ALF release fish from a Scottish farm

ALF release fish from a Scottish farm
www.arkangelweb.org
September 15, 2006

Yesterday Arkangel reported on the release of Wild Boar from the Millcraig Mill Farm, Alness in the Scottish Highlands. In what appears to be an escalation in the activity of the ALF in Scotland, Arkangel has received another anonymous communiqué from a cell of the ALF claiming responsibility for the attack on a fish farm on the west coast of Scotland.

The communiqué dated the 13th September begins "Activists went to an intensive halibut farm near Oban, on the west coast of Scotland. All the pens were destroyed & sunk, & we saw hundreds, if not thousands of fish swimming free towards the sea".

Having released the fish it would appear that the ALF group wanted to cause as much economic damage as possible to the fish farm company as the group systematically destroyed the equipment belonging to the farm. They began by first disabling the farm's boat.

"Having finished liberating the fish we boarded the farm's ship, smashed everything we could, including the controls, the radar, the GPS system,& all the keys, finishing by emptying a fire extinguisher inside the cabin& shutting the door".

The communiqué ends by detailing further damage to the farm: "Finally, we broke into an on-site portakabin, destroying all the clothing & paperwork inside, as well as destroying a computer & a mobile phone with an axe. We then repeated the fire-extinguisher trick, this time with two. A massive on-sight crane was also disabled".

For many years a debate had raged of whether fish feel pain, it is now believed in most quarters that fish do feel pain. In a 1996 report examining the welfare of farmed fish, the Ministry of Agriculture's official advisory body, the Farm Animal Welfare Council, noted the following:

"Almost all fish live the whole of their lives in water and show a maximal emergency response when removed from water, even for a very short period. This response includes changes in heart rate, increased production of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol and vigorous muscle contractions… These changes often indicate fear in the fish…All of the scientific evidence concerning such effects makes it clear that the term stress is certainly relevant to fish and that the means by which stress effects are mediated are very similar to those in mammals. Evidence that the term pain is applicable to fish comes from anatomical, physiological and behavioural studies whose results are very similar to those of studies on birds and mammals. The fact that fish are cold blooded does not prevent them from having a pain system and, indeed, such a system is valuable in preserving life and maximising the biological fitness of individuals. The receptor cells, neuronal pathways and specialised transmitter substances in the pain system are very similar in fish to those in mammals." (Farm Animal Welfare Council Report on the Welfare of Farmed Fish, September 1996)

Even a study funded by the British Field Sports Society and the National Federation of Anglers found that capture of fish by anglers causes acute physiological stress. (T.G. Pottinger, Fish Welfare Literature Review, The Institute of Freshwater Ecology, May 1995.)

Facts about fish you might not have known:

• Fish are cold-blooded, which means that their blood temperature fluctuates in relation to the surrounding water. They breathe through their gills - taking in water through their mouths, retaining the oxygen and passing it into their bloodstream. Their bodies are covered with overlapping waterproof scales to provide protection against infection without hindering movement. Their scales are not watertight, so fish have a layer of protective mucus, which also keeps out infection. Handling by humans damages this mucus, leaving the fish vulnerable to disease when returned to the water.

• Most fish have a row of tiny pores on their sides called the lateral line. These act as a hearing aid, making them very sensitive to vibrations and reflections. Outside the water, however, they can hear no sounds. They also have a swim bladder to help them balance and move from deep to shallow water.

• Fish are short sighted. Their eyes can look in separate directions at the same time. They do have colour vision, though. Hence the use by anglers of brightly coloured bait.

• Just as we use our hands, fish use their tongues and lips to build nests, gather food and hide their young from danger.

• Scottish farmed fish start their lives in industrial hatcheries and are then moved to huge cages, often located at the mouths of sea lochs. The cages are up to 70 metres in diameter, with plans to extend them to 90 metres. Around 250,000 fish are tightly packed into each cage. Many die prematurely under this intensive regime. There is also a high level of snout, fin and other injuries - plus infestations and viral and bacterial infections. Prior to slaughter, the fish are starved for days and even weeks. In some units they are killed by first being hit on the head with a club and then having their gill arches torn or cut so that they bleed to death. In other operations, the fish are placed in a tank with carbon monoxide and then clubbed or bled to death.

Review of Igniting A Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth

www.4strugglemag.org.

Review of Igniting A Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth

by Sara Falconer

Think environmentalists seem flaky? Wondering if “eco-terrorist” is an oxymoron? The newest release from AK Press is an essential primer for the curious and veteran organizers alike, challenging misconceptions and exploring many issues surrounding revolutionary environmentalism.

Igniting A Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth, edited by Steven Best and Anthony J. Nocella, II, is a lengthy collection of essays and poetry from voices on both sides of the prison walls: John Zerzan, Fred Hampton, Jr., Jeffrey “Free Luers,” Ashanti Alston, Sara Olson and many more. Ample space is devoted to history, spirituality, primitivism, repression and tactical debates, from a range of diverse and sometimes conflicting perspectives.

The first section in particular stands in stark opposition to any notion that environmentalists are wishy-washy. Several well-researched and well-argued pieces document the development of radical environmentalism and the birth of the Earth Liberation Front.

In addition to academic analysis, there are personal accounts of experiences from eco-warriors, and at times these present an overly romantic and uncritical view of a controversial movement. Still, the passion and dedication of these activists is quite compelling. Even the primitivist perspectives, which I personally find less than convincing, are an interesting read.

Perhaps most fruitful is the final section, “Social Movements and Alliance Politics,” which situates revolutionary environmentalism in the context of feminism and anti-racist organizing. And this is a primary strength of this carefully thought-out book: the attempt to unite the struggles of eco-warriors with larger movements for social justice. These connections are vitally important now, as environmental activists face COINTELPRO-style repression from the U.S. government.

No matter what your level of engagement with environmentalism or radical tactics, Igniting A Revolution will provide plenty of food for thought, from Marilyn Buck’s visceral, jarring poetry to Ann Hansen’s thoughtful commentary on direct action. You’ll be moved… but will you be moved to act?

Adios Ann Richards: The Original Texacutioner

http://www.counterpunch.org/stark09182006.html

September 18, 2006

The Original Texacutioner

Adios Ann Richards

By MIKE STARK and JIM BILLINGTON

I n the end, it's fitting that Bill Clinton would eulogize Texas ex-Governor Ann Richards for the "big things" she accomplished. Executing 49 people, including two juveniles and two mentally disabled prisoners certainly is "big." Clinton only executed three people as Governor of Arkansas.

Of course, next to George W. Bush, who more than tripled Richards' numbers at 152 kills, everyone looks like a lightweight. That's probably why many liberal commentators bent over backwards to praise the recently deceased ex-Texas Governor as a civil rights pioneer and progressive. Richards, who lost her job as Texas Governor in 1994 to GW, appears as the archetypal hero of the "anybody but Bush" crowd. After all, her place in that national political spotlight came after her "poor George" speech when she famously skewered then-President George Bush Sr. as having a "silver foot" in his mouth.

In an era when the only fortitude Democrats demonstrate is their willingness to defy their political base and slavishly prop-up the right's agenda, the myth of a larger-than-life Texan who sacrificed her political career to stand up for her ideals is appealing.

But Richards's civil rights credentials crumble when you consider the outrageous and obvious racial-bias of Texas' death row. Of the 49 executions she allowed, over half were minority prisoners -- even as non-whites made up less than 25% of the population. While Blacks made up approximately 25% of murder victims annually, less than 4% of those executed were accused of killing Blacks. 87% the executed involved those accused of killing whites. Texas's death row was (and continues to be) so bad that in 1994, the Death Penalty Information Center's Richard Dieter described the situation as "in crisis."

Richards' 1990-94 stint as Governor spans an era when Democrats eagerly shed progressive positions in a rush to appeal to the right. One of the first "liberal" positions to be jettisoned was opposition to the death penalty. Leading the way was 1992 presidential candidate Bill Clinton, who left the campaign trail to mug in front of cameras as he oversaw the execution of mentally disabled Ricky Ray Rector. This display set the stage for the massive increase in executions during the Clinton years that would peak in 1999 with 98 executions nationally in a single year. Clinton and the Democratic Leadership Council gave a lead to Democrats nationwide who drew all the wrong lessons from Bush Sr.'s successful race-baiting Willy Horton attacks ads and the meek ineffectual response to these challenges by Democratic challenger, Dukakis, in 1988.

Which brings us back to Richards. Her famously sharp tongue was still when it came to the death penalty. When asked would she support a death penalty abolition bill if it passed the Texas legislature, her sarcastic "I would faint" response betrayed indifference. When asked directly on the campaign trail about her views, she said, "I will uphold the laws of the State of Texas." Considering the racial and class composition of the Texas killing machine -- this commitment to the law sounds more George Wallace than MLK Jr.

In 1992, an opportunity to take a stand for justice came with juvenile death row prisoner Johnny Frank Garrett. Garrett was severely mentally impaired individual described as chronically psychotic and brain-damaged. His life was such a horror show that one mental health expert described Garrett as "one of the most virulent histories of abuse and neglect...I have encountered in 28 years of practice."

According to Amnesty International:

"As a youth, Garrett was raped by his stepfather, who then hired him to another man for sex. From the age of 14 he was forced to perform bizarre sexual acts and participate in pornographic homosexual films. He was first introduced to alcohol and other drugs by members of his family at the age of ten and subsequently indulged in serious substance abuse involving brain-damaging substances such as paint-thinner and amphetamines. Garrett was regularly beaten and on one occasion was put upon the burner of a stove, resulting in severe scarring."

Richards, was called on by human rights groups all over the world to halt the execution, but instead she meekly weighed in to temporarily delay the execution and then deferred to the Governor appointed Texas Board of Pardons and Parole and allowed it proceed on February 11, 1992. To Richards standing up for Garrett just wasn't worth the effort.

That same year, the US Supreme Court infamously blocked Texas death row prisoner Leonel Herrera's request from presenting newly-discovered evidence he claimed proved another man was responsible for the murder. Herrera had exhausted his appeals and no legal remedy was available for presenting the new evidence. The Supreme Court ruled innocence was not itself grounds for appeal.

Again, according to Amnesty International,

"Shortly before Herrera's execution date, a group of prominent Texas attorneys and former judges called on Governor Ann Richards to develop mechanisms so that condemned prisoners alleging miscarriages of justice would receive full and fair clemency hearings. The only response from the governor's office was a promise to 'study' the group's recommendations."

Leonel Herrera was executed on May 12, 1993. Herrera's last words were: "I am innocent, innocent, innocent. Something terribly wrong is happening here tonight."

Months later, juvenile offender Curtis Harris was executed in July 1993. There was strong evidence of racial bias in the selection of the jury in Harris' case and his court-appointed attorney failed to present evidence of his mental disabilities and abusive childhood. Again, Richards did nothing.

In fact, during her time occupying the highest office in the Texas she did nothing to stop the death machine in Texas. To her, political expediency meant more than the lives of innocents, minorities, the mentally disabled, or juveniles.

Ann Richards support for incredibly barbaric and racist Texas death penalty should lay to rest any notion that she deservers to be called a progressive. Far from being a wistful alternative to GW Bush that progressives pine for, by paving the road for the slaughter to follow, her legacy is not only the dead men she executed, but it is also the 152 men and women GW Bush, her so-called nemesis, executed.

Goodbye Anne and good luck. Because if there's a heaven, it's a good bet Johnny Frank Garrett, Leonel Herrera, and Curtis Harris have been bending St. Peter's ear for quite some time now.

Mike Stark is a national board member of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty and a regular contributor to the New Abolitionist, the newsletter of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty.

Jim Bullington is prison-literacy activist in Denver, Colorado . He is a native Texan and a member of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty.

Jonathan Robert Transfered again

Sept 17, 2006
>
> Jonathan Robert Transfered Again
>
> Jonathan was transfered again. Please send urgent letters of support and
> paperback books to:"
>
> Jonathan Robert
> # 92558-020
> FCI TALLAHASSEE
> FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
> 501 CAPITAL CIRCLE, NE
> TALLAHASSEE, FL  32301
> USA

U.S. war prisons legal vacuum for 14,000

By PATRICK QUINN, Associated Press Writer Sept. 17, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq - In the few short years since the first shackled Afghan shuffled off to Guantanamo, the U.S. military has created a global network of overseas prisons, its islands of high security keeping 14,000 detainees beyond the reach of established law.

Disclosures of torture and long-term arbitrary detentions have won rebuke from leading voices including the U.N. secretary-general and the U.S. Supreme Court. But the bitterest words come from inside the system, the size of several major U.S. penitentiaries.

"It was hard to believe I'd get out," Baghdad shopkeeper Amjad Qassim al-Aliyawi told The Associated Press after his release — without charge — last month. "I lived with the Americans for one year and eight months as if I was living in hell."

Captured on battlefields, pulled from beds at midnight, grabbed off streets as suspected insurgents, tens of thousands now have passed through U.S. detention, the vast majority in Iraq.

Many say they were caught up in U.S. military sweeps, often interrogated around the clock, then released months or years later without apology, compensation or any word on why they were taken. Seventy to 90 percent of the Iraq detentions in 2003 were "mistakes," U.S. officers once told the international Red Cross.

Defenders of the system, which has only grown since soldiers' photos of abuse at
Abu Ghraib shocked the world, say it's an unfortunate necessity in the battles to pacify Iraq and Afghanistan, and to keep suspected terrorists out of action.

Every U.S. detainee in Iraq "is detained because he poses a security threat to the government of Iraq, the people of Iraq or coalition forces," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Keir-Kevin Curry, a spokesman for U.S.-led military detainee operations in Iraq.

But dozens of ex-detainees, government ministers, lawmakers, human rights activists, lawyers and scholars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the United States said the detention system often is unjust and hurts the war on terror by inflaming anti-Americanism in Iraq and elsewhere.

Building for the Long Term

Reports of extreme physical and mental abuse, symbolized by the notorious Abu Ghraib prison photos of 2004, have abated as the Pentagon has rejected torture-like treatment of the inmates. Most recently, on Sept. 6, the Pentagon issued a new interrogation manual banning forced nakedness, hooding, stress positions and other abusive techniques.

The same day, President Bush said the CIA's secret outposts in the prison network had been emptied, and 14 terror suspects from them sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to face trial in military tribunals. The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down the tribunal system, however, and the White House and Congress are now wrestling over the legal structure of such trials.

Living conditions for detainees may be improving as well. The U.S. military cites the toilets of Bagram, Afghanistan: In a cavernous old building at that air base, hundreds of detainees in their communal cages now have indoor plumbing and privacy screens, instead of exposed chamber pots.

Whatever the progress, small or significant, grim realities persist.

Human rights groups count dozens of detainee deaths for which no one has been punished or that were never explained. The secret prisons — unknown in number and location — remain available for future detainees. The new manual banning torture doesn't cover CIA interrogators. And thousands of people still languish in a limbo, deprived of one of common law's oldest rights, habeas corpus, the right to know why you are imprisoned.

"If you, God forbid, are an innocent Afghan who gets sold down the river by some warlord rival, you can end up at Bagram and you have absolutely no way of clearing your name," said John Sifton of Human Rights Watch in New York. "You can't have a lawyer present evidence, or do anything organized to get yourself out of there."

The U.S. government has contended it can hold detainees until the "war on terror" ends — as it determines.

"I don't think we've gotten to the question of how long," said retired admiral John D. Hutson, former top lawyer for the U.S. Navy. "When we get up to 'forever,' I think it will be tested" in court, he said.

The Navy is planning long-term at Guantanamo. This fall it expects to open a new, $30-million maximum-security wing at its prison complex there, a concrete-and-steel structure replacing more temporary camps.

In Iraq, Army jailers are a step ahead. Last month they opened a $60-million, state-of-the-art detention center at Camp Cropper, near Baghdad's airport. The Army oversees about 13,000 prisoners in Iraq at Cropper, Camp Bucca in the southern desert, and Fort Suse in the Kurdish north.

Neither prisoners of war nor criminal defendants, they are just "security detainees" held "for imperative reasons of security," spokesman Curry said, using language from an annex to a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing the U.S. presence here.

Questions of Law, Sovereignty

President Bush laid out the U.S. position in a speech Sept. 6.

"These are enemy combatants who are waging war on our nation," he said. "We have a right under the laws of war, and we have an obligation to the American people, to detain these enemies and stop them from rejoining the battle."

But others say there's no need to hold these thousands outside of the rules for prisoners of war established by the Geneva Conventions.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan declared last March that the extent of arbitrary detention here is "not consistent with provisions of international law governing internment on imperative reasons of security."

Meanwhile, officials of Nouri al-Maliki's 4-month-old Iraqi government say the U.S. detention system violates Iraq's national rights.

"As long as sovereignty has transferred to Iraqi hands, the Americans have no right to detain any Iraqi person," said Fadhil al-Sharaa, an aide to the prime minister. "The detention should be conducted only with the permission of the Iraqi judiciary."

At the Justice Ministry, Deputy Minister Busho Ibrahim told AP it has been "a daily request" that the detainees be brought under Iraqi authority.

There's no guarantee the Americans' 13,000 detainees would fare better under control of the Iraqi government, which U.N. officials say holds 15,000 prisoners.

But little has changed because of these requests. When the Americans formally turned over Abu Ghraib prison to Iraqi control on Sept. 2, it was empty but its 3,000 prisoners remained in U.S. custody, shifted to Camp Cropper.

Life in Custody

The cases of U.S.-detained Iraqis are reviewed by a committee of U.S. military and Iraqi government officials. The panel recommends criminal charges against some, release for others. As of Sept. 9, the Central Criminal Court of Iraq had put 1,445 on trial, convicting 1,252. In the last week of August, for example, 38 were sentenced on charges ranging from illegal weapons possession to murder, for the shooting of a U.S. Marine.

Almost 18,700 have been released since June 2004, the U.S. command says, not including many more who were held and then freed by local military units and never shipped to major prisons.

Some who were released, no longer considered a threat, later joined or rejoined the insurgency.

The review process is too slow, say U.N. officials. Until they are released, often families don't know where their men are — the prisoners are usually men — or even whether they're in American hands.

Ex-detainee Mouayad Yasin Hassan, 31, seized in April 2004 as a suspected Sunni Muslim insurgent, said he wasn't allowed to obtain a lawyer or contact his family during 13 months at Abu Ghraib and Bucca, where he was interrogated incessantly. When he asked why he was in prison, he said, the answer was, "We keep you for security reasons."

Another released prisoner, Waleed Abdul Karim, 26, recounted how his guards would wield their absolute authority.

"Tell us about the ones who attack Americans in your neighborhood," he quoted an interrogator as saying, "or I will keep you in prison for another 50 years."

As with others, Karim's confinement may simply have strengthened support for the anti-U.S. resistance. "I will hate Americans for the rest of my life," he said.

As bleak and hidden as the Iraq lockups are, the Afghan situation is even less known. Accounts of abuse and deaths emerged in 2002-2004, but if Abu Ghraib-like photos from Bagram exist, none have leaked out. The U.S. military is believed holding about 500 detainees — most Afghans, but also apparently Arabs, Pakistanis and Central Asians.

The United States plans to cede control of its Afghan detainees by early next year, five years after invading Afghanistan to eliminate al-Qaida's base and bring down the Taliban government. Meanwhile, the prisoners of Bagram exist in a legal vacuum like that elsewhere in the U.S. detention network.

"There's been a silence about Bagram, and much less political discussion about it," said Richard Bennett, chief U.N. human rights officer in Afghanistan.

Freed detainees tell how in cages of 16 inmates they are forbidden to speak to each other. They wear the same orange jumpsuits and shaven heads as the terrorist suspects at Guantanamo, but lack even the scant legal rights granted inmates at that Cuba base. In some cases, they have been held without charge for three to four years, rights workers say.

Guantanamo received its first prisoners from Afghanistan — chained, wearing blacked-out goggles — in January 2002. A total of 770 detainees were sent there. Its population today of Afghans, Arabs and others, stands at 455.

Described as the most dangerous of America's "war on terror" prisoners, only 10 of the Guantanamo inmates have been charged with crimes. Charges are expected against 14 other al-Qaida suspects flown in to Guantanamo from secret prisons on Sept. 4.

Plans for their trials are on hold, however, because of a Supreme Court ruling in June against the Bush administration's plan for military tribunals.

The court held the tribunals were not authorized by the U.S. Congress and violated the Geneva Conventions by abrogating prisoners' rights. In a sometimes contentious debate, the White House and Congress are trying to agree on a new, acceptable trial plan.

Since the court decision, and after four years of confusing claims that terrorist suspects were so-called "unlawful combatants" unprotected by international law, the Bush administration has taken steps recognizing that the Geneva Conventions' legal and human rights do extend to imprisoned al-Qaida militants. At the same time, however, the new White House proposal on tribunals retains such controversial features as denying defendants access to some evidence against them.

In his Sept. 6 speech, Bush acknowledged for the first time the existence of the CIA's secret prisons, believed established at military bases or safehouses in such places as Egypt, Indonesia and eastern Europe. That network, uncovered by journalists, had been condemned by U.N. authorities and investigated by the Council of Europe.

The clandestine jails are now empty, Bush announced, but will remain a future option for CIA detentions and interrogation.

Louise Arbour, U.N. human rights chief, is urging Bush to abolish the CIA prisons altogether, as ripe for "abusive conduct." The CIA's techniques for extracting information from prisoners still remain secret, she noted.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government's willingness to resort to "extraordinary rendition," transferring suspects to other nations where they might be tortured, appears unchanged.

Prosecutions and Memories

The exposure of sadistic abuse, torture and death at Abu Ghraib two years ago touched off a flood of courts-martial of mostly lower-ranking U.S. soldiers. Overall, about 800 investigations of alleged detainee mistreatment in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to action against more than 250 service personnel, including 89 convicted at courts-martial, U.S. diplomats told the
United Nations in May.

Critics protest that penalties have been too soft and too little has been done, particularly in tracing inhumane interrogation methods from the far-flung islands of the overseas prison system back to policies set by high-ranking officials.

In only 14 of 34 cases has anyone been punished for the confirmed or suspected killings of detainees, the New York-based Human Rights First reports. The stiffest sentence in a torture-related death has been five months in jail. The group reported last February that in almost half of 98 detainee deaths, the cause was either never announced or reported as undetermined.

Looking back, the United States overreacted in its treatment of detainees after Sept. 11, said Anne-Marie Slaughter, a noted American scholar of international law.

It was understandable, the Princeton University dean said, but now "we have to restore a balance between security and rights that is consistent with who we are and consistent with our security needs."

Otherwise, she said, "history will look back and say that we took a dangerous and deeply wrong turn."

Back here in Baghdad, at the Alawi bus station, a gritty, noisy hub far from the meeting rooms of Washington and Geneva, women gather with fading hopes whenever a new prisoner release is announced.

As she watched one recent day for a bus from distant Camp Bucca, one mother wept and told her story.

"The Americans arrested my son, my brother and his friend," said Zahraa Alyat, 42. "The Americans arrested them October 16, 2005. They left together and I don't know anything about them."

The bus pulled up. A few dozen men stepped off, some blindfolded, some bound, none with any luggage, none with familiar faces.

As the distraught women straggled away once more, one ex-prisoner, 18-year-old Bilal Kadhim Muhssin, spotted U.S. troops nearby.

"Americans," he muttered in fear. "Oh, my God, don't say that name," and he bolted for a city bus, and freedom.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE — The Associated Press staff in Baghdad and AP writers Andrew Selsky in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Matthew Pennington in Kabul, Afghanistan; Anne Plummer Flaherty in Washington, and Charles J. Hanley in New York contributed to this report.

Support the Eco-Prisoners (September 2006)

Spirit of Freedom
(September 2006)
Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

"I want to thank everyone who did whatever to help me out.  Sincerely it
meant a lot to me and I appreciate it.  (Harjit Singh Gill, former Animal
Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the September 2006 edition of Spirit of Freedom.  First off I
would like to apologise for the delay in publishing this edition of the
newsletter.  ELP has been awaiting the outcome of the USA-SHAC 7 sentencing
and, as a lot of people will be aware, the news is not good.  So far the
sentences have been between 36 to 72 months imprisonment with two more
sentences due later on this month.  ELP urges everyone to support the
USA-SHAC 7 and all the other eco-prisoners.  Around the world people are
being jailed for standing up for what they believe in and their reward is
imprisonment.  So please, no matter where you are in the world, please
support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!

COURT REPORTS & LEGAL UPDATES

ROD CORONADO JAILED
In early August 2006, well known American activist, Rod Coronado, was
sentenced to 8 months imprisonment for his part in an Earth First! mountain
lion hunt sabotage action.  His co-defendant, Matthew Crozier, was given a
non-custodial sentence.
      ELP regards the jailing of Rod as a highly political act, especially
as the cops offered not to prosecute him if he agreed to stop campaigning in
defence of the mountain lions.  Rod refused this offer and has ultimately
been jailed as a result.
      Besides the Earth First! conviction, Rod is also facing additional
charges relating to a speech he made at an animal rights conference.   For
more information visit www.supportrod.org

AMANDA GARCIA
In late July 2006 ELP learnt that Spanish eco-activist 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".

CHIARA SACCHETTE
As we reported in Spirit of Freedom July 2006, in early May 06 a number of
Italian activists from the eco-anarchist group Il Silvestre were arrested
accused of conspiring to use explosives to destroy electricty pylons
transporting nuclear energy.  One of those arrested was Chiara Sacchette.
       Following her arrest, Chiara, along with some of the others, was
placed under house arrest.  The conditions of the house arrest included
Chiara not being allowed to meet up with any of her co-defendants.  How this
is where the problem started..
     Some of her co-defendants live in the same house as her and therefore
meeting them (as they were all under house arrest) was inevitable!
     Because Chiara met up with some of her co-defendants (who lived in the
same house as her!) she was found to be in breach of her conditions and was
remanded into custody.  Happily she has since been released after her lawyer
pointed out the ludicrous nature of her remanding.

AUBURN ARRESTEES
On the 20th of July 2006, Zachary Jenson was named as a police informant
after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge on condition he testified against
Eric McDavid.  As everyone knows ELP does not support police informants and
we have therefore removed Jenson's details from our list.

OREGON UPDATE
In late July 06, six of the Oregon defendants, Darren Thurston, Kevin Tubbs,
Sarah Harvery (also known as Kendall Tankersley), Stanislas Meyerhoff,
Chelsea Gerlach, and Suzanne Savoie, pleaded guilty to various charges
against them.
      With the exception of Thurston, all of the others had been previously
named, by ELP, as police informants and their cooperation with the
prosecution has been long established.
      Prior to his Guilty Plea there was some speculation that Thurston was
about to do a deal with the authorities.  He had even asked an ELP volunteer
for clarification around our anti-police informants policy.
      Following his guilty plea Thurston's lawyer has asked the courts keep
secret the exact nature of the plea bargain, but it is widely believed that
Thurston has agreed to testify against at least one of his co-defendants
whose location is unknown to the authorities.
      According to an article published in the American 'Earth First!
Journal' following their Guilty Pleas the US Attorney's Office has
recommended the following sentences: S Meyerhoff 15 years & 8 months
imprisonment.  K Tubbs 14 years imprisonment.  C Gerlach 10 years
imprisonment.  S Savoie 5 years 3 months imprisonment.  S Harvey (aka K
Tankersley) 4 years & 3 months imprisonment.  D Thurston 3 years & 1 month
imprisonment.
       All six have been scheduled for formal sentencing on the 14th of
December 06.
       The trial of the non-cooperating defendants was due to start in late
October 06 but has now been moved back to March 07.  But there is some good
news.  According to his support campaign Daniel McGowan is no longer under
house arrest.

ANTI-HUNT ACTIVISTS JAILED
On the 25th of July 2006, three British animal rights activists, Natasha
Avery, Heather Nicholson and Daniel Wadham were convicted of carrying out
public disorder offence against a fox hunting family after the three became
enraged at stickers in the fox hunters car which incited the illegal
bloodsports of fox hunting.
      Natasha and Heather (who are both former prisoners) where sentenced to
16 months imprisonment each.
      Dan was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
      Because of time served on remand awaiting her trial, Heather has now
served her sentence and has been released.

SUPPORT THE USA SHAC SEVEN
As reported in our March 2006 edition of Spirit of Freedom, on the 2nd of
March 2006 six American animal rights activists, along with the whole of the
SHAC-USA campaign, where found guilty of encouraging direct action against
Huntingdon Life Sciences.
      In early September 2006 four of the six defendants received the
following sentences:
      Kevin Kjonaas: 72 months imprisonment.
      Lauren Gazzola: 54 months imprisonment.
      Jacob Conroy: 48 months imprisonment.
      Josh Harper: 36 months imprisonment.
      Andrew Stepanian and Darius Fullmer are due to be sentenced in
mid-September.
      Following their sentences all of the defendants have 30 days to hand
themselves over to the authorities.  ELP will being you their prison
addresses as soon as we have them. Please send e-mailed messages of support
to:
        lettersforkevin@shac7.com
        lettersforjosh@shac7.com
        lettersforlauren@shac7.com
        lettersforjake@shac7.com
        lettersforandy@shac7.com
        lettersfordari@shac7.com
For more info check out www.SHAC7.com

SARAH WHITEHEAD
In early September 2006 British animal rights activist Sarah Whitehead was
remanded into custody for alleged witness intimidation and harassment
against a pet shop owner/breeder.  However within days of her being remanded
Sarah was released on bail.  It is unclear at this stage if the witness
intimidation is against a witness in a case against Sarah personally or
against a witness in someone elses trial.

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Fadalla Idris Alajaimy (address unknown).  Sudan anti-dam protester on
remand accused of Waging War against the State for protesting against the
construction of a dam.  The sentence for this crime is Death.

Mohamed Ahmed Alajaimy (address unknown).  Sudan anti-dam protester on
remand accused of Waging War against the State for protesting against the
construction of a dam.  The sentence for this crime is Death.

Tre Arrow, CS# 05850722, Vancouver Island Regional Correction Center, 4216
Wilkinson Rd., Victoria, BC, V8Z 5B2, Canada.  On remand accused of
involvement with an arson on logging trucks and an arson on vehicles owned
by a sand & gravel company.  Both arsons occurred in the USA.  Tre is
fighting his extradition to the USA.

Nathan Block, #1663667, Lane County Jail, 101 W 5th Ave., Eugene, OR 97401,
USA.  On remand accused of involvement in an arson against a Poplar Tree
Farm and an arson against an SUV dealership.  Also charged with involvement
in a conspiracy to carry out direct action in Oregon.

Federico Bonamici, Casa di Reclusione, ia Nuova Poggioreale 177, 80143
Napolo Poggioreale (NA), Italy.  Il Silvestre member on remand accused of
using explosives to damage an electricity pylon.  Also accused of planning
to overthrow the State.

Giuseppe Bonamici, Nuova Casa Circondariale "San Michele", Strada casale
50/A, 15100 Alessandria, Italy.  Il Silvestre member on remand accused of
using explosives to damage an electricity pylon.

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland.  Serving 27
years.  1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons
leading from nuclear power stations.  2) Seventeen years for the murder of a
Swiss Boarder Guard whilst on the run.  In '02 Marco completed a 12-year
sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy.

Ibai Ederra, Carcel de Pamplona, C/San Roque. Apdo. 250, 31080 - Iruñez -
Pamplona, Navarra (España), Spain.  Serving just under 5 years for
sabotaging machinery at the controversial Itoiz dam construction site.

Rodney Coronado #03895000, FCC Florence, PO Box 6900, Florence, AZ 85232,
USA.  Serving 8 months for his role in an Earth First! hunt sabotage against
a mountain lion hunt.  Rod is also facing additional charges relating to a
speech he made at an animal rights gathering in 2003.

William Frediani (currently under house arrest).  Il Silvestre activist
sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for promoting & participating in COR
direct action.

Benedetta Galante, Casa Circondariale, Contrada Capo di Monte, 82100 -
Benevento (BN), Italy.  Il Silvestre activist sentenced to 3 years 6 months
for promoting & participating in COR direct action.  Also awaiting trial
accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at
nuclear energy.

Francesco Gioia, Via Maiano, 10, 06049 Spoleto, Italy.  Il Silvestre
activist sentenced to 5 years 2 months for promoting & participating in COR
direct action.  Also awaiting trial for escaping from house arrest.

Silvia Guerini, Carcere "La Dozza", Via Del Gomito 2, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
Il Silvestre member on remand accused of using explosives to damage an
electricity pylon.

Jeffrey Hogg 1901 NE F st, Grants Pass, Oregon, 97526, USA.  Jailed for
refusing to testify to a Grand Jury investigating a series of direct actions
in Oregon.

Leonardo Landi (currently under house arrest).  Il Silvestre activist
sentenced to 3 years 6 months imprisonment for promoting & participating in
COR direct action.

Jeffrey Luers, #13797671, OSP, 2605 State St. Salem, OR 97310, USA. Serving
22 years & 8 months for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of
an oil truck.

Ali Mohamed Alhassen Massad (address unknown).  Sudan anti-dam protester on
remand accused of Waging War against the State for protesting against the
construction of a dam.  The sentence for this crime is Death.

Eric McDavid X-2972521 4E 231A, Sacramento County Main Jail, 651 "I" Street,
Sacramento, CA 95814, USA.  On Remand accused of planning to destroy the
property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants.

Christopher McIntosh 30512-013, USP Hazelton, US Penitentiary, PO Box 2000,
Bruceton Mills, WV 26525, USA.  Serving 8 years for a joint ELF/ALF arson
attack on a McDonalds restaurant.

Alessio Perondi (currently under house arrest).  Il Silvestre activist
sentenced to 3 years 8 months imprisonment for promoting & participating in
COR direct action.

Costantino Ragusa, Casa Circondariale, Via Prati Nuovi 7, 27058 Voghera
(PV), Italy.  Il Silvestre activist sentenced to 5 years for promoting &
participating in COR direct action.  Also awaiting trial accused of using
explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy.

John Wade #38548-083, FCI Petersburg Low, Satellite Camp, PO Box 90027,
Petersburg, VA 23804, USA.  Serving 37 months for a series of ELF actions
against a number of targets including McDonalds & Burger King; urban sprawl;
the construction industry; and an SUV dealership.

Joyanna Zacher #1662550, Lane County Jail, 101 W 5th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401,
USA.  On remand accused of involvement in an arson against a Poplar Tree
Farm and an SUV dealership.  Also charged with involvement in a conspiracy
to carry out direct action in Oregon.

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England.  Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection.

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middlesex,
TW15 3JZ, England.  Serving 16 months for a public order offence after
telling a fox hunting murder what she thought of them.

Dave Blenkinsop EM7899, HMP Rye Hill, Onley, Warwickshire, CV23 8AN,
England.  Serving 10 years.  1) Three years for a stave attack on the
Managing Director of HLS.  2) 18 months for rescuing 600 guinea pigs from a
lab supplier.  3) 5½ years for planting incendiary devices under an
abattoirs vehicles.

Jacob Conroy (Address unknown).  Serving 48 months imprisonment for helping
organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Rodney Coronado.  Serving 8 months for his role in an Earth First! hunt
sabotage against a mountain lion hunt.  See his details in the Eco-Defence
Prisoners list.

Donald Currie TN 4593, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, MK4
4DA, England.  On remand accused of arson against a courier company with
links to the vivisection industry including HLS.

Josh Demmitt 12314-081, FCI Safford, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O.
Box 9000, Safford, AZ 85548, USA.  Serving 30 months for an ALF arson on a
University animal testing facility.

Darius Fullmer (Address Unknown).  Awaiting sentencing for helping organise
the SHAC-USA campaign.

Garfield Marcus Gabbard TB 4271, HMP Moorland (Closed), Bawtry Road,
Hatfield Woodhouse, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN7 6BW, England.  Serving
36 months for Affray during an animal rights demo where he jumped onto a car
and kicked a security guard who pulled him off the car.

Lauren Gazzola (Address unknown).  Serving 54 months imprisonment for
helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Sarah Gisborne, LT5393, HMP Cookham Wood, Rochester, Kent, ME1 3LU, England.
Serving 5½ years for conspiracy to cause criminal damage following the
damaging of 8 vehicles owned by people linked to Huntingdon Life Science.

Josh Harper (Address unknown).  Serving 36 months imprisonment for helping
organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Jeffrey Hogg.  Jailed for refusing to testify before a Grand Jury.  See his
details in the Eco-Defence Prisoners list.

Kevin Kjonaas (Address unknown).  Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping
organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Chris McIntosh.  Serving 8 years for a joint ALF/ELF arson on a McDonalds.
See his details in the Eco-Defence Prisoners list.

Josephine Mayo PR6508, HMP Drake Hall, Eccleshall, Staffordshire, ST21 6LQ,
England.  Serving 4 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection.

John Smith TB4887, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England.  Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection.

Andrew Stepanian (Address Unknown).  Awaiting sentencing for helping
organise the SHAC-USA campaign.

Daniel Wadham TF5524, HMP Rochester, Kent. ME1 3QS, England.  Serving 12
months for a public order offence after telling a fox hunting murder what he
thought of them.

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England.  Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection.

Peter Daniel Young, #10269-111, FCI Vitorvill Medium II, Federal
Correctional Institution, PO Box 5700, Adelanto, CA  92301, USA.  Serving
two years for releasing mink and foxes from six different fur farms.  Also
awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in a raid on a fur farm in South
Dakota.

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell - Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft.
Worth, TX  76127, USA.  Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused
on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world.  The
actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court
and making threatening communications.  Previously Helen had served 20½
years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo.  2) Burning
$25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental
destruction & economic injustice.  3) Mailing warning letters with bullets
attached to Government & corporate officials.

OTHER ANTI-WAR PRISONERS

Brendan Walsh, 12473-052, FCI Allenwood Low, PO Box 1000, White Deer, PA
17887, USA.  Serving 5 years for an arson on an army recruitment office in
protest at the War on Iraq.

THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five have been charged with "subversive association" accused of
damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash
machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the
multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists
in Chile.  Most of the defendants are under house arrest.  However Salvatore
Signore is on remand.

Salvatore Signore, Casa Circondariale di Sulmona, Via Lamaccio 21, 67039
Sulmona (AQ), Italy.  On remand.

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Lasandra Burwell W063658, Ohio Reformatory for Women, 1479 Collins Ave.
Marysville, OH 43040, USA.  Serving 5 years for taking part in an
anti-fascist demonstration which turned into a riot.

Igor Kisielewicz, syn Aleksandra, A.S. Bialystok, Kopernika 21, 15-377
Bialystok, Poland.  Serving 3 months for failing to do his community service
imposed for antifa activity.

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending
himself.

PARTY & PROTEST
Around the world there have been several massive protests against global
capitalism and its environmental impact.  The following have all been jailed
in connection with the protests.

Jonathan Philip Robert, Crisp County Detention Center, 197 Ga. Hwy. 300
South, Cordele, GA 31015, USA  (12 months)

OTHER PRISONERS

Ted Kaczynski (04475-046), US Pen - admin Max Facility, PO Box 8500,
Florence Colorado 81226, USA.  Serving multiple life sentences for the
infamous 'Unabomber' anti-technology bombing & murder campaign.

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk
140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson,
criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya.
Due for release in 2009.

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA.
Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her
home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke
campaigner.

MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of
all life. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving
100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979.  9th defendant,
Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa  (006307), Janet Holloway Africa  (006308) and Janine
Philips Africa (006309)  all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave,
Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI
Grateford, PO Box 244, Grateford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa  (AM4974), 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI
Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA
15370, USA.  In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of
MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop.  He was originally sentenced to
death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in
2001.

MAPUCHE PRISONERS & OTHER LAND RIGHTS PRISONERS
Due to space limitation we cannot publish the names & addresses of the
Mapuche & Land Rights prisoners in this edition of Spirit of Freedom,
however if you would like a list please contact Spirit of Freedom.

STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions.
'Spirit of Freedom' does not condone violence.  But we are also against
censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to
support.

ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in
1993 to support jailed eco-activists.  We support the prisoners by producing
various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP's international bimonthly publication (available
via e-mail or in a paper version).  If you would like to receive a copy
contact Spirit of Freedom, BM Box 2407, London, WC1N 3XX, England.  Or
e-mail ELP4321@hotmail.com

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any
new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details.  For more info e-mail
ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters - ELP has a number of websites that provide news,
prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political
prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by
ELP.  To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact.  For more info e-mail
elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco
Camenisch.  For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105
Regensdorf, Switzerland.

North American ELP is our North American contact.  For more information
e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact.  For more info e-mail
yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

North American ELP Prisoner Fund.  The North American ELP group has set up a
fund where people can pay money, for North American Eco-Defence and Animal
Rights prisoners, which will then be distributed to the North American
prisoners.  For information about the Fund and how to make a donation please
contact naelpsn@mutualaid.org

DEDICATION
This edition of Spirit of Freedom is dedicated to the American activist
Murray Bookchin who died at the age of 85 on the 30th of July 2006.
      Bookchin is accredited with the creation of the eco-anarchist theory
"Social Ecology", which argues for social as well as environmental reforms.
      Although 'Social Ecology' and Bookchin have been criticised by some
within the radical environmental movement it is important to acknowledge the
impact he made on the movement.  ELP's thoughts are therefore with his
family & friends.

New prison dispatch from Jeff “Free” Luers (August 28, 2006)

New prison dispatch from Jeff “Free” Luers (August 28, 2006)

When I started this dispatch a few days ago, my thoughts were jumbled. I’m not sure they are any clearer now. But I know what I want to try to say.

Now that I am out of the hole most of the letter that were sent 4-5 weeks ago are starting to be delivered. Thank you all for the love and support. It warms my heart.

I don’t know what it is like for our other captured warriors. There is little communication between me and other prisoners. And there is a definite lack of structure that would allow the political prisoners to work together. I would like to change that. However, that is perhaps a topic for my next dispatch.

I find myself in a strange situation of being a voice for an ideal and belief system. I give countless interviews and speeches on anarchism, environmentalism, direct action and activism. I always try to just speak for myself, but give an overview of broader topics.

I’m not entirely sure how all of this came about. It could be because of my amazing friends who have put up websites, made stickers, and movies about my story. My wonderful friends who refused to give up until the world knew my name and case.

Maybe it’s because of how much time I got and the fact that I steadfastly refuse to quit running my neck. Always preaching, even begging, for a revolution.

It might even be the right combination of the two. Still it never ceases to amaze me at the overwhelming amount of mail I’ve received, so many people from all over the world telling me how much I’ve inspired them.

I like to think that I inspire people because I’m still trying, still struggling. I like to think that I’m proof that everyone has this courage and passion inside of themselves.

It would break my heart if people thought I was something special or part of some kind of vanguard. I’m just an ordinary human being. I’m just like you.

Direct action isn’t something that is supposed to be left to some vanguard. It is for the people. All people. It doesn’t have to be spectacular it just has to be consistent.

Finding the courage to face state repression isn’t difficult it just takes believing in yourself and knowing you are right.

When I read the papers, even mainstream ones, I see how much global warming has become apart of our collective conscience. It is on the front page, in the comics, and editorials. Everyone is saying, “Something must be done”. And everyone is saying it like the power to fix the problem lies in someone else’s hands.

How did we as a society ever get so disempowered? How did we become so impotent?

For a long time I thought it was fear of repression. I thought it might have been intimidation or the belief that a small group of people can’t change anything.

But, what if it’s none of that. What if our collective fear is that we are powerful beyond measure? What if our fear comes from not wanting to be responsible?

These days it seems like everyone knows what is going on. Many people want change and are articulate and passionate about ending the war, creating social and environmental justice.

So, really, what gives? Why are we waiting?

I guess there is some big miracle around the corner. I just don’t know about it. Now that I know, I can sit back and rely on it, too. I can turn to these nameless and faceless others that will create this miracle. I mean, thank goodness, it’s someone’s responsibility to address all these pressing issues.

That doesn’t work for me. It shouldn’t work for anyone else.

I know what my country is doing wrong. I know what we are letting corporations get away with. It is my responsibility to try and stop it because I know.

I don’t enjoy it, but I embrace that responsibility. To steal a quote, evil flourishes when good people do nothing.

If you are reading this you likely know, also. Especially since I’ve yet to master preaching beyond the choir.

This responsibility is yours, as well. You don’t have to like it (I don’t). But you have to accept it, for two reasons: 1) you have the power to change that which is wrong. 2) You know what’s wrong and if you do nothing then you are part of what’s wrong.

I don’t want to be in prison. I wish I had been born in a different time, one that allowed me to live a simple life with my family and friends.

I’m not sure how much I believe in destiny or fate. All I know is that I was born into this mess. Born into a society of injustice, that puts profits before life and justifies all of it with twisted morality.

I can’t live in this world without challenging it, I don’t know how. Some people say that’s why I belong in prison. And, maybe, I do. If there is only a handful of people willing to fight back against insanity maybe this is where we belong. Locked away as a threat to those in power. Locked out of mainstream activism because our resistance goes beyond what the state allows, beyond their self-defined comfort zone.

But that doesn’t make me or anyone else an elite. Perhaps it just means we try too hard. That we have the audacity to believe a better world is possible and that we can help create it.

Maybe I’m the crazy one. It could be that those in power are supposed to be corrupt. Inequality really could be human nature. Maybe people should know their places and cower before their masters. It could very well be that this is the order of the universe and those who accept it have the right idea.

If that is the case, well, I’ll just have to continue being stubbornly wrong.

Jeff “Free” Luers

Write to: Jeff Luers

#13797671

Oregon State Prison

2605 State Street

Salem, Oregon 97310

USA

For more information: www.freefreenow.org

Miami to pay man hurt by police

Wed, Sep. 13, 2006

FREE TRADE SUMMIT

Miami commissioners agreed to pay $180,000 to a filmmaker injured during the Free Trade Area of the Americas summit.

BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ
mrvasquez@MiamiHerald.com
Miami Herald

The city of Miami agreed Tuesday to pay $180,000 to a man injured when a police officer fired a beanbag at him during protests at the Free Trade Area of the Americas summit in 2003 -- its first settlement of a suit related to police tactics at the gathering.

Carl Kesser, an independent Miami filmmaker, was seriously injured when the beanbag hit him in the head and lodged under his skin near the eye. Kesser suffered nerve damage and partial paralysis on one side of his face.

After medical costs and attorneys' fees, Kesser said that he was ''breaking even'' by taking the offer. Kesser said he was disappointed the courts did not find Miami violated his constitutional rights, as he'd hoped to make a statement with his suit against the city. On the plus side, he said, ``there's probably 150, 170 cases behind me.''

A massive police presence -- composed of multiple local law-enforcement agencies -- patrolled downtown Miami during the November 2003 summit.

Hoping to deter riots that occurred at previous free trade summits, police achieved their goal of preventing widespread property damage by protesters but faced allegations of heavy-handed, unconstitutional crowd-control tactics.

Miami police higher-ups have acknowledged mistakes but overall characterized their crowd-control efforts as a success.

Labor union activists and protesters have filed complaints and suits against the city.

FAVORED FTAA

Far from being a free-trade protester, Kesser said shortly after he was injured that he had traveled to the trade summit 'to do a pro-FTAA thing . . . a `feel-good piece.' ''

Kesser's lawsuit alleged that Miami police violated his civil rights. Attorneys for the city got that claim dismissed, but the city faced an uphill battle fighting Kesser's negligence claim, and for that reason decided to settle.

''The guy was lucky that he's alive,'' City Commissioner Tomás Regalado said before the commission voted to compensate Kesser.

Assistant Miami Police Chief Adam Burden told Regalado that Miami is examining other non-lethal weapons technology but that for now, firing beanbags is still allowed in certain circumstances.

A report by Miami's Civilian Investigative Panel, which looks into allegations of police misconduct, found that while certain officers acted inappropriately, ``most officers conducted themselves admirably, professionally and with considerable restraint and discipline even when they were subjected to acts of violence and other indignities.''

FEW CONVICTIONS

While hundreds of protesters were arrested during the trade summit, the report said only four of the arrests resulted in convictions, and three of those were for misdemeanors.

In August, Broward Sheriff's Maj. John Brooks apologized for derogatory comments he and other officers made in a police training video following the summit. The tape shows Brooks and other deputies praising each other over shooting nonlethal rubber projectiles at protesters. They congratulated each other for shooting Elizabeth Ritter, a 45-year-old Coral Gables attorney, five times as she cowered in the street.

SHAC Smackdown

http://eugeneweekly.com/2006/09/14/news1.html

SHAC Smackdown
Feds slap animal rights activists with the T-word.
BY KERA ABRAHAM

Murderous Islamic fundamentalists, tree-spiking eco-punks, radical puppy lovers — they're all terrorists in Uncle Sam's eyes. The recent conspiracy convictions of six animal rights activists illustrates the extent to which the feds are using the war on terror to paralyze the anti-corporate left with the fear of guilt by association.

The SHAC defendants

In May 2004, federal agents arrested seven activists with Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), a global group that aims to shut down an animal testing company with labs in New Jersey and England. Their target, Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), has a record of violating animal welfare laws and kills 500 animals a day, according to Greenpeace.

The feds charged the SHAC activists — Kevin Kjonaas, Lauren Gazzola, Jacob Conroy, Joshua Harper, Andrew Stepanian, Darius Fullmer and John McGee — with violating the never-before-tested Animal Enterprise Protection Act of 1992, a fruit of corporate lobbying that makes it a felony to smear companies that scrape profit off animals' backs. Prosecutors later dropped the charges against McGee.

Animal rights activists had done naughty things to HLS's New Jersey lab, like breaking windows and freeing caged beagles. But the feds aren't blaming those acts on the SHAC defendants; the saboteurs themselves are still underground. The SHAC seven merely acted as their aboveground supporters, organizing demonstrations, sending black faxes to clog up company machines and posting news on their website (www.shacamerica.net) in an attempt to pressure companies to stop doing business with HLS.

All of that may have been legal had the Animal Enterprise Protection Act not redefined terrorism to include physically disrupting or intentionally causing the property loss of animal testing companies. The feds argue that the SHAC activists' campaign, including the dissemination of videos showing HLS lab technicians punching beagle puppies in the face, caused some of HLS's biggest clients — like Procter & Gamble and The Bank of New York — to suspend business with the labs. That's property loss against an animal enterprise, which is now considered terrorism.

Federal prosecutor Charles McKenna noted that after the SHAC America website published HLS executives' home addresses and phone numbers, petty crimes — like the cutting-up of an executive's golf course and the partial sinking of another exec's boat — followed. "[The SHAC defendants] conspired with the people who did the actual vandalism and damage," he said. "Time and time again, when they would put that information out, bad things would happen to those people."

But SHAC supporters are furious that the campaign organizers, rather than the vandals themselves, now face years behind bars. "It seems like this case is sending a message that it's much safer to be an underground activist than an aboveground activist these days," said SHAC spokesperson Andrea Lindsay. "If you just hold signs and run a website, next thing you know you're going to prison for 10 years."

The idea that campaign organizers are responsible for whatever illegal acts underground activists do for their cause is potentially far-reaching. If that line of logic were applied across the political spectrum, the webmasters for pro-life groups could be held responsible for abortion-clinic bombings, and Republican National Committee staffers could be liable for atrocities committed by U.S. troops in Iraq. Of course, lefty activists expect the smack to land on their own asses, not the right's.

Prosecutor McKenna disputes that idea. "We don't look at the politics behind law-breaking," he said. "If you break the law, we're going to go after you whether you're on the right or the left."

The SHAC case is part of a larger federal campaign against domestic environmental and animal rights movements, dubbed the Green Scare. One arm of that effort is Operation Backfire, an FBI sting that resulted in the indictments of 14 Earth Liberation Front (ELF) activists allegedly linked with a string of eco-sabotage crimes across the West. That case, which made international headlines, is currently being heard by federal judges in Eugene.

The six SHAC defendants were convicted in March for a medley of nebulous crimes: conspiracy to violate the Animal Enterprise Protection Act, conspiracy to stalk, interstate stalking and conspiracy to harass using a telecommunications device. Their attorneys are appealing the verdicts. On Sept. 12 Kjonaas, Gazzola and Conroy received sentences ranging from four to six years and were ordered to pay $1 million in restitution to HLS and its employees. Fullmer, Harper and Stepanian will be sentenced in the next week.

Meanwhile, Congress is poised to consider the an expansion of the 1992 Animal Enterprise Protection Act. HR 4239, now in a House committee, would stiffen the penalties for conspiracy and replace the word "Protection" with "Terrorism."

For updates on the SHAC defendants visit www.shac7.com,and to learn more about the campaign against the AETA check out www.stopaeta.org.The SHAC America website was taken offline under court orders, but the UK counterpart is still up at www.shac.net

Jeff Free Luers loses contact visits for one year

> From: "Friends of Jeff 'Free' Luers" <freefreenow@mutualaid.org>>

> Dear Friends,
> This is very bad news for Jeff and for all of us that
> support him and love him. Jeff was found NOT guilty but
> has still lost his contact visits for one year. Below is
> the latest Dispatch from Jeff which explains his situation
> in detail.  We will be discussing this situation further
> and talking with his lawyer about options we have to try
> and help Jeff and we will post another message once we
> know more. Thank you all for your wonderful ongoing
> support. PLEASE continue to write to Jeff, and go here to
> find out how you can help further at
> http://freefreenow.org/donate.html and
> http://freefreenow.org/howtohelp.html
> Thanks,
> Friends of Jeff Free Luers
> -
> August 22nd, 2006
>
> Dispatch from Jeff ‘Free’ Luers
>
>
> Talk about a shitty couple of days. I get out of the hole
> on Sunday, August 20. To start I have to fight to get out
> on my date because I'm not in the computer. I get let out
> without having had a hearing, which means I have no
> sanctions.
>
> I'm excited, though. I know that no matter what I get to
> call her today. I get out right at yard line. I go and
> find my new cell conveniently locked on the bar box. The
> first cell on the tier, the one right in front of the
> guard.
>
> Ok, no big deal. Been here before. I throw my bedding in
> and hit the yard. The number that I've dialed nearly
> everyday for many months is gone from my memory. I try
> many combinations. I have to know it!
>
> I don't. I call the old number. I feel like an ass. I get
> the new number. Finally, her voice. I don't know what to
> say. So much is happening around me: softball, birds,
> sunlight, people coming up to shake my hand. I haven't
> been outdoors in six weeks. Nowhere near my longest hole
> stretch, but it's messing with me.
>
> I try, she keeps saying talk to me. Yet, the only words
> that come are ‘I love you’, ‘I'm scared they will not let
> me see you.’
>
> It's been less than twenty minutes. I notice cops pointing
> at me. Something is coming. I know it. I know the look.
> Sure enough here they come.
>
> ‘Luers, you're not supposed to be out here, you're going
> back to the hole.’
>
> ‘But I'm not on LOP (loss of privileges).’
>
> ‘You just got out of the hole, of course you are.’
>
> ‘I never got a hearing.’
>
> Looks of suspicion, hands going for the cuffs. Then
> something unexpected. She believes me.
>
> ‘Ok then.’
>
> ‘What was that about,’ I hear over the phone.
>
> ‘Nothing, just more of the same.’
>
> Next day. Monday.
>
> I go down to pick up my property. All my envelopes that I
> was told weren't there when I was in the hole. They are
> right on top. Guess they didn't want me writing letters
> the first few weeks. No biggie, it ain't the first time.
>
> Lots of my property is missing. Nothing major. Just the
> food and coffee I bought the week before the hole trip.
> That kind of thing happens. It will work itself out.
>
> Again, drop the stuff off, hit the yard. Everyone is
> shaking my hand offering me food, coffee, shoes. I mean
> everyone: my friends, black guys, skinheads, strangers. It
> feels good to be respected. It feels good to know that my
> politics, my character goes beyond prison divisions.
> People respect why I'm in prison. This place is a micro
> community and like any community it has its ‘popular’
> members. Somehow I'm one of them.
>
> Back to the cell. All my stuff doesn't fit. Fuck, shit,
> fuck! Ok, 30 books gone. Damn not enough. Ok, got to mail
> some letters home. Still not enough room. More stuff has
> to go. I've gone from a 6x9 cell with 7 shelves and a
> drawer to a 5x8 with one shelf and drawer. I've
> accumulated a lot of stuff in 6 years. Not more than the
> two duffel bag limit. But the limit still won't fit in a
> small cell.
>
> I feel slightly ill about this loss.
>
> Day number three. Tuesday. Today.
>
> They called me in for my hearing today. Nevermind speedy
> investigations. This one took 5 weeks. 5 weeks to get a
> tape of a phone call and ask a cop one question.
>
> At the hearing I'm informed that they listened to 6 phone
> calls. 3 hours worth of conversation. They never heard me
> talk about smoking pot. Never heard me talk about pot.
>
> I'm told that there's no longer any basis for suspicion.
> Reality and what is written in the report are two
> different things.
>
> Vindication. My heart leaps. Maybe, for once I'll get
> ahead. Well, at least not any farther back.
>
> Then a set back. The UA officer lies to the investigator.
> Says he didn't give me any water before the test. Says
> maybe 6oz.
>
> But he gave me two 8oz glasses. 16oz in 15 minutes.
>
> Their very rule says one 8oz glass every half hour after
> the first half hour. He violated the rule but he can't
> admit it. That alone would get me off. It would also show
> he was incompetent.
>
> Still, I'm not worried. Even though it's his word against
> mine I've still got the ace. The hearings officer says
> there's no reason to believe I was smoking weed.
>
> He gives me the decision. He says with no suspicion I do
> not find you guilty of disobeying an order (Yes! I've
> won!). However, you still submitted a diluted UA. So I
> find you guilty of contraband one.
>
> I'm sanctioned to 14 days LOP, 42 days hole time (time
> served, a $50 fine, and I lose my contact visits for one
> year. Even though no one thinks I smoked pot.
>
> I felt sick. It took a lot not to hit a cop today. Any
> cop, it didn't matter. Even the ‘cool’ ones who think I
> got fucked over simply say that's the way it goes.
>
> I wanted to say ‘yea, well I'm an anarchist and this is
> the way that goes’ Pow! But I keep control of my seething
> anger. I make my way back to my cell. My stupid fucking
> cell on the bar box where I can't get away from anyone.
>
> Here is when it hits me next time I see her face, next
> time I see my parents, there will be glass between us
> again. Just like county jail. No hugs, no kisses, no
> holding hands for a year.
>
> I've done it before. It doesn't seem like a lot. But when
> the only thing that has kept me going are those visits,
> it's everything.
>
> I'm not sure I can be ‘good’ anymore. I'm not sure that I
> want to be. I'm not sure what that means for my future.
>
> Then again, maybe I'm just bitter, tired of being fucked
> over by the prison system. Maybe this feeling will pass.
> Or maybe next time I'm pushed, I'll push back. Maybe I
> won't have to. Maybe people out there will start pushing
> back when they are pushed and all this stupid
> authoritarian bullshit will end.
>
> Jeff ‘Free’ Luers
>
>
> Write to: Jeff Luers
>               #13797671
>              Oregon State Prison
>              2605 State Street
>              Salem, Oregon 97310
>
> For more information: http://www.freefreenow.org
>
>
> --
> Friends of Jeff Free Luers
> www.freefreenow.org
>
> Jeff's listserve:
> http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/freejeffluers
>
> Donate to Jeff's Legal Defense Fund
> http://tinyurl.com/2uykh
>
> How to Help:
> http://freefreenow.org/howtohelp.html