing her sentence. The Free Katherine Support Committee sends  a big
> thank you to all who supported Katherine during this time. We will be
> transfering this account to Katherine, so messages can still be  sent to
> her through this email account. (freekatherine (at) mutualaid (dot)  org)
>
> Katherine is doing well at home in Austin, and will be spending 2  weeks in
> Mexico before going back to school in the fall.
>
> In this email you will find:
> 1. Update and thank you letter from Katherine
> 2. Update on Lt. Watada's charges and status
> 3. Update on Suzanne Swift
>
> ------------------
> 1. From Katherine:
>
> "hello everyone and thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the  letters
> and support you gave me during my time in the brig.  i can not  express how
> great it is to be home in austin again.  i'm very overwhelmed right  now by
> all i have to do to get resituated, but everyday gets a little bit  easier.
> fyi-for the last 3 weeks i was incarcerated i didn't receive any  mail at
> all
> because the postal clerk thought that i was trying to deceive her and
> correspond with media personnel, which was against brig rules.  it's a
> long
> story, but i'm sure a lot of you had mail sent back to you because  of it.
> i'm very excited because i've decided to leave for mexico on the  24th for
> a
> personal vacation and i'll be back in mid august.  i will contact  many of
> you then.  i'm looking forward to catching up with people i have  missed.
> thanks again friends.  hasta luego."
>
> -------------------
> 2. Update on Lt. Ehren Watada:
>
> On July 5, U.S. Army First Lt. Ehren K. Watada (an infantry officer
> stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, who has refused to deploy to Iraq
> with his unit because he believes the war there is illegal) was  formally
> charged with three articles of the Uniform Code of Military  Justice: two
> counts of contempt towards officials (Article 88) - specifically  President
> G. W. Bush, three counts of conduct unbecoming an officer and a  gentleman
> (Article 133), and one count of missing movement (Article 87). If
> convicted of all six charges by a general court-martial, Lt. Watada  could
> be sentenced to over seven years in a military prison.
>
> Read a recent article about Ehren from The Nation at
> http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060717/brechersmith
>
> To Support Ehren please visit www.thankyoult.org
>
> -----------------------
> 3.Update on Suzanne Swift
>
>  Suzanne Swift is a veteran of the Iraqi War and a survivor of  systemic
> sexual assault during her military service. Facing a redeployment  to Iraq
> while serving under the command of the same individuals now under
> investigation for rape and sexual harassment, Suzanne chose to go  absent
> without leave rather than subjugate herself to the horrors she
> experienced during her first tour of duty. She was arrested in  Eugene, OR
> in June and transfered to Ft. Lewis (Washington).
>
> Saturday July 15th was a national day of action in support of Suzanne
> Swift. For more info and to support Suzanne, please visit
> www.suzannewsift.org
>
>
> -----------------
> -----------------
>
> Katherine Jashinski is a Conscientious Objector whose application  for a
> discharge was denied by the Army after almost 18 months. On May 23  she was
> court-martialed for refusing to train with weapons and received a bad
> conduct discharge and a sentence of 120 days imprisonment. With  credit for
> time served awaiting court  martial, Katherine had to serve 47 more  days
> in prison.
>
> For more information about Katherine, visit
> http://www.myspace.com/freekatherine
>
> After completing her sentence, Katherine will return to school at the
> University of Texas at Austin and continue her work with the newly  founded
> Austin GI Rights Hotline.

Concluding Statement of the Fourth International Convention of Al Awda - The Palestine Right to Return Coalition

For Immediate Release
July 17, 2006

Concluding Statement of the Fourth International Convention of
Al Awda - The Palestine Right to Return Coalition

In concluding its successful Fourth Annual International Convention, Al
Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, takes this opportunity to
condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the Israeli aggression being waged
against the Palestinian and Lebanese people.

At this moment, while the Israeli war machine unleashes itself upon the
civilian infrastructure and national institutions of the Palestinian and
Lebanese people, and while the US administration is once again giving a
green light to Israel to continue its aggression, it is paramount that we,
and all people of conscience, stand against this inhumanity and continue to
assert our unequivocal solidarity with the Arab people of Palestine and
Lebanon in their resistance against occupation and aggression.

Despite the overwhelming number of myths propagated by the US and Zionist
establishments, and repeated by the US corporate media, the assaults being
launched against our brothers and sisters in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip aim
to destroy the civilian infrastructure of those areas.

These assaults also aim to break the will of the Palestinian and Lebanese
people, such that US imperial and Zionist hegemonic interests can reign
supreme throughout the region. This is consistent with
US policies in the Arab East, specifically with regards to the US occupation
of Iraq, which we likewise continue to condemn in the strongest possible
terms, while demanding its immediate cessation.

The events unfolding in Palestine and Lebanon represent an affront to the
most elementary principles of human decency - be it with regards to
subverting a democratically elected local authority, rejecting the principle
of self-determination, while den